Ran into an old PCT hiker at a diner last week who made me rethink my whole approach to resupply

Guy told me he stopped planning his food drops months ahead. Said just buying as he went made the trail feel less like a job. I've been spending hours on spreadsheets for years. It hit different because he wasn't some newbie either, had like 15k trail miles. Has anyone else tried just winging it on a long route and not regretted it?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowank6919d agoMost Upvoted

Start thinking about how much mental weight those spreadsheets carry. The guy at the diner might have realized that planning every meal weeks ahead eats up the same energy you could be spending on actually enjoying the trail. Plus, winging it forces you to talk to locals and other hikers more, which is how you stumble onto the best diners and secret shortcuts anyway.

leo_campbell19d ago

Wait, he actually just ditched the spreadsheets? Dude planned every single meal?

wyatt_ross2719d ago

Yo did he mention if he ever ran into trouble with food running out in those long stretches where there ain't a store for a week? I tried winging it once on a shorter trip and ended up eating mashed potatoes for three days straight cause that's all the gas station had lol.