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Visitor BOOK Suggestions

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olmanriver_2001We’ve had suggestions for TWO reminiscent books this week that we thought would interest our readers.

OL’ MAN RIVER by Capt. William D. Bowell, founder of Padleford Packet Boat Company, in MPLS/St. PAUL covers much of an adventurous and accomplished life. Capt. Bowell is the founder of the Passenger Vessel Association, and the winner of the National Rivers Hall of Fame Achievement Award. His Captain William Bowell River Library opened in 2004 at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.

My husband has enjoyed reading about the Captain’s early days when he parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  “This man is a genuine hero,” he told me. OL’ MAN RIVER is available from  Afton Press website at www.aftonpress.com.

sweetstewsmallThe other is “SWEET STEW: an Alaskan Tale” by Kay M. Rutherford and available soon in our online Giftshop at www.greatriverarts.com/shopping.

Kay and her husband raised two babies in remote Alaskan bush locations… first on the Aleutian Islands and then in an Eskimo village on Barter Island. The book is filled with stories and pictures of family life in one of the most remote places in the world.

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Here’s the scoop on the Delta Queen.

Delta Queen Steamboat to be Floating Hotel in Chattanooga

Updated: Jan 27, 2009 06:43 PM CST

 

CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) – The historic Delta Queen riverboat will call Chattanooga home for a while, as a floating hotel. The leader of a grassroots organization to save the Delta Queen, Vicki Webster, emailed the Channel 3 Eyewitness Newsroom on Tuesday afternoon.

Ambassadors International, Inc. has announced that they have chartered the boat to a company in Chattanooga for use as a hotel.

In a message sent to the boat’s supporters, Webster said, “Our mission is to make sure that indeed, this is a temporary move and the Delta Queen will soon be back in operation, plying the entire Mississippi River system as she has done proudly and safely for 60 years.””

The Delta Queen has been nominated for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2009 list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America. The final selections will be announced in April.

Webster said, “There is only one remaining example of the hundreds of steamboats that once traversed our heartland, weaving our nation together in the process. There is only one example of the steamboats that inspired the work of creative giants like Mark Twain, Jerome Kern, Louis Armstrong, Edna Ferber, and Walker Evans. To stand idly by and watch the destruction of the Delta Queen would not only be a betrayal of the Trust’s mission. It would also be an act of pure treachery to our culture, to the pioneers who came before us, and to future generations who deserve the chance to travel on this quintessentially American treasure.””

 

PBS Eagle Special this Sunday

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PBS will be airing Neil Rettig’s documentary on Bald Eagles this Sunday.  Neil filmed quite a bit of this documentary around the La Crosse area including along the river at Brownsville. The La Crosse Tribune has a brief blurb about it along with a trailer of the show. In the trailer, you can see a Coot Catch. From the looks of the footage, this was taken down by Brownsville where there are two excellent bird viewing overlooks. There is a link to this article at:

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/11/14/news/z05eagle.txtDefinitely something to watch Sunday evening!

New Guidebook to the Upper River now Available!

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Limestone bluff and backwater at Goose Island provides a natural easel for Fall Color along the Mississippi River, St. Paul, Minnesota, to Dubuque, Iowa. Photo by Richard Middleton, La Crosse. Graphic work by Tall Tree Photo and Graffolio.

Limestone bluff and backwater at Goose Island provides a natural easel for Fall Color along the Mississippi River, St. Paul, Minnesota, to Dubuque, Iowa. Photo by Richard Middleton, La Crosse. Graphic work by Tall Tree Photo and Graffolio.

Good folks, I’ve been absent for some time as I worked diligently this summer to meet fall deadlines for publication and distribution of our BRAND NEW Volume 1 of DISCOVER! AMERICA’s GREAT RIVER ROAD. It’s DONE, completely reformated, revisited, and expanded… and it’s ready now for purchase in time for the whole Fall Color and Christmas gift season.

I’m very proud to expanded both the Minnesota and Iowa sections and added many little tidbits that I’ve learned to love in the past 20 years… eagle watching, archaeology, and discovering just who else loves this river… and why!

