Today’s bike ride was a short one, just to the drugstore and back for cash to feed my bagel and coffee habit now that I’m back in Central City–La Playa, you’ve got my number. I am just so tired from these final days of packing and saying goodbye that I just don’t have the energy to do much of anything. But man, I liked the look of my bike locked up with that New Orleans background. a neighborhood acquaintance stopped by, reintroduced himself from that COMSTAT meeting we were both at after Serpas announced they’d be open to the public. “I’d recognize that Surly anywhere,” he said. Yeah, I’m going to miss that small town feel when I move, but I bet I’ll get it back. After another round of sorting, I gasp got in the car and drove out to LaPlace for a swamp tour–didn’t seem right to leave town without one. I was the only person flying solo, but that happens to me all the time. I felt a lot more out of place being the only one who hadn’t seen Swamp People. There were so many alligators, too many, even. I could have don’t with an extra great blue heron or two, though that raccoon family was a total bonus. I snapped this picture while the boast was stopped to let everyone pass around that poor baby alligator for pictures. The swamp is really, really beautiful. I look forward to a return.