SRKG Posts | SRKG Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway Coalition | Hiking trail system in central New Hampshire that encircles Lake Sunapee area

Brian checking GPS distances on SRK trail #14 in Newbury

Brian Faughnan died on August 1st. Brian was a long-serving SRKGC Board Director from Wilmot with years of abundant contributions to the organization. His love of maps, GPS technologies and map making can be found in all three of the Greenway’s SRKG Trail Guides. Brian and his wife, Barbara, also edited and published the SRK Greenway newsletter for many years. The beautiful Certificates awarded to hikers who completed all 14 Greenway section were designed, and usually presented, by Brian and Barbara. He also served for a year as Board Chairman, and led hikes and maintained trails.

Brian could walk out his front door and directly be on Trail 8 walking, skiing, or working. He and Dudley Moseley, also of Wilmot, for many years maintained Wilmot trails 7 (from NH 4A over Bog Mountain to Wilmot Library) and 8 (from library over to New Canada Road) with immaculate care.

He also applied his skills and energies as map maker and Board member to the Wilmot Conservation Commission.
Overall, Brian provided exemplary proof that every community needs a talented, retired physicist to keep the world in working order.

A more complete appreciation of this wonderful man, written by his daughter, Kelly, can be read here: http://www.chadwickfuneralservice.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=3832507&fh_id=12966

Ralph Spofford working on the Kidder Brook Bridge

Noting that Ralph’s and Mickie’s preferred memorial is with the SRK Greenway, we remember Ralph fondly for his wonderfully gentle sense of humor and his thorough work on every task he undertook for the Greenway. Of course he had many other interests which are noted in his formal obituary here.

o On Trail #6 in New London, Ralph and Mickie donated the Bunker Farm conservation easement to ASLPT, permanently protecting the trail and a beautiful hillside field with apple trees at a critical point. The easement requires that the open field be mowed annually in perpetuity. More details about the Spofford easement can be found here.

SRK Greenway Bridge Crew

o Ralph put his engineering skills to use designing and supervising construction of bridges: the famous Kidder Brook bridge on Trail 5 (laminated-stringers and sheet metal rot protection), and 2 short bridges on lowlands of Trail 12 in North Sutton. It was Ralph’s decision to order steel beams to serve as stringers on one bridge. For all 3 bridges, he led the work days.

The SRK community is indebted to the generous contributions that Ralph donated to the Greenway. We are truly grateful.