1 for the road, 1 fun thing

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🐦 1 fun thing: Texting for the birds

Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios A pair of new apps let users send messages at the speed of a carrier pigeon — or a snail or penguin, The New York Times reports. Carrier Pidge and Roost are meant to evoke the slower, riskier messaging styles of yesteryear. 🪦 Plot twist: On Carrier Pidge, the digital pigeons sometimes get lost or die en route, just like their physical counterparts. User Olivia Macdonald tells The Times: "The uncertainty of that, compared to the numbness that we feel receiving so many texts and notifications a day, is something that I just find really attractive about it." Gift link.

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🚆 1 for the road: 15 mins. to O'Hare

Rendering of an O'Hare Flyer express train. Photo: O'Hare Flyer The trip from downtown Chicago to O'Hare could take just 15 minutes if a new plan takes off, Axios Chicago's Monica Eng reports. Fast transportation from the city to O'Hare, including Elon Musk's Boring Company plan, has fascinated leaders for years — but has never materialized. ✈️ The O'Hare Flyer promises to take riders from downtown to "O'Hare Airport's Terminal 2 on a dedicated track with a reliable schedule of whisper-quiet train departures every 15 minutes," organizers said in a statement. Existing trains take about 40–45 minutes. Yes, but: There's no word yet on launch date or costs. Go deeper ... Subscribe to Axios Local.

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📸 1 for the road: Getting the shot

Photo: Courtesy of Jean Fruth Famous sports photographer Jean Fruth recently gave some first-hand baseball photography tips to Axios San Diego's Claire Trageser. Fruth has shot games at every MLB park, and co-founded the nonprofit Grassroots Baseball. ⚾️ Fruth tells Axios that when she shows up to photograph a game, she's looking for stories. She starts at batting practice with small details, like a glove, bat, ball or a player's hand. "Then, of course, the game begins, and we have game action and reaction." "So game action, a home run, or a play at second. Now who's reacting? Maybe it's the player who created the action celebrating, maybe it's the opposing team, or maybe it's the fans." Go deeper ...

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🐊 1 swamp thing: Return of gator hunting

Alligator hunting in bayou waters in Terrebonne Parish near Houma, La., in 2019. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Louisiana is reopening gator hunting for the first time in more than 60 years following a resurgence from endangered status, Axios New Orleans' Chelsea Brasted writes. The big picture: The state's gators had been hunted since the 1800s, eventually resulting in a severely depleted population. Louisiana banned gator hunting in 1962 to allow the species a chance to naturally rebound. It worked. And a strategy of targeted farming and limited hunting helped alligators make a "full recovery," according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.