Rest Stop

I am in awe.  And I have a new respect for Iowa.  I thought all they had was a lot of corn, and a magic baseball field.  (Just kidding - Iowa actually has a great arts culture) --  But check out this rest area...

Yes, that is a giant nib, and it is even dipping itself in some black ink on the concrete.  Is that the coolest rest stop or what?  The photo was taken by my friend Leslie Cefali, who knew I would go crazy over it. 

I told her I have been doing all kinds of internet searches trying to find out more about this rest stop.  I found a bunch of other art themed rest stops, but that one was not listed.  The Iowa Dept of Transportation has some here, just click on each one to see their poster with info about a particular one (it takes a while for each to download).  The one on I-80 at Tiffin has an education theme, with pillars made of stacks of books.  But as I told Leslie, the nib spoiled me, and everything else looks puny in comparison!

When I asked Leslie where this rest stop is located, she didn't remember exactly, but narrowed it down to Interstate 80, somewhere between the eastern border of Iowa and the western border of Iowa.  (Yes, that would be my sarcasm showing, with a smile of course.) 

Check out these other photos she took inside the building, with a whole wall of M's by the men's restroom, and a wall of W's by the women's restroom.  They are floor to ceiling, wall to wall.  Pretty impressive!

Thanks for letting me post those, Leslie!!