Author Archives: Ron Haines

Every once in a while I run across a recycled gas station that really impresses me.  This little gem in West Palm Beach, Florida, is a perfectly maintained, classic two-bay station, complete with two outside-access bathrooms. Go here to see … Continue reading →

Some of you may know that 50 years ago I lived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I inhabited a nice, ground-floor apartment in the middle of the old commercial heart of the city and lived there happily for two years, thriving … Continue reading →

I really don’t have to travel to see wildlife in action.  This happened yesterday in my backyard.  (All photos by Ron Haines)

I found two more recycled gas stations down here in South Florida the other day on my drive up US 1 in West Palm Beach to go to the gym. They’ve been under my nose for a long time, just … Continue reading →

I am all set for my chess-playing grandchildren when they visit in February, thanks to the creative and energetic woman who drew my name in the Haines Secret Santa pool this season. What you are looking at below is a … Continue reading →

The term Mr. Big around my house is a reference to the very large, orange iguana that hangs out on the dock in the backyard.  That’s what we call him. He’s the king of the dock.  Or was until a … Continue reading →

Cheap hotels can be a very mixed bag.  I usually try to find something on my road trips for under $40 a night and feel positively profligate if I spend more than $60. That attitude has netted me some interesting … Continue reading →

This is one of my favorite words.  I hardly ever get to use it in conversation and have never used it in a blog post, so what better way to break it in than in a blog post title. But … Continue reading →

My 2018 paddling season in the Northeast has come to a close.  It hasn’t been one of the better years, that’s for sure. The weather has been just lousy. I’m the organizer of two meetup paddling groups up here, one in … Continue reading →

My recent road trip back to Connecticut from Denver led me to a made-in-the-USA yard art operation in New Mexico.  Sort of how my road trip TO Denver took me to a stained glass artist in Deep River, Ontario, Canada. … Continue reading →