Peter Flamming - Comments 5 and 6

I agree with Joy when she states that Bryson learned the value of company, even sub-par company. When he began hiking alone, Bryson realized his mistake and began to wish for Katz's grumpy presence. Even though the deep Appalachian woods are scary at best by day, at night they border on terrifying. I believe for the rest of his life Bryson will think twice about undertaking anything frightening on his own.

I disagree with David when he states that Bryson learned the value of simplicity and even began to appreciate it. The simplicity of hiking on the At is more of a forced survival tactic rather that a value he chose to accept. I do not doubt that after the AT was over, Bryson would go back to his old sophisticated lifestyle. On the AT, you go simple, or you die. Bryson had to accept simplicity because it was only path that led to survival.