Hey, Mary,

The Julia Belle Swain (and the Twilight) are the boats I sang folksongs and told tall tales on all through the late 80s and the 1990s. The JBS was sold by it's builder and designer and owner, Dennis Trone, around '94 because it was too expensive to operate in this era when so many former passengers had decided to go over to the gambling boats even though those gaming monstrosities rarely (if ever) even leave the shore now. It was really sad to see the Trone Family have to sell that boat. When I began singing on the boat it was leaving it's Peoria moorings and moving, along with the new Twilight, to LeClaire, Iowa on the Mississippi River. Right now it operates out of La Crosse, Wisconsin on the Mississippi and does cruises to Winona, Minnesota and Prairie DuChien, Wisconsin. There is no finer site than watching the Julia Belle Swain and the Twilight comin' down the river out of the early morning mist. I will always miss the old girl, but I'm glad that she's still in loving hands. Captain Bo is a fine fellow. Our son, Chris, worked on the JBS most of the summers he was in highschool and college.

The Twilight still runs it's 2-day excursions from LeClaire, Iowa from Memorial day to October. Passengers stay overnight at the Chestnut Mountain Lodge outside of Galena, Illinois. Entertainment (since I left) is by the fine folksinger, Chris Valillo, and a great Mark Twain portrayer named Bob Anton. For a brochure or information, contact River Cruises at Box 406---Galena, IL 61036 (or call 1-800-331-1467) E-mail: twilight@galenalink.net

Folks, this is a great way to put the pace and the cement of the new milenium aside for a couple o' days and just go with the flow. Good food too...

Art Thieme