September 23rd through 30th, 2007

Dedication

To Chuck and Ruth, who’s conversations around the campfire help inspire my seeking the vessel to carry us thru the journey ... a journey which will help define the significance of the - dash.

The American Queen

  Floatin’ on the Mississippi

 Sept. 23^rd, 2007 - We didn’t take the two hour prior to flight time serious … we should have!  My notion of an empty airport and plane at 6am on Sunday was pure folly.  Both were packed to the hilt!  Standing in line to check in was at least 28 deep with one family with 3 kids and two caged St. Bernard’s and a cart loaded with framed pictures and boxes piled high at the head of the line.    I did have time to people watch and spotted the same Majestic America cruise luggage tags on the suitcases of the couple a head of us.  Harold and Lois Miles were from a ranch 100 miles SE of Bend, and was not gonna be dressing up for nobody!  All of us ‘cruisers’ got pulled over for extra security … Harold being the most suspicious looking (and due to his pacemaker) got the total frisked job!!  We got to go into the newly installed “air blaster” tunnel … what that did I don’t know, but we were all ok’d to board the plane.

The flight was packed and we found out later there were 6 other cruisers with us on Delta.  We got crackers with cheese for breakfast, then later a snack of … you guessed it - cheese with crackers.  We had a smooth flight but couldn’t see anything due to having inside seats and/or clouds.  We landed with a hard hop skip and stepped out to 80+ muggy temperatures.  Cincinnati airport as I was told was indeed in Kentucky.  We thought originally that it was a small terminal until we had to catch a tram to the baggage area that seemed like miles away.  While waiting at our baggage ramp for suitcases the rancher noticed his bags on the Los Angeles in coming ramp.  Ours followed theirs so after retrieving, we headed for the Majestic America waiting area and the bus.  We only had to wait 15 minutes and filled 2 full coaches with folks from as far away as England.  We were lucky enough to get the last 2 seats … facing backwards.  So after the bumpy descent, hard landing, fumes and looking backwards, I wasn’t feeling so good when we got to the boat.

I had let Janie know we were on the ground and would check back in when we got settled.  I asked the Purser if she could come aboard and was immediately given a pass for her along with an invitation to have her join us at the buffet dinner.  So after giving her a quick tour we settled in with a glass of wine, great food and fun talk, catching up for an hour before she had to leave.

Our room #439 “Mosquito Creek”, though small is quite cute and beds very comfy.  For a small boat, we were told the shower was over sized and found the bathroom quite adequate.    We have a TV with DVD player, an antique style side by side hutch with desk, and French doors to the deck.  Very homey!

Mosquito Creek - Room 439

The Mark Twain Gallery

 The “Front Porch”

We met Paul & Harriet Calverley from Boise as we were setting sail and going into the sunset.  The calliope started playing Dixie quite loud as it does with every sailing, so we moved to the front of the boat. 

A calliope is a musical instrument that produces sound by sending steam through whistles, originally locomotive whistles. The calliope is also known as a "steam organ" or "steam piano". It was often played on riverboats and in circuses, where it was sometimes mounted on a carved, painted and gilded horse-drawn wagon in a circus parade. The instrument's name originates from Greek mythology: Calliope (pronounced cal-eye-oh-pee), daughter of Zeus, was chief of the Muses and mother of Orpheu. Her name, in Greek, means "beautiful voiced".  A calliope is typically very loud; even small calliopes produce sound that can travel for miles.

When we walked back to our cabin we found beds turned down with chocolates on the pillows ….  I think I’m going to like this trip!!  I was so exhausted I thought I’d fall asleep as my head hit the pillow … but it took a pill and 2 ½ hours before I drifted off.  I was comfortable, but toooo full and excited I guess.  We had the fan going for ‘white noise’ along with the rhythmic hum of the engine so that wasn’t the problem; I just couldn’t turn my brain off.  The soft vibrating slapping of the paddlewheels felt almost like a heartbeat and I think that made me a little uncomfortable.

Sept 24^th –

I got up around 7am and went down to the “Front Porch” for coffee, yogurt and a bagel.  I brought back a tray for Ricky and he got going around 9.  We walked up the hill and round old town Madison Indiana.  It was very quaint with lots of antique shops and old Victoria style store fronts and houses.  It was hot and sweaty but down home nice! 

We were looking for a place to buy a bottle of water when we ran into our friends Paul & Harriet who just happened to have a spare bottle for us.  We later got back together on board for a glass of wine and game of Hearts … I won!!  They said it was beginners luck since I hadn’t a clue what I was doing and hadn’t played in years. 

We had early buffet and ate too much again, causing another sleepless night even after staying up later watching the ‘Mark Twain’ wantabe.   He was a good actor and probably very authentic … slow and tiresome to the point of being boring, with an occasional chuckle thrown in between long tales.

