Lights in the Old Farmhouse (Back soon)'s photostream  

Eastbound coal waits, with the small town water tower and grain elevator of Calamus looming in the distance.

This was such a beautiful, perfect Iowa morning, I know I'll never forget it! Rain was moving in from the west and so there was a bit of that wonderful storm light feeling going on here. Seemed like coal trains were stacked up everywhere, standing still while higher priorities went around.

Man, how I love Iowa in July! You can get drunk on it. It can cause you to abandon all logic and reason and any better judgment you might have once possessed. It will whisper promises in your ear that it can't begin to keep come January or February . . . but you'll believe them just the same.

I can assure you that it will get its arms around you on a bicycle. But even in your car you are not safe, provided you stick to the two-lanes, stop, get out and stand around a bit, wander down Main Street of some little town, stand beside a railroad track, or get anywhere close to a lush field of tall green corn. Because there, in air heavy with heat and humidity, even as sweat beads on your upper lip and trickles down the center of your back, you will be overcome by this feeling of rightness - this absolute certainty that of all the towns, of all the fields, of all the roads and tracks in all the world, you have, at last, stumbled onto that place where you were meant to be. Then all you'll really want to do is to find some way to stay there . . . forever. Don't say I didn't warn you. ; )

Eleven units on this eastbound Z at Gorin, Missouri!

I was making the trek back into town after spending some time on the other side of the two old signal bridges. In truth, I was lost in thought and glancing cautiously around, wondering just how long it would take someone to find my bones if I met up with that mountain lion folks claimed to have seen in these parts. :-o

Heard this guy blow for the crossing in Gorin and scrambled up the bank, but not in time to find a good spot before he was upon me. And of course the light wasn't right, but still . . . a powerful sight! : )

Lightbox improves this slightly. :-/

Eleven units on an eastbound Z pass under the old Santa Fe signal bridges at Gorin, Missouri. Up ahead a westbound UP autorack train will wait for this train and a westbound Z to pass before coming at me.

Kind of a crazy jumble, I know, but I couldn't pass it by. : )
The old Lincoln Highway is also Main Street in this little town.

Okay, here's a little Thursday morning fun - set to an old favorite Abbey Road soundtrack.
This shot just put the lyrics in my mind - then what could I do, but go along for the ride! ; )

You already know it . . . but you can listen here. (Opens in another window, 5:13 minutes long.)

The photos below in the comments are clickable, should you want to take a closer look. : )