Ohio Street, August 26

It is somewhat amazing that it is already late August and I have not been to Ohio Street. The reason is probably with Mike's Evanston beach passes, we are too lazy to go anywhere else. This week Mike has been feeling out of sorts and I have started working again, so I have been content to swim in the local outdoor pool. Except for Friday when the water was inexplicably 85. Somehow I got through a mile, but only because this guy Paul badgered us into extending our workout set. Paul and Ken, the lake swimmer who appeared in the diary last summer, actually swam 4000 yards in the heat.

Today, taking advantage of a break in the stormy weather we have been having and being Mikeless I decided I needed to do Ohio Street at least once before big shoulders. I parked near Diversey and rode my bike the short distance to Ohio Street, getting there about 8:00 AM. The lake, bikepath and bike racks were packed with wetsuited triathletes, but I did find a spot for the bike. And the fucking lane lines are back in. On the whole the lake looked calmer than it has been recently, but lots of chop, the Ohio street area was actually rough for that spot, but still much better than we have had in Evanston. At the beach there was hazy sunshine and it was already warm and muggy. But the water was a suprisingly pleasant 73. There seem to be currents and I made a mental note for the race that I need to look where I am going frequently, something that I have gotten lazy about at Evanston. I swam to the new red bouy marking the end of the sanctioned swim area and back. I won't really say it was a pleasant swim, but one I needed.