Author Archives: Ron Haines

Twenty years ago today I slid my 30-year-old Grumman canoe into a small creek called the Mississippi River in northern Minnesota, plopped my 59-year-old body into it and began my paddling trip to New Orleans.  I slowed the pace of … Continue reading →

I was back up in tiny Contoocook again this year to carry on our traditional July 4 parade pattern. Kids’  Parade at 11:30 and Regular Parade at Noon, rain or shine, and smack on July 4, whenever the day falls. … Continue reading →

The Swift River in Belchertown, MA, is one of my go-to places, as much for the variety of yard art along its shores as anything else. For me it’s best paddled on a hot day, because the Swift comes out … Continue reading →

I had a great “as the crow flies” drive through Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut the other day and I thought I’d share some of the photos here.  No, there are no scenic pictures.  If I had stopped to snap a … Continue reading →

I revisited a favorite paddling spot today with some friends from the Paddle Killingly Meetup Group.  It’s the Salmon River, down in Moodus, CT.  Access is from Sunrise State Park.  Big name, but a neglected place.  It’s the site of … Continue reading →

The last time I saw an elephant at all was in Uganda in the 1970s.  That one was standing in the middle of the dirt road between me and my bunk in the drivers’ quarters late one dark night.  On … Continue reading →

Even a mom has to take a moment to scratch that itch, as this Sandhill Crane on a nest clearly shows us. She’s at Okeeheelee Park South in West Palm Beach, Florida. Here are some more photos from the day: … Continue reading →

Yes, the headline’s misleading.  I didn’t actually get to sample any of the Sticky Licky Ice Cream Store’s wares.  It wasn’t open when I stumbled on it last week, ever on the lookout for recycled gas stations. This place is … Continue reading →

This is a great one in this series. This is a tricolor heron in full-on itch mode. Taken today on the Upper Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, FL. Below are all of the photos from today’s paddle. To see previous Itches, … Continue reading →

I went out to one of my favorite places for a short paddle the other day.  Winding Waters is one of those treasured pockets of nature restored years ago by Palm Beach County’s Natural Areas programs.  I like it because … Continue reading →