Time for...
Time to help your neighbors with the help of the Post Office.
Postal Carriers Food Drive Saturday 9 May 2026
To read more about food insecurity.
Easy to participate, by simply buying a few extra items each time you shop. And then place by your mailbox Saturday morning.
Back in the day, I would show a film and collect food for our local pantry.
What did hikers eat on the Appalachian Trail, BC, that is Before Cell Phones?
In a time when dehydrated food was available, but costly and there were only a few freeze dried items, like coffee. Here is my shopping list.
Most
Breakfasts Cost
Granola
$0.79
pound prepared hot or cold
General Mills
Breakfast Squares * $0.85
for four
or Pop Tarts would
work $0.39
Instant Oatmeal, Cream
of Wheat, Maypo $051-0.55
for 8/10
Instant Breakfast
(sometimes) $0.65
for a 6 pack
Powdered Milk
quart (for cereal, and pudding) $0.39
Freeze dried
coffee $1.00
+/-
Lunches / Snacks
Peanut butter in
glass Jar $1.33
28 oz
Crackers
(saltines) $0.39-0.47
Honey $1.04
16 oz
Cheese $0.59
8oz
Beef jerky, Slim
Jim $1.00
M&M $1.33
16 oz
Peanuts $0.63
12 oz
Raisins $0.71-0.77
15 oz
Pillsbury Space
Food Sticks * $1.00+/-
Dinners
Mac & cheese $0.29
box
Cup-a-soup $0.45-0.53
4 pack
Vegetable soup
(Lipton) $0.53
Rice (instant) $1.19
28 oz
Gravy $0.21
Lipton dinners * $0.85
Instant pudding 2
for $0.33 or 0.39
Wyler’s drink (bug
juice) * $0.29
Tea after dinner (McCormick, of course) cheap
The items marked with an
asterisk* are no longer available.
Read more of this history in
When backpacking on the AT, you would frequently come across a small country store. Duncan's was a classic example of this. This two shots were taken by my hiking companion, Ralph, of RPH fame.
I bought a soda, ice cream and cigs for 97 cents!
The original route across the State Route 42 valley looks like this:
And if you use Google Streetview it looks like this in 2021.
Shame, but had the trail still pass this place it might still be open.
It all started with a 49 year old photo.
Ralph Ferrusi, my recently reacquainted hiking partner from the southern AT in 1974, sent me this picture.
That's Don, Benji, Laura, and me (from left to right) in front of Duncan's that before that day we knew as "G" that stands for grocery in the Mileage Fact Sheet from the ATC.
It was always a nice find to come across a gas station or small store at road crossings to get some snacks or extra food. While limited offerings, I did buy "soda, ice milk & cigs (for) 97 cents."
So after getting the above pic, that I didn't have, I tried to find it today virtually since I wasn't going to drive to see it.
Google Maps is good for that purpose and I have used it for many road crossings along the AT. Even better is the option to use Google Streetview. Here you can do a virtual drive down many roads, and for some areas go back in time. For Duncan's the view in 2009 looks like this.
Then using Google Earth and historical imagery I found the same truck here in 2010
On Thursday 25 July 1974, I stopped by Snowden, VA Post Office to pick up and mail drop and buy some groceries. The food choices were limited but I recall get some cheese that I ate for a day or two.
From Google Streetview, I get this picture of the country store/PO combo.
This was a Thursday in 1974, And after a 10.5 mile hike, hit Snowden Virginia for a mail drop and to shop for some groceries. "Groceries in Snowden sucked."
Well it was a small combo grocery, hardware and PO all in one (might have had gas too).
The choices were limited, but I seem to recall I bought a block of cheese. I also noted in my journal that the "James River gorge no sweat."
At the Johns Hollow LT I met Harry who hiked the whole AT in 1969.
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#15/37.6127/-79.3941
We stopped in Snowden at a small store and picked up some food at the combo post office/general store for the trail. It had limited supplies, but besides mac and cheese, I do remember getting some fresh cheese. At the PO got a letter from my sister; it was always nice to get some personal mail.
At Johns Hollow LT, met Harry who was a thru hiker in 1969.
Lots of rain hiking these days, just like the monsoon we have had here in July today.
Here is a shot of my heating water for some tea after dinner. Would use a fire sometimes, but most of the cooking was done on my SVEA123.
Today, however, you can watch a live volcano online in Iceland.
On July 1st, 1974, stopped by this snack bar (we may now call it a food truck). Trail Magic, before it was called that, happened when a man bought us coffee. This is just one of the many times a stranger gave hikers something, and a remarkable thing.
"I bought pies, hot dog, soda, & 2 candy bars."
Here are a couple shots north of Roan, before and on Round Bald.
The next day we arrived in Elk Park and stayed in the Trivett House. "A great place, friendly, warm, nice. Bought 11 bucks of food to get me to Damascus. Should have made this a mail drop, but it makes me look forward to Damascus."
Back in the day, the trail was frequently relocated. Guide Books were published maybe once every 5 years, so the ATC would publish trail relocations in the May edition of the Appalachian Trailway News. The name changed in 2005, so you might find old copies in the library. Also a mileage fact sheet would be printed annually. Between these resources you could get a sense of the trail route.
On June 30th, 1974, an "off the road relocation caused some grief today." The previous day we crossed the Nolichucky River Gap and ate black berries and blue berries along the trail.
I also discovered that I didn't care for Lemon Instant Pudding. Pudding became a regular dinner items and the instant version just needed powdered milk and water to make. I already carried powdered milk for my breakfast granola.
Here is a shot of Curley Maple LT a few miles north of the Nolichucky.
It has been replaced and I suspect the trash barrel is no longer there because of the LNT movement.
Today was the day I met Ralph and continued as a hiking partner all the way to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Hike about 13 and a half miles today through an area the army uses to train Rangers. Lot of bunkers and foxholes.
Today was the day I realized I hadn't packed enough food as I was getting hungry all the time. We camped at Woody Gap that night. There was a nice picnic area there and having a table to eat on was a nice benefit.
Meeting Ralph was an important part of my AT experience.
Lots of people are pondering an AT hike this spring and I want to contribute some photos of my food preparation
This first one shows my Svea 123 Stove heating dinner at Wilson Creek LT in Virginia.
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