T
Tramper Al
Guest
Hey,
OK, I struggle with shuttle schemes all the time, as I am classically a section hiker/skier/paddler, from point A to point C. It get's worse, too, when there are canoes involved, but that's a whole other level.
I will describe my current situation, and will welcome suggestions on how best to arrange its shuttle plan. If anyone has come up with some consistent truths (like a formula) about shuttling, I'd love to hear them too, to save me the headache of trying to think it through each time.
So, I am hiking from point A to point C. First, from A to B with companion X, then from B to C with companion Y. Call me "Z". What is the simplest (shortest) method to: 1) drive X and Z to point A (to hike), 2) have X's car available at point B for X to drive home, 3) get Y to B to hike, and 4) have either Y's or Z's car (or both) waiting at point C when they walk out, and 4) retrieve any cars left at other points?
For those of you who prefer to think a bit more concretely, I can re-phrase with actual names and places, chosen entirely at random.
Say I am hiking from Flagstaff Lake to Monson. First, from Flagstaff Lake to Caratunk with weatherman, then from Caratunk to Monson with Spencer. Call me "Al". What is the simplest (shortest) method to: 1) drive weatherman and me to Flagstaff Lake (to hike), 2) have weatherman's car available for him at Caratunk to drive home, 3) get Spencer to Caratunk to hike, and 4) have either Spencer's or my car/truck (or both) waiting at Monson when we walk out, and 4) retrieve any cars left at other points?
I could do a conventional 2 car, 2 person shuttle with each companion for each of the two sections (A-B and B-C). So from Caratunk I would drive weatherman back to Flagstaff, then drive to Monson to pick up Spencer, then return to Cararunk.
Or, I could have weatherman pick me up at Monson where I spot my car, and we drive to Flagstaff Lake to hike. Then Spencer drives to Caratunk and hikes, while weatherman takes his truck to Flagstaff for his own car.
Which scheme (or any other you might suggest) might typically minimize driving time, fuel consumption, and mental concentration? I am assuming that the actually mileage between trailheads has no bearing on the solution, which may or may not be correct. Are these two schemes actually equivalent?
Of course, everyone must arrive in his own car and take it home. No one can shuttle on a day he isn't there to hike, and of course nothing as clever as hitchhiking or a float plane is allowed.
If you've won our contest recently, please give someone else a chance.
Thanks in advance . . .
OK, I struggle with shuttle schemes all the time, as I am classically a section hiker/skier/paddler, from point A to point C. It get's worse, too, when there are canoes involved, but that's a whole other level.
I will describe my current situation, and will welcome suggestions on how best to arrange its shuttle plan. If anyone has come up with some consistent truths (like a formula) about shuttling, I'd love to hear them too, to save me the headache of trying to think it through each time.
So, I am hiking from point A to point C. First, from A to B with companion X, then from B to C with companion Y. Call me "Z". What is the simplest (shortest) method to: 1) drive X and Z to point A (to hike), 2) have X's car available at point B for X to drive home, 3) get Y to B to hike, and 4) have either Y's or Z's car (or both) waiting at point C when they walk out, and 4) retrieve any cars left at other points?
For those of you who prefer to think a bit more concretely, I can re-phrase with actual names and places, chosen entirely at random.
Say I am hiking from Flagstaff Lake to Monson. First, from Flagstaff Lake to Caratunk with weatherman, then from Caratunk to Monson with Spencer. Call me "Al". What is the simplest (shortest) method to: 1) drive weatherman and me to Flagstaff Lake (to hike), 2) have weatherman's car available for him at Caratunk to drive home, 3) get Spencer to Caratunk to hike, and 4) have either Spencer's or my car/truck (or both) waiting at Monson when we walk out, and 4) retrieve any cars left at other points?
I could do a conventional 2 car, 2 person shuttle with each companion for each of the two sections (A-B and B-C). So from Caratunk I would drive weatherman back to Flagstaff, then drive to Monson to pick up Spencer, then return to Cararunk.
Or, I could have weatherman pick me up at Monson where I spot my car, and we drive to Flagstaff Lake to hike. Then Spencer drives to Caratunk and hikes, while weatherman takes his truck to Flagstaff for his own car.
Which scheme (or any other you might suggest) might typically minimize driving time, fuel consumption, and mental concentration? I am assuming that the actually mileage between trailheads has no bearing on the solution, which may or may not be correct. Are these two schemes actually equivalent?
Of course, everyone must arrive in his own car and take it home. No one can shuttle on a day he isn't there to hike, and of course nothing as clever as hitchhiking or a float plane is allowed.
If you've won our contest recently, please give someone else a chance.
Thanks in advance . . .
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