Sept 25^th –

We woke docked in Louisville Kentucky around 6am with a fuel tug along side squawking loudly on walkie talkies.  I relinquished my pillow about 7 and went for coffee.  I brought Rick a cup, then he joined me on deck at 9:30 for fruit and bagels.  We walked up about 5 blocks to Starbucks and saw a little of downtown Louisville.  There were lots of derby statues and murals, a convention center and parks.  We almost got run over in a crosswalk as some lady turned into the intersection right in front of us like she didn’t  see us … or care!

Back on board I tried to nap but kept feeling like I was missing something.  I was about to get up when our cabin phone rang and it was Harriet wanting to play cards.  So I found Ricky and met up with Paul for a rousing game where Ricky lost!

The Historic Passing of the Delta Queen

We forced ourselves to have only salad for dinner in hopes of sleeping better … everyone looked at us with disbelief saying we weren’t getting our moneys worth!   Just after eating we saw the ‘once in a lifetime’ passing of the Delta Queen, which happens very infrequently due to the fact they’re usually cruising on different rivers. 

Our calliope started first, then theirs seconded as we passed – both playing Dixie with everyone snapping pictures from both boats.  It actually brought tears to our eyes.  We later found this information –

1966: Congress passes Safety at Sea law outlawing overnight cruises on boats made of wood, but Delta Queen gets two-year exemption; continues operating under exemptions to present.

2007: Delta Queen Fails to get exemption renewed.

2008: Final voyage of the Delta Queen departs Oct. 31, Memphis to New Orleans

We sat out on the back deck all alone watching the almost full orange moon.

Sept 26^th –

I slept great for the first time, but Ricky didn’t and woke up feeling bad.  We had our first breakfast in their beautiful formal dining room and watched the rain fall.  We’re docked at Grandview where tents and awning are set up to sell homemade goodies … but most are empty due to it being so wet.  The town is a gas station and 4-5 houses, population 500.  At 4:00 clogger’s and some fiddlers came down to entertain us.  I’ve never seen clogging to Rock n Roll but was fun to watch.   I think the whole entire town came down for the event – a real county hoedown!  We played Dixie as always when departing, as the town waved us goodbye.  Watching with Paul from the Front Porch, we were glad we weren’t the only ones getting choked up over the Americana of it all. 

We think it a little strange that we haven’t seen cattle or wild life of any kind, or pleasure boaters on the river thus far.  There were lots of grain elevators, power plants and coal operations thought.   The size and foliage of the Ohio reminds me of the Columbia minus the high peaks, but more winding and relaxing.  There was a beautiful sunset and big ol full harvest moon tonight!

Sept 27^th –

Today we’re docked at Henderson Kentucky.  The sun was out when we left the boat for a walk around town, but as we started out of the 1^st antique store – it opened up and poured.  We we’re unprepared without jackets or umbrella (fancy that coming from Oregon!) but survived and didn’t melt after all.   We ran into Nancy (Harriet’s sister) and walked with her for a ways.

    Main Dining Room

 Gift Shop & Main Stairway

                Suzi  Ricky

Pool & Weight Room

We stopped at the depot historical center to browse and dry off before heading back to the boat where we listened to the Captain tell of his experiences on the river.  We had another ‘lite’ dinner then watched another evening fade away drifting down stream.  I awoke a couple of hours later when I head the loud speaker announcing that we were approaching the Cave-in-the Rock.

Cave-In-Rock - Its principal feature is a 55-foot-wide cave on the Ohio River  and was originally a stronghold for outlaws including the bandit Logan Belt, Philip Alston the Counterfeiter, the pirate Samuel Mason and the Sturdivant Gang.  The movie - How The West Was Won staring Jimmy Stewart, featured it.

Search lights were floating up and down the banks hunting for the opening.  When they found it, the cave looked far more dramatic and ominous in the dark, than I think it ever would have in day light.

Sept 28^th –

When we woke this morning we were docked at Paducah Kentucky and were impressed with their huge flood wall with their history time line in murals painted on it.  They had a BBQ cook-off going with lots of vendors and good smells to enjoy.  We went on a walking tour of Civil War History for an hour and half with a guide named Penny. 

She was so knowledgeable, and so animated and talented that we thoroughly enjoyed the time.  She showed us around the city and their museum, and then came back to the boat with us to give a talk in the Grand Saloon on funny things about Paducah.  We learned her ggreat-grandfather was shot during the Civil War … luckily with his mouth opened and the bullet going clear thru both sides of his cheeks, otherwise he’d of had no teeth.  He wore a beard the rest of his life to cover the scars.  There was a picture of him in the museum.

