The Thumper, as she appears now – is a lot like the old family hammer -  on its third head and fifth new handle.  She’s come a long way in the last 30 years.  A large and loyal group of friends have labored tirelessly on all of her refinements.  The Thumper has taken us to Louisville Kentucky, Zanesville Ohio, Charleston West Virginia, Cairo Illinois (end of the Ohio at the Mississippi River), and many places in between.  We have been up the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers as far as possible.  We cruise at about 8 mph, getting 1.5 miles to the gallon.  The Thumper is kept at the Millvale Sternwheel Landing at mile 3.0 on the Allegheny River.  She’s still tied to the Tar Baby.  The Thumper has broken many times.  She’s lost drive chains and rudders, twisted off drive shafts, destroyed a few truck rear ends, melted water pumps, been on fire twice, and has limped home with not all 8 cylinders working in the engine room.  The worst break down occurred at mile 225 on the Ohio River when the paddlewheel broke and fell off.  

Looking back, it seems to have been all worth it.  It has helped us to meet a lot of great people along the way.