[pct-l] Fw: Fuel shipment questions

[Ken Powers]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Powers" <Ken at GottaWalk.com>
To: "Robert Henry" <rrh.henry at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 9:20 PM
Subject: Re: Fuel shipment questions


Been there, done that. The only way out is to get a shipping box other than
a priority mail box. We got some at Office Max or Office Depot.

By definition "Priority Mail" and "Ground Only" are polar opposites to the
Postal Service. However I have had postmasters tell me use Priority Mail
when they knew the box would only travel by truck to a nearby town.  Another
problem with ground only is the long travel time. I have heard that ORM-D
boxes sometimes get pushed back when the truck if full. I don't think that
is true, but the delivery time seems really long sometimes.

Given your short time before (I assume) flying out, I think you should buy
your fuel in San Diego and ship it from there. Several of the San Diego
trail angels have said they would take hikers to stores like REI. There also
may be fuel at kickoff and I know there will be a mail run from there.

Good Luck. Enjoy your hike!

Ken
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Henry" <rrh.henry at gmail.com>
To: <ken at gottawalk.com>
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 6:07 PM
Subject: Fuel shipment questions


Ken:

Yogi redirects to your page http://www.gottawalk.com/shipping_fuel.htm
regarding how to ship fuel.  Your page is great, but it doesn't tell
me how/if I can use priority mail.  I just took my Priority Mail box
destined for Warner Springs with 8oz of fuel inside, and with an ORM-D
sticker on it (didn't have the verbiage "Surface Mail Only Consumer
commodity" on it), said it had to be shipped ground, and the clerk
said that all Priority Mail went via Air, and so they wouldn't take
the box.  They said it would have to go in another non-priority
labeled box, and presumably go normal parcel post, with all of the
vagaries therein.

What's the right thing to do here?

Thanks in advance,
Robert Henry
Seattle
(dept Campo Apr 17)