Hello all - I'm a Master's swimmer from the MA Berkshires. I'm driving across country (Seattle to NY) in early June. I assume the fastest route (I-90). I'm looking for recommendations of "can't miss" outdoor swims along the way that anyone might recommend. According to MapQuest, it looks like I'll be passing through Billings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, La Crosse, Madison, Rockford, South Bend, Cleveland, middle of PA. Thanks.
Matt
msvirida@yahoo.com
Matt -
You'll be driving right past Lake Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho. It is beautiful. Also, about 1 hour north of Lake Coeur d'Alene is Lake Pend Oreille (by Sandpoint, Idaho). Another beautiful location.
John
There's always Lake Michigan.
:)
Lake Erie
Your best bet might be to contact the OW chair of the respective LMSC area you are traveling through. Or stop and ask locally where people swim.
I'd second the recommendations on Couer d'Alene and Sandpoint. If you've got time for a detour northwards, Polson Bay at the southern edge of Flathead Lake is beautiful.
If you can delay your trip and take it slow, hit the wonderful Long Bridge Swim in Sandpoint on August 7th (http://longbridgeswim.org/) and then the Madison Open Water swim on August 21st (www.clubassistant.com/.../meet_information.cfm.
I would recomend Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.
Law Park is where the Madison Open Water Swim is held as well as Wisconsin Iron Man. You can park right at the park or
the Monona Terrace Convention Center.
Check out West Lake Okoboji in NW Iowa, it's about 10-15 miles south of i-90. Exit 73 to Jackson, MN and take hwy 71 south. It's a beautiful spring fed blue water lake. There is a 3.5 swim on Saturday August 7th.
It's a popular resort area and draws a lot of people from all over Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota. If you go to http://vacationokoboji.com you can get a tour guide sent to you by mail that's packed full of information.
I highly recommend making a stop. It's where I do most of my swimming and it's worth the four hour drive from Lincoln, NE.
Matt,
Its a long shot, but if you happen to be passing through the South Bend area on June 12th, we'd love to have you at the Swim For Kids' Sake in Culver, Indiana (about 40 minutes south of South Bend.) If you can't swing it, I still recommend Lake Maxinkuckee, the location of the swim, as it is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in Indiana, and Culver is a scenic town and the home of the prestigious Culver Academies.
mallorymead.com/.../
detour by walden lake--its a great place to swim and lots of history besides.
Swim in Lake Michigan at Ohio Beach.
Boulder reservoir, and there is another lake by Aurora Colorado.
If you can drive by Ithaca New York, the area near Cornell has many swimming holes/lakes/waterfalls.
