Here we are in midlate mid September and the world around us seems to be going to He--...but I force myself to walk into the waters of Pickeral lake in the Pickney recreation area of lower Michigan. I start to swim, cold but not biting yet..water temp 68..air temp 75....start cruising,stretching out and relaxing into the swim...cattails and woodson all sides, a crystal sun...water tastes cool and good...check to see if I might cramp..then open it up for a 1/4 mile or so putting on some burn, then stop at some windshadowed water as flat as glass to smell the roses. Wow, what a time to be alive.
The last open water swim of the season was yesterday, October 18th. I was able to swim in a private lake outside Boulder, Colorado. The Cottonwood trees that surround the lake are covered with their golden leaves of fall. The air temp is in the low to mid 70's. The day is wonderful. The water temp is 56 at the water's edge. I and a friend head out into the water. My friend wants to do Xterra triathlons, so he wearing a full wet suite with booties, two caps and gloves. Since I have an internal wet suite, I get to feel the cold on all over me except my cap and earplugs. It is such a feeling to swim without lane lines or turns. It takes a few minutes to warm-up, but after that the tingling along my chest from the cold lessens. The only places that the cold is felt are the palms of my hands and the tops of my feet. I swim for about 45 minutes and feel very much alive. This is the best.
The last open water swim of the season was yesterday, October 18th. I was able to swim in a private lake outside Boulder, Colorado. The Cottonwood trees that surround the lake are covered with their golden leaves of fall. The air temp is in the low to mid 70's. The day is wonderful. The water temp is 56 at the water's edge. I and a friend head out into the water. My friend wants to do Xterra triathlons, so he wearing a full wet suite with booties, two caps and gloves. Since I have an internal wet suite, I get to feel the cold on all over me except my cap and earplugs. It is such a feeling to swim without lane lines or turns. It takes a few minutes to warm-up, but after that the tingling along my chest from the cold lessens. The only places that the cold is felt are the palms of my hands and the tops of my feet. I swim for about 45 minutes and feel very much alive. This is the best.
