My Childhood and future memories at the hands of Congress...

I remember this SOLAS issue from the 70's. We grew up on the upper Mississippi river, had a cabin on an island for the weekends. My weekends were a Huck Finn/Mark Twain delight, I had my own paddle boat and plenty of backwater and sloughs to explore, the fishing stories I could tell! We would plan our whole day around the Delta Queen's visits, whether it be at home in Dubuque, or on Indian Isle, between Prairie Du Chien, Wisc, and Mc Gregor, Ia.

On the last north bound trip in 1970 the Delta Queen stopped in McGregor Iowa, as part of the "Save the Queen" effort. We had a squirrel BBQ, which was coordinated by John Bickel, a true riverlorean, who spent his entire life promoting the upper Mississippi. He, prior to his death was instrumental in the creation of the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, and The National Rivers Hall of Fame in Dubuque, Iowa.

Captain Earnest Wagner and the crew truly appreciated the camaraderie and the squirrel, it was a perfect fall day, not one designed for mourning, but deep down we were. Several of us jumped in our boats took off after dark, and we followed the Delta Queen up river at a slow idle. The Queen's whistle echoed endlessly up the river valley, the colorful lights of ship were blurred by the mist created from the big paddlewheel churning away in the darkness. The Calliope began to play, that was the last straw for me, merely a child I just broke down and cried, perhaps my first real experience with a deep soulful hurt. My parents were not paying much attention to me, mesmerized by the Delta Queen chuggin along, sipping their honorary Juleps. At some point my mom turned and noticed the streams of tears, and grabbed me up into her bosom, what is wrong she asks. My reply, "this is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, the whistle and calliope the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard, and this may be the last time I will see or hear these in my life".

Here we are 38 years later, not a single accident, fire or death, and because of some damn politician who thinks he knows what is best for me, "the the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, the whistle and calliope the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard, may truly be gone. For years I had planned a Delta Queen excursion to commemorate my 30 year HS reunion in 2009. Late Last year I attempted to move that cruise up to 2008 to insure I would able to see, hear, smell, relish this one last time. The reservations were booked, and to top it off, the Delta Queen would not be making any trips north of St Louis, I could not even go home to watch the Queen in those familiar environments of my childhood...