My day at Ohio Street Beach
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Posted by Dolby1000 on July 01, 2008 at 04:51:23
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As advertised, I spent the day at Ohio Street Beach in Chicago.
In the morning, I arrived at the beach to find it empty. The guard was on the sand (not in the rowboat they normally use) and no one was in the lake.
Well, after a short while, a few kids came by and started to swim (in conventional stuff) so the guard had to go out in the boat.
I slowly started getting wet. I dunked my gray Vans (with the red-trim, they were getting their farewell swim as they give me blisters now) and my black socks (knee highs, you know I love the shoe and socks thing) and slowly got my gray/blue cargos wet as well (strangly enough, in the sun, they took on a slight purple hue). Since the guard didn't say anything, nor even row in my direction, I continued walking deeper. I also had on a blue t-shirt, totally invisible underneath my very red NIU very large hoody. Eventually, I dunked that sucker and fully soaked myself. Let me just say, swimming with a hoody is incredibly awesome and all should try it. I swam in the very, very cold lake for about an hour before I got too cold and had to come it. I had gone in and out several times, just relishing that wonderful hoody and the whole outfit. I rinsed off at the fountain at Navy Pier and at lunch.
After eating, I returned to the lake, in yet another favorite outfit. Some old Sketchers I had found (they were also going out in a blaze of wetness), white socks, my US Polo Assn Jeans, and a red and white t-shirt combination I got at Epcot. This time the beach was more crowded and I just tried to blend in. Like the last time, I did it slow and came in and out several times. The shoes, socks, pants and shirts worked out great. This time, there were more swimmers, but mostly in conventional crap.
As I was finishing up, a mom and two boys walked by and commented on my wetness (I had just gotten out). I said I was there for the day and just went for. I tried to convince her to allow her boys (jeans/polos) to do the same. At the time, to separate groups arrived and started playing/pushing each other in wearing jeans and t-shirts (no shoes, damn). So, I told her there were more examples of just doing it and to my surprise, she let the kids go swimming. Took off the polos though.
So, I left, having done my job in showing all that swimming in jeans is awesome. Again, I rinsed all the sand off at the Navy Pier fountain. As I took off the shoes, one literally tore in half. We had a fond farewell, so that is the last of those shoes. I had a 6PM thing I wanted to get, otherwise, those jeans would have stay on longer.
Finally, in the evening, as the sun set and the temp dropped, I once again found the guard on the shore. I asked him when the beach closed and he said in about 45 minutes. I made a face (I was wearing trackies, knee high gray socks, Vans, jean shorts, a maroon t-shirt underneath a long-sleeve ribbed blue Illini shirt. I explained that I did not have time to go home and change (not a lie). He said just go as you are.
Need he ask twice. Damn, since the sun was gone, that water was cold! But, I had a nice swim to close out the day.
I'll return to Ohio street beach later this summer and on a weekend day.
I hope to meet up with others then.
Dolby1000
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