THE AMERICAN QUEEN

WE WERE HAVING A SANDWICH LAST NIGHT AT "OFFSHORE" AT BELLEVUE AND AS WE WERE ABOUT TO LEAVE, WE SAW THE "AMERICAN QUEEN"
RIVERBOAT COMING DOWN RIVER.     SO, WITH CAMERA IN HAND, WE HEADED FOR THE LOCK AND DAM TO SEE  HER COME THROUGH.    SHE
WAS THE FIRST SHIP CONSTRUCTED JUST FOR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
LUXURY ALL OVER!    FIRST PHOTO, COMING INTO THE LOCK STILL A
DISTANCE AWAY.     AND SLOWLY IT GOT CLOSER AND CLOSER.    WE
TALKED TO A FEW PASSENGERS (ALL SENIORS) AND THEY WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME AFTER A  PRIME-RIB DINNER.    THEY STARTED AT ST. PAUL
AND WILL END  UP 7 DAYS LATER AT ST. LOUIS.   THEN FLY BACK TO ST. PAUL.

THERE WAS NO PADDLEWHEEL AS THE ONE FOR THE QUEEN HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT FOR AWHILE FOR REPAIRS.    IT BASICALLY IS "FOR SHOW"
ANYWAY AND DOES NOT MOVE THE SHIP ON THE RIVER.

THROUGH THE LOCK AND NOW READY AGAIN TO MOVE ON DOWN THE RIVER.    WAS STARTING TO GET PRETTY DARK.   IT WAS "PROM" NIGHT WITH
A DANCE PLANNED.

GUESS I WILL PUT A CRUISE ON IT..... ON MY BUCKET LIST.

DENNIS VOY
kmaq@kmaq.com