Agreed! The quote is attributed to Robert Sinsheimer, a pioneer in the field of DNA and molecular biology. He was one of the first to suggest the sequencing of the human genome. I was surprised to learn that he was an ISU faculty member for seven years.

Hard to argue with that assertion.

I was sorry to read about Cobumora, something I missed in my WSU walkabout. It looks like I’ve missed my chance for this year too, because we won’t be returning to Pullman after all.

Thanks for spurring me on to investigate -this is what I learned

The first settlers to this area, when it was all prairie, came from the US states of Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania, before the wave of Scandinavian and German immigrants in the 1850's. The county boundaries were established in 1846 and the county was named in 1853 for Joseph Story, a US Supreme Court justice.

I ask, why Joseph Story? It's not clear to me. Story was born, raised and educated in Massachusetts, so he wasn't a local man. But he was a very influential Justice on the Marshall Court and wrote some significant opinions establishing a strong Federal Union at the expense of State power. To quote Wikipedia, "Story saw state sovereignty as a threat to the stability of the American empire. ...asserting the sovereignty of the people of the United States, rather than that of the states, was integral to forming the national republic." Seems a viewpoint we might need right now.

Re naming Story City: It was originally known as Fairview, but in 1881 they went to establish a post office and found that the name Fairview was taken. So they took the name Story City. It is not the county seat, which is Nevada (pronounced Nuh-VAY-Dah and named after the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range).

I totally agree Scott, thanks. And riding a bicycle gives one the time and perspective to appreciate those features - one of the things I love about long rides through the countryside.

I’ll bite. So what’s the story on Story? Curious name.

Hey! Just the thing. I’ll strap one on the back and grab it when a dog approaches. What could go wrong?

It’s interesting that you don’t really need contour to find beauty. Texture, color and contrast can be spectacular too.

Indeed! She was a real sweetheart - reminded me of the English Springer Spaniel we had when I was growing up

It’s nice to see a well behaved dog!

Update on Tyson Fresh Meat Plant: On May 5, Iowa Governor announced that 58% of workers at Perry plant were Covid-19 positive - 780 cases.

Oh, of course. Azay. We visited it back in 2008, in the only tour we’ve taken in that part of France.

Good guessing. According to Wikipedia "The courthouse was designed by the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot & Bird. George Bird, who is considered the primary designer, used the Chateau Azay-le-Rideau in Indre-et-Loire, France, as his inspiration."

I've been riding my age since 2012, when today's ride would still have been more than a decade short. I can do the whole loop for 3 more years, then have to start finding a new route. Have fun planning/riding your big day!

So you’re riding your age too! Thanks for the reminder - I should start planning my own. I suppose today’s was the big ride?