I have never come across another hiker where I have been hiking this winter in the back woods northeast of Concord – until today. At first, I saw a small dog coming toward me in the trail ahead and then a hiker pushing his way through the brush. As he came closer he said, “I never expected to see anyone else back here this deep in the woods.”
I said, “Likewise.”
“My name is Doug Ponusky,” he said, and I learned he lives a few blocks from me in Concord. He is a Vietnam veteran, having served as a medic in the paratroopers.
Within minutes, we were chatting as if we were old friends. That's the way it is with camaraderie on the trail.
He explained that he likes to hike several times a week, and he has just learned about these old logging trails, where there are so few other human foot prints in the snow off the beaten path.
After returning home and thinking about how much Ponusky enjoys hiking, I got out my notes from the Trail Table during the Wellness Fair in Concord last February. At that time, I had asked those who came to the table what they enjoyed most about hiking.
According to my notes, Alison McLaughlin of Pembroke said, “I enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.”
Bev Rafferty of Loudon said, “After my heart surgery I have followed the advice of my doctor and I go hiking across the fields that I love.”
David Florence of Concord explained, “It is hard to believe that here in Concord, I can easily find a woodland trail and in a few minutes be in the middle of nowhere.”
Bob Pollock, who helped design the Winant Park Trail, said, “I talk to the trees and imagine what they would say about all they have witnessed from years past.”
Sean Bertiaume of Concord said, “My 2-year-old son takes me hiking as often as he can.”
Carol Ann Bouchard of Concord said, “For 15 years I was a naturalist taking groups of people on hikes. Now that I have graduated from White Mountain hiking, I find places of quiet on our Concord trails.”
Laura Aibel said, “My dogs and I love to go hiking. I keep the trail maps in the car all the time. I will go hiking at the drop of a dog's paw. Once my labs tangled with a skunk and I got part of the encounter, because when I went to work, I was sent home.”
This year the Wellness Fair sponsored by the City of Concord's Wellness Program for employees and their families will be held at the Holiday Inn in Concord (172 N. Main St.) on March 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hilary Thomson and I will again be attendants at the Trail Table.
I am glad I met Ponusky on the trail today because this prompted me to revisit my notes from last year's fair when people described what they enjoy about hiking. After our conversation on the trail, Ponusky and I parted ways, since we were hiking in opposite directions. I watched as he headed up the trail with his dog, Tinker, leading the way.