You can order our newest guidebook right on the home page of www.greatriver.com or visiting our online store for more detail… www.greatriverarts.com/shopping/

Also available from most bookstores. Enjoy!!  ~ Pat

Save the Delta Queen – An American Treasure

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Ways to help. | Contact talk radio and Presidential candidates

My Goodness, I am a fan of the Delta Queen and all the cruising steamboats.  Enjoy the U-tube video then have a look at the Blog entry below. There’s lots more to the tug of war over the DQ than is commonly known. 

The Delta Queen is equipped with the latest in modern fire monitoring devices and a powerful sprinkler system, and includes 3 onboard crew dedicated to safety monitoring on a 24 hour basis. The steamboat has had an 82 year spotless record of safety on the river, and is popular with tourists who want a one-of-a-kind experience. So why is so-called fire safety being noted to force it out of operation? Read the full story.

Last word on Snow Country

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Photo by Rich Middleton, White Phase Sparrow, flying with a flock of field sparrows near La Crosse, WIWell, now that our Sandhill Cranes, bluebirds, red-winged blackbirds, Kestrel, and Canada geese are back in the valley, my observations on snow country must suddenly give way to spring. But not before I share some pictures of one of my favorite “collector” items…Every so rarely a genetic WHITE PHASE appears in animals that are normally not white except as albinos. But the two pictures shown here are not albinos, but a “white phase” black bear and a “white phase” sparrow.

I’ve also heard of river islands with concentrations of “white phase” muskrats, and “white phase deer”, and of course, white phase buffalo.  I’d love it if you could share photos of your “white phase” creatures for use in a future feature article.

Any way, the short story is that these “white phase” or “Spirit” creatures are expressing recessive genes that helped to protect the species during the ice ages. In Wisconsin, a northern game warden told me that in his life time, he’s only heard of two white phase bear cubs… both in the vicinity of Superior, Wisconsin. Hmmm… makes sense. The same game warden has seen only one white phase sparrow… nearly 40 years ago. I wonder if the white phases of various birds of prey are also expressing recessive genes related to living along the edge of glaciers?

Anonomous Photo, White Phase Black Bear Cub, near Superior, Wisconsin

Above is a very rare “white” black bear cub. Also known as Kermode or “spirit” bears. Normally found only in areas where the recessive white gene was encouraged by small populations cut off from the larger populations, probably by glacier formations. The white gene would have been advantageous to bears living on the edge of the snowfields.

The truth about Rafting “a la Huck Finn”

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I recently visited a blog that included a comment we hear quite often at www.greatriver.com… 

“I want a lazy trip down the river like Tom Sawyer took. I checked out the Iowa Tourism flier, but it didn’t give me any ideas. Maybe I should just find me some sticks and branches and strap them together to build my own raft.”

We are often consulted about preparations for trips by reporters and adventurers and will periodically post recommended resources on our bulletin boards and this Mississippi River Blog.

 Photo by Rich Middleton, a replica of the Nina docked near La Crosse, WI
Some very basic advisories… the Upper Mississippi, from Prescott, Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri, is great for your first excursion. The river is divided into “pools” that slow the current, the main channel is easy to follow, friendly small towns with every amenitiy are located about every 8 miles on the river’s edge. Camping is allowed on the abundant river islands. Wildlife and waterfowl are abundant, the bluffs are beautifully impressive, and the river is wide and scenic. We see all kinds of goofy craft come down the river, from bathtubs to voyager canoes, kayaks, rafts, Viking boats, and even the Nina! But it is still a big river, with swells, dangerously fickle weather, and the ever-present barges. Sticks wouldn’t cut it, even up here.

The lower river is quite a different matter. South of St. Louis, there are no “pools” to break up the current. I’m normally “steamboatin'” when I’m down there. This portion of the river roars, boils, mutters, and growls. It swallows small boats in whirlpools.

The Coast Guard will require that you have a good working motor on a good working boat. You must have a marine radio, and you must have a harbor and amenities guide. Small towns are often up to 20 miles from the river. Not every marina carries fuel for pleasure boats. Official river charts are a good idea. Sandbars are not always as solid as they appear. Overnighting on the river will often be lonesome.

So please, don’t even think of “sticks” or a lazy float. Any portion of the river requires a good vessel, a good motor, and first rate planning. Don’t look for boating resources in a tourism bulletin. We can help you with that here on www.greatriver.com

Thanks for listening!