Welles Park Pool: Veto

...Yesterday I bought pool pass for the Chicago Park District. For $22 I can swim all summer at any Park District Pool, and there are several all over the city, and three that are within three miles of my apartment.
I went today to the second most promising one. They have Adult Lap Swim from 7:30 to 9am. I left my apartment at 6:54 and was surprised that it only took me ten minutes to get there. They REALLY mean 7:30 and not a second sooner. For a good twenty minutes I was the only person there and I was very happy about that. But at 7:26 people started flooding in. Sick. Everyone plopped in and started swimming. The pool is 25 yards long (standard) and has potential to be 6 lanes wide. However, they make three GIGANTIC LANES. You swim down the pool on one side and have to finagle your way to the other side to swim back. Obviously I didn't have the luxury of my own lane (my cheating pool SPOILED me). It was disastrous. There were just far too many people. The wide lane did allow for passing which was nice unless you were too close to the wall-- then you collide with someone who's trying to diagonally push off the wall on their way back or cut off whoever you're passing... I regret to say that I got so frustrated I just got out and left. Maybe ten minutes into it I put up my white flag. By this time I'd already lost count. I really wasn't going to be able to get in a good workout. I was just getting irritated and I don't doubt people were irritated with me. In the locker room I spoke with a woman on her way in and asked her if it's usually crowded and everything and she said yes. I guess I'm not the only one to take advantage of the $22 swim pass. Boo.

Tomorrow I'll try the more promising pool. We'll see. It's a bit further from my apartment, but if it is a better setup, it'll be worth it.

Now I'm going to spinning. Hopefully that pans out better than swimming!