A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods is a story of two un-expected men hiking the renowned Appalachian Trail and living in the wilderness. Brysons and Katz’s relationship changes from virtually strangers, who may have known each other in another life, to a close bond and deep understanding of each other because they were hiking together, the physical demands of hiking the trail, and being in the wilderness.

Throughout the story, their relationship changes from that friend from long ago to a close bond and a tight friendship. When Bryson first mentions Katz in the story, he says “We had remained friends in a kind of theoretical sense, but our paths had diverged wildly.” Katz had been a drug dealer while Bryson had made a family and been an author. They have unbelievable experiences which made their friendship become stronger. Things like Mary Ellen, the crazy hiker who latched onto them, Katz getting in trouble with someone’s husband, saving Bryson when he fell into the water and just experiencing the Appalachian Trail and the towns in between completely changes their relationship and makes them closer friends than ever.

When they begin their journey on the trail, they have a hard time getting started. Out of the two men, Bryson was more physically fit, but hiking the Appalachian Trail is no walk in the park. Bryson after the first day said “I shed my pack and slumped heavily against a tree, astounded by the scale of my tiredness.” Katz was nowhere to be seen, so Bryson “walked and walked, down the hill and through the endless groves of trees, back over ground that I had gratefully put behind me forever” to find him. Later on in the book, they improved their daily distances and Katz begins to really get into hiking on the trail. “Katz had accumulated a small, appreciative crowd and was demonstrating the use and theory of various straps and toggles on this backpack. Their relationship changes through Katz’s changed attitude about hiking the trail, and the two men’s perseverance to keep going once Katz got into the Appalachian Trail.

Their relationship also changes through their attitudes on the wilderness and from being dependant on shelters and towns to being willing to pitch a tent in the open land. As they were first beginning their journey, they usually made their stops when they reached a shelter on the trail. “Dusk was settling in when we reached Birch Spring Gap Shelter”. On the last night of their first big journey, they get so irritated by ignorant hikers that stayed in the shelter that they were in that Katz said “Pitch my tent in the clearing. You coming?” The two hiking companions had an understanding of each other and had the same annoyances with the noisy ingnorant hikers on the trail. They had become nearly professional at living on the trail and stregthened their bond. Their relationship changed as their outlooks on the wilderness and living in the woods did.

Bryson and Katz go through a lot together and their relationship changes all throughout the story because of all of their experiences. A friendship bond was re-built from their adventure and the understanding that they sub-consciously had was very strong, they didn’t always need to be talking. Hiking the trail together gave them a shared perseverance and intense but positive experience. Bryson and Katz both changed while on the trail together and that was another factor that built up their relationship. Both also connected with the wilderness and the experience of outdoor living. A hiking partner that wasn’t expected ended up making the trip. Bryson, after the first adventure tried to go out hiking said “The view from the top was gorgeously panoramic, but it still didn’t feel right without Katz” Bryson and Katz’s relationship altered greatly, but was made nothing but stronger through the many factors on the trail.