The PO List and Route

Here is my debut list of Post Office boxes that I will be checking along the way. There are only eighteen which means I won't be hearing from anyone too often at 1.5 times a month.

As of today, I am still hiking counterclockwise. That means I'd be doing some insane cold weather hiking through the Panhandle of Texas.

In general, people have advised against this. "It gets cold," they say. Well, yes. Snow is cold. Wind and snow together are especially cold. Having lived in Montana for four years, I know a little something about this kind of weather. I'm no expert, but I would like to try it out. Plus, I would like to see snow in Texas, even just once, silly as it sounds. It snowed in Corpus Christi a few years back on Christmas day, but I wasn't there to see it.

That said, I could still be talked out of it. All it would take is a survival specialist to tell me, "Antarctica, no problem. Piece of cake. Texas Panhandle, don't think so, buddy. Couldn't pay me enough to do that." Were I to be swayed for any reason, the following PO list would only be accurate in reverse. Until announced, however, just go with the list as is.

To send something, just follow these instructions, plucked from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's website:

The "TO" Portion:
1) Write "S.Matt Read"
2) Write "c/o GENERAL DELIVERY"
3) Write the Post Office address of choice.
4) Skip a line.
5) Write "Please hold for Texas Perimeter Hiker."
6) Write the date you expect me to pick it up. And give me LOTS of time.

The "FROM" Portion:
1) This is important. While unlikely that any mail would get returned, you need to print the return address clearly just in case.


Remember that I'll be reaching each of these post offices about every 20 days. If you want to be extra sure I receive something, go to the next post office down the list. And the asterisk means it's directly on the perimeter or very very close.

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1) 924 N Avenue F

*Freeport, TX 77541-9998

2) 345 Lakeshore Dr.

*Port Arthur, TX 77640-9998

3) 7132 US Highway 79

De Berry, TX 75639-9998

4) 312 W Front St

De Kalb, TX 75559-9998

5) 400 Clay St

Nocona, TX 76255-9998

6) 219 W 3^rd St

Quanah, TX 79252-9998

7) 116 N Main St

*Higgins, TX 79046-9803

8) 201 N Main St

Stratford, TX 79084-9803

9) 201 Historic Route 66

Adrian, TX 79001-9998

10) 504 11^th St

Plains, TX 79355-9802

11) 3737 N Highway 285

Orla, TX 79770-9800

12) 7050 Doniphan Dr

*Canutillo, TX 79835-5407

13) 311 W California Ave

Valentine, TX 79854-5400

14) 53600 TX Highway 118

Terlingua, TX 79852-9998

15) 208 W Downie St

Sanderson, TX 79848-9800

16) 20001 N Highway 277

*Quemado, TX 78877-9998

17) 4327 N US Highway

*San Ygnacio, TX 78067-9998

18) 7955 N Expressway 77

Olmito, TX 78575-5126

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Until next time, postal users...