"The homing pigeon," she says, "has an average flight speed of fifty or sixty miles per hour over distances where fifty miles is a short leg of the trip. Crows go about thirty. Also, I found a pigeon loft in Phoenix run by the most incredibly sweet little old lady who let me come in, talk to her about the history of pigeon racing for an hour, and feed and pet all the little beauties. I'm sure she'd be thrilled if I came back with friends."