Booked through a travel company we work with, a couple from Ohio were looking to get out and see some on-trail sights. New to hiking, they selected a “Guided Nature Tour” which was perfect for their current level. When asked after the fact, the husband said he rather enjoyed the experience. They both did, even though the wife was very new to the whole idea.
A common destination for us for this half-day experience is Church Pond off the “Kanc.” There is a lot to take in on this flattish trail — such as the two minor crossings that require walking into the river — and it’s loaded with bog bridges making the inaccessible spruce bog near the end, accessible. The trail used to be a loop but now terminates on a peninsula of sorts (it would be a nice place to camp). Leading this tour was Redline Guide Bethany Bourget, and she offered us some photos and insights gleaned from this “wonderful couple” along the way.
They’ve been traveling together for well over 20 years and they jetset all over the world with a travel company. Today was their stop in the White Mountains during a 9-day roadtrip through New England. They were a lovely couple and showed great perseverance getting through the crossing and dealing with mud and big steps up and down the embankments. ‘We don’t do this hiking stuff,’ they said, so they were grateful and curious about the trails. They travel frequently and I want them to adopt me! —Bethany
