The saddest departure of the season...

[Judy Patsch]

Today was the last departure of the AMERICAN QUEEN from the Oneida St. dock in Davenport, so this means its the end of the steamboating season here on the UMR. Because of the Lock 25 problems and her trips being rescheduled, she stopped here 2 bonus times on upbounds, making it 6 stops during this season.
While this one is always a melancholy one, take a look at the first picture -what a pleasant surprise tonight! I know John Boyle was up there, but I'm not sure who blew it for us. Still no calliope of course, but as you'll see in the second picture, the paddlewheel was also turning - so 2 of 3 steam elements were working which had been missing on other trips. The sternline telegraph reports that Ye Olde Reflector Editor up in Dubuque was befuddled by this man's presence -seems he didn't recognize our friend PT, late of the DQ and MQ, on the AQ!

[Judy Patsch]

Parting photos

1) in Lock 15 as seen from the Government Bridge
2) approaching the Centennial Bridge as the security guard was approaching me to get off private property
3) my last view of the season at mile 480 UMR

[CJ Meyers]

Encouraging News!

Could this possibly mean that some of the folks over at the American Queen Steamboat Company have been made aware of some of our concerns regarding her operation this fall??

I guess that only time will tell.................................

CJ

[Judy Patsch]

Hopefully..

CJ check your email through this .org board.

[CJ Meyers]

Got it Judy...Thanks so much!

[David Tschiggfrie]

Yes, Judy, it's true. Ye olde editor (with a very red face) confesses to a monumental lapse of memory while visiting on the AQ's northbound leg of her last trip! Capt. PT, as always, was most kind and gracious at this faux pas, and appeared nonetheless to be genuinely pleased to see ol' whatsisname at Dubuque.

Covington passengers Frank Prudent and Vic Canfield were given the cook's tour of the TWILIGHT sitting high and dry on Newt's floating drydock in the Ice Harbor, courtesy of Capt. Kevin Stier and Carter Newt. Outfitted with hard hats and life vests, we climbed all around and under her hull and upper decks to our heart's content, the visitors' cameras working overtime all the while. One more sign of this old man's failing memory surfaced when I had to register all the drydock visitors at Newt Marine's office. Not being able to recall the name of the third visitor in our group (a salt water enthusiast from New York accompanying the S&D contingent on the cruise), he was signed in under the pseudonym "Fred Way." I'm fairly sure that Capt. Fred wouldn't mind! All in all, a wonderful conclusion to the reinstatement of overnight cruising on the UMR. Even saw some copies of this year's issues of the REFLECTOR on prominent display in the AQ's Chart Room through the kindness of Travis and Jerry Hay.