A Walk in the Woods - An old friend - #4

While contemplating his walk in the woods, Bryson realizes that he will be traveling alone. He fears that if or when he runs into trouble nobody will be there to help him. He decides to write on his Christmas cards that year that he will be traveling the entire Appalachian Trial, and would like somebody to come along with him. Of course, nobody wants anything to do with this cumbersome adventure. Then, about a month before leaving, an old friend, Stephen Katz, calls to inform him he would like to participate. Bryson comments on how he went with Katz on an adventure around Europe years earlier, but has since lost touch with him. Bryson admits "In the twenty-five years since, I had run into him three or four times on visits home but hadn't seen him otherwise". (pg 19) I find this a surprising aspect to the book. Why would he loose virtually all contact with someone after traveling with Europe with him? Although Bryson does explain the various drug/job issues Katz had, he does not connect how the European trip will be at all similar to this trip. You would think Bryson would go into detail on how Katz acted or what type of person he was on their previous advenutre.