Week 6, Part 1

Katz is back! Bill and Katz came to Maine, and began hiking together again.

Katz had made up his mind that the best way to hike was with newspaper delivery bags, and to hardly pack anything, but Bill finally talked some sense into him, although they took less, and they brought raw food to eat.

Very early on they saw a moose, who was drinking from a stream. He couldn't believe someone would hunt them. "You might as well hunt cows" (349; ch. 19).

Katz started throwing things angrily, in a very similar way to the first day. He had thrown food, clothes, and a water bottle, to Bryson's great surprise.

They came to a stream in the middle of the path, and they tried step over it on stones. Katz fell in, and so did Bill. Both of them nearly drowned. After they got across, two young hikers walked through the water with their packs over their heads with the greatest of ease.

When they came to the town of Monson, Bill Bryson found out that Katz had been drinking. He wanted more money to buy beer, but Bill wouldn't let him. Katz was supposed to have quit drinking a long time ago.

They came to the Hundred Mile Wilderness, which was a dark and long section of the AT. At first they are mad at each other, but eventually Katz returns to his normal self and explains that he enjoys drinking a lot.

Bill goes ahead to fill up their water bottles at the stream. He waits for more than half an hour, and he finally goes back only to find that Katz is gone! Bill starts panicking, and he searches everywhere for him. It was very hot, and if Katz didn't have water he might die!

Eventually, Katz is found. He explained that he had gone off the trail and gotten lost. They both agreed that they wanted to go home.

So they hitchhiked back to civilization. They weren't excited to have the comforts of cities because they know they'll have them for a very long time. Bill and Katz agreed that although they didn't walk the entire trail, they walked enough of it. "So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail" (394; ch. 21).