Dennis goes to Marietta.

In mid-September, Steve Isom and I drove over to Marietta, Ohio. It was a great honor to be able to speak a few words about Voices on the River at the annual meeting of Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Riverman, the group co-founded by Capt. Fred Way, who is perhaps the key figure in Voices.

[Photo #1] We stopped for lunch at the aptly named Overlook Restaurant, which sits high above the Ohio River oxbows in Leavenworth, Indiana. Whenever I’m within 100 miles of this place, I veer out of my way to pay a visit. The chicken is the best I’ve ever eaten, and the panoramic view never disappoints.

[Photos 2 and 3] En route, Steve and I stopped at the Selby 100 Mile House, a beautiful B&B on an 11-acre estate, maybe halfway between Maysville, KY, and Portsmouth, OH, that fronts the Ohio River. The home, whose address is Stout, Ohio (though there is no town to be seen) used to be an unofficial marker for steamboat pilots: 100 miles upriver from Cincinnati, 100 miles downriver from Point Pleasant. No doubt, Captain Way often passed this elegant home, and perhaps even stopped here, during his tenure as master of the Betsy Ann.

[Photo 4] Here’s another terrific Ohio River view, this time from my room at the fabled Lafayette Hotel in Marietta. In Day Nine in Voices, I describe happening upon Captain Way and a young Jeff Spear having lunch in this river hotel. Captain Way is now a cherished memory, but Jeff Spear was in attendance, lending a sense of continuity to the weekend. I met many terrific people at S&D, including Captain Way’s grandson, Fred Rutter.

[Photo 5] I was especially delighted to reunite with Patti Young, the brilliant p.r. director for the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., and to meet her delightful sister Marta (right). If you look closely, you will note that this photo was taken in front of the same MARIETTA sign that is featured in the photo on the first page of Day Nine in Voices.

[Photo 6] On Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed a three-hour cruise on the scenic Muskingum River. The Valley Gem is a quaint little paddlewheeler. But trust me: On a blissfully gorgeous Saturday afternoon, if you allow your mind to drift, it’s not hard to imagine that you’re cruising along on the Delta Queen. All in all, a great few days.