Comng down for Labor Day

It looks like an old bridge at Wheeling will come down sometime around Labor Day, the Wheeling News-Register reports.

A good day

Yesterday was a pretty good day river-wise for me and Adam.

First, we took his older brother to grandmother's house to spend a few days. On the way there, we stopped at the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam and found the mv. Paula Ruble in the lower approach.

Later, I went to a ridge to get the Ruble rounding a bend.

Then I found myself at the Gallipolis, Ohio, parkfront where some young Canada geese were feeding on the grass.

On the way home, Adam and I stopped at the dam again when we saw the mv. Chuck Zebula waiting to lock through downbound. We got some photos of the boat leaving the locks. Then we drove to the end of the fishing access road to get a final photo or two, and the fun started. The Zebula parked itself at a couple of mooring cells. We walked the river bank getting some more photos. As we were leaving, I speculated that maybe the boat was there waiting for more barges to make an oversize tow. Sure enough, here came the mv. Nell with 13 more barges to add to the Zebula's existing tow of 15 barges. This 28-barge tow is the largest I have seen on the Ohio River. I had heard that companies will be pushing oversize tows this summer. I have no idea if it's an experiment or the start of a long-term practice.

Too bad we had to leave the Zebula and the Nell because of other commitments.

Yes, it was a good day river-wise. Not the best day. But a good day.