Capt. Bob Reynolds on UMR

Now that barge traffic has signaled the start of the navigation season on the Upper Mississippi during the past two weeks, the most recent face to put in an appearance is that of someone well known to many of you on the message board, Capt. Bob Reynolds. Bob flew into Dubuque a week ago Saturday to relieve the master/pilot on the m/v GENE NEAL of Magnolia Marine Transport. He took the boat up to Pine Bend at St. Paul last week, and brought her back down to Dubuque last Friday with three loads which were pumped out over the weekend. Last evening, they headed back up to St. Paul. Bob's regular boat is the m/v MAGNOLIA, and he has made many runs on the Intercoastal Waterway to Houston on that vessel. Since Bob and crew didn't make it down to Lock 15, my wife Debbie did the honors again providing the crew with chocolate chip cookies. We're kind of the Dubuque franchise of the Judy Patsch Cookie Company. It's good to see traffic moving again on the river. Just wish there were some steamboats moving up here as well!