We thought long and hard (about 10 minutes worth) of going back to our room to change into dressier clothes because tonight was the formal Captains dinner.  However we knew that the Captain was busy guiding us through the locks right about then so we figured we were off the hook and started dressed as we were, for the buffet instead.  We had full plates when Paul caught up to us and said we just had to join them because their ‘tablemates’ had deserted them and they were all alone at a table for 10.  We felt a little out of place with all the ties and sparkles, but they made us feel so at easy and welcomed, we soon forgot and enjoyed ourselves.

They told us about a couple of nights before where there had been a celebration of a couple’s 50^th wedding anniversary.  The waiter … a very flamboyant gay guy, came waltzing in with the cake held high by one hand and a stream of waiters following to sing … and as he made the announcement and turned to swing the cake down in front of the couple … it kept going and slid into the lap of another guest!  The whole place erupted in laughter and if he could have turned red – he would have been scarlet!!!   The next night his entire table showed up wearing yellow rain slickers!!

We hit the confluence of the Mississippi around midnight with no Dixie playing or any kind of fan fare … just a hard right turn heading North -

 Happy Drifters

Paul & Harriet Calverley & Nancy

Boise, Id

    Harold & Lois Miles

      Silver Lake, Or

 Sept 29^th –

We cruised all day today.  I thought the great Mississippi would be wider and busier but at this point it hardly looked any different than the Ohio.  We saw more towns and houses, a few pleasure boaters and a lot of tugs.  During lunch we pulled over and stopped very briefly (about 10 minutes) to have a passenger taken off by ambulance.  We heard later the man had had a mild heart attack.

We sat in the Gentleman’s Card Room with Harold and Lois talking with a retired teacher wrestling coach from New England.  We talked of students, changes in the way they taught history, converting to Catholicism, and coaching … when the man's wife walked in and did a double take, like what are talking about!  We thought it was a little strange but really didn’t pay much attention.  Later at dinner she caught up to me and said “You know he’s in the beginning stage of Alzheimer’s … “.  We’ll you could blown all of us who were at the table away – we had no idea or notion that anything was wrong and really kinda questioned her for the way she blurted it out.

Harold was quite a talker and told lots of stories … some funny some sad.  He said his g-grandpa was the last in Oregon to fight a dual.   He said it was probably over a woman of course, and that he had left town soon there after and joined the service.  When he was discharged he was still a little leery of going back to Oregon, so he settled in Idaho and worked for the post office.  I asked if he didn’t find his own photo on their wanted posters???

As we were strolling the deck and watching the lights of towns going by, we noticed a motor raft coming towards us.  They only had a small light on and were getting very close - when I recognized the ships photographer who always wore a red bandana on board.  They had been on shore taking pictures and came back cruising along side, when the crew lowered a ‘hook’ to attach the two vessels and hoisted the raft up.  They swung it around and anchored it in the life boat area while we looked on from up above.  Was fun to watch and made our last night that much more exciting!

We had to pack and have our luggage out in front of our door by midnight so the crew could get it situated for the early morning dock in St. Louis. We went to bed fairly early and I really slept … for about 3 hours!  Our neighbors came back from a late night with friends and stood right in front of door talking.  They had been so quiet up till then!!!  Ricky didn’t hear a thing but I had a hard time going back to sleep then woke up at 3am when I saw lots of flashing lights.  There were some very busy barges and tugs to watch.  I sat looking out the window for over an hour before climbing back into bed only to have our phone ring with a 6am wakeup call.

Sept 30^th –

Our final morning though early was fun with excitement and saying goodbye to the friends we’d met.  We were all to meet in the Grand Saloon where they staged the boarding of 3 buses heading to the airport.  We were again with Harold & Lois traveling to the outskirts of St. Louis where we caught our plane.  Security wasn’t as strict but at American airlines when we showed our ID they noticed we hadn’t signed our passports … they were as surprised as we were that Portland had accepted them!

We waited for our friends, knowing how frazzled she got over ‘the big city’, and made sure all went well for them.  The flight to Dallas was smooth but the transfer was work!  We had no idea the airport itself was a huge city where we’d have to take a shuttle miles to get to another gate.  We all thought they announced B as in boy 16, so after searching and finding we found we really needed to be at D as in dog 16!  Back on the shuttle for another mile ride then hike another 2!  We had plenty of time and ending up needing a Ben & Jerry’s to calm our nerves.

St. Louis, Missouri

Paducah, Kentucky

We sat back to back with the Miles where both Harold and Rick had their nose against the window.  They discussed (quite loudly due to Harold being hard of hearing) every cloud, every crop, every peak lake and city along with the oily LEAK on the wing and whether or not to alert the stewardess!!  It kept them entertained and helped calm Rick’s nerves (along with glass of wine which didn’t hurt).  We arrived in Portland at 6:30pm, said goodbye to our friends called for our shuttle.

ying –