On a still August evening in Port Byron you can hear a towboat pushing barges upriver long before you see the lights, the sound carrying over the water and up through the trees. Mowder Outdoor Services LLC is usually finishing about then — the last lawn of the day mowed, trimmed and edged, clippings blown off the concrete. Yards along the Great River Road stay lush deep into the season, fed by river air and heavy summer rain. Keeping them even week to week is steady, honest work, and the last pass along the drive is the part worth looking back at. Then the light goes orange over Iowa and the day is done.