Hi All,

I’d love to get packages and letters from you all! I know there lots of instructions here, and I’m not trying to scare you away from doing it. I’m just trying to make sure that I actually do get the packages and letters that you send me. Remember picking up mail on the trail is a lot more difficult that just simply walking to the mailbox in our development.

Letters should be mailed using normal regular mail. Nothing special, just everyday First Class.

Packages should be mailed using Priority Mail through the US Post Office. Please Do NOT mail packages using either First Class or Parcel Post no matter what the Post Office employees suggest or say. Please do not use UPS, or FedEx. Also make sure that I do NOT have to sign for it.

What should you send? Well “nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven”. So cookies, notes from you, cookies, family news, cookies are all good things. And care packages need not be huge.

What should you NOT send? Anything that I would have to carry. So if you send books, enormous sombreros, furniture, mountain bikes, or motor vehicles I’ll just have to send them back, because I can’t take them on the trail with me (especially the latter two)

It’s very important that you address each package or letter exactly as I’ve specified in my mail drop list. And don’t forget to write “Hold for PCT Hiker w/ ETA (date) on the bottom left corner of all packages and letters. It’s also helpful to write my last name in big black letter on all sides of any box.

As you all know I do not have firm dates when I’ll get to specific locations. If I have planned to be at some location on May 12th then it’s a definite possibility that I could be there a couple of days earlier like May 9th (I doubt this will ever happen), or a couple of days later like May 16th (more likely). I could be even a week or more off my schedule. Plans are just that, plans, so it’s probably good to send your packages and letters to arrive a few days earlier that my scheduled ETA. So If you’re planning on sending a package or letter to me then I suggest that you email starrshine at austin dot rr dot com to check on my updated arrival date and time.

Surprise packages are very nice, but I’ve got to ask for my mail at each Post Office and if I don’t know you’ve sent me something I won’t know to ask for it. So if you are, please send me an email to tell me about the upcoming package.

Thanks,
Bri