Steven Marking Performing Artist

08/28/2026

Nearing the end of a two week cruise on the upper Mississippi River. Sunset above Minneiska, Minnesota

05/29/2026

Leaving the Dalles lock and dam with Mount Hood in the distance. We are underway all day today, traveling to the Tri-Cities area at the mouth of the snake river. The scenery is spectacular around every bend. The Columbia River Gorge is where this immense river is squeezed between mountain terrain on either side. We call them Bluffs on the Mississippi river. Here there are neither mountains nor Bluffs, but steep terrain. We are leaving the moist section of the lower Columbia and heading into Desert land.

05/25/2026

This is the American Cruise Lines Boat I first entertained on. I stepped on board in 2012, and I’m getting on her again tomorrow. She was the Queen of the Mississippi and now she is The American Pride. I’m so excited to get on board and be the best Riverlorian I can be. Kind of a homecoming. This is her Dock in Stevenstown, Washington. Looking across at Cascade locks Oregon. Many thanks to my aunt Carol for making my William Clark costume fit me. Wish me luck.

05/20/2026

For any of you who enjoy adventure poetry, I had the pleasure of filming Captain Lee Hendrix reciting the poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee

EVEN WRECKED STEAMBOATS CAN BE USEFUL

03/05/2026

Drainage tunnel at Lock and dam #7. I was given a tour of the dewatered lock.