TEXAS
- Austin
Town Lake YMCA
SGOL Link
B-
25 yards, six lanes, a separate lap pool,
semi-decent lap swim hours, one high-placed pace clock, towels, kickboards,
pull bouys.
Water is 84 degrees, and the pool is popular
so if you aren't sharing a lane, you're circling.
Due to a shaving incident, I dove in one Sunday
afternoon with a collage of waterproof band-aids on my ankle. Since I paid
extra for band-aids advertised as "flexible for athletes" and "resistant to
water," they fell off during warm up. I caught them all but one, and as my
eyes skimmed the water's surface, a guy said, "did you lose something?" I
wasn't about to say, "yes, a band-aid," so I said "yes, a diamond ring." How
was I supposed to know that guy would actually find a diamond ring? I'm just
glad it fit. Oh, I finally found my last band-aid, along with someone else's
hairball and a toe, which I promptly returned to the Water Aerobics for Lepers
class.
- University of Texas
SGOL Link
A+
Hubba hubba hubba. Where to begin? Crisp cool
water, fifty meters with a bulkhead and it's just damn fast. The records board
is so cool- nearly every name on it belongs to an Olympian.
Including parking, it's little pricey...but,
like L'Oreal, I'm worth it.
I'm very grateful that I was able to mooch a few
workouts with Texas Aquatics Masters, coached
by the eternally patient and upbeat Shaun Jordan. (And you can see his name
on the aforementioned records board). Tues, Thurs and Fri offer up a noon
workout. The facilty cost five dollars per session and bring your checkbook
because they don't take cash and they don't take American Express. I parked
at a lot near the stadium (three dollars for two hours) and then hiked forty
miles to the swim center.
- East Communities YMCA
SGOL Link
B
Blue Skies, and sparkling clean water. Also, each time I went, it was empty. And the lifeguards mind their own business while playing heavy metal.
The lane ropes are ropes, so the water's crazy wavy. The kickboards are warped. Why not spread your arms across a basketball- the surface will be flatter.
A brand new Y in the less financially endowed East side of Austin. The airport's a few miles away, and planes zoom overhead. The locker rooms aren't gross yet, but give 'em a few years- it is a Y after all.
- Beaumont
The Y
SGOL Link
D+
25 yards, six lanes, a few lane ropes, kickboards.
Oh God. It's a converted outdoor pool- a plastic
bubble shields us from both the elements and good taste.
This pool depressed me so much- I truly considered
changing my citzenship during warm up. Oh, everyone was nice all right. The
aerobics ladies bounced up and down to "Going to the Chapel," even though
most of them are at an age that puts a different spin on goin to a chapel.
Beaumont is one of those towns that grow serial killers and you can see why.
It's in a time warp and just seven hundred yards in this pool made me want
to take out a post office. Go Home!
- El
Paso
Westside Pool
SGOL Link
B+
Open 7 days, 25 yards, indoors, six roped
lanes, kickboards, a paceclock visible from both ends and it's only $1.25.
The water is a bit warm, but so is El Paso.
Oh, and you're in for altitude training.
A guy in lane two was talking on a cell phone. I
wanted to tell him, hey pal, you're in El Paso. Unless you're calling your
travel agent for plane tickets to anywhere, give it up.
I took the bus to the
pool, and you'll want to not do that. You'll especially want to not do that
during commute hours, when the hot sticky Sun Metro is full with hot sticky
workers who don't appreciate that your Zoomer-filled gym bag needs its own
seat. During my warmup, I asked the lifeguard what the elevation was and she
said she didn't know but that it was high. That made me feel better. There's
nothing more humiliating than hitching a ride out the pool in the handicap
lift, convinced you have been caught unawares by elevation only to be told
that the city you are visiting is at sea level. But enough about San Diego.
- Houston
Downtown YMCA
SGOL Link
B
25 yards, indoors, all the lane ropes are
in, kickboards and a jacuzzi in the bathroom. Nice cool water.
Four lanes and a few kids here and there. The
paceclock is blocked by wall extensions at the deep end, so you can't use
it to do 25's etc.
Cool water in a Y pool? I am as amazed as you are.
The pool is open for lap swim all day long; go during off-peak hours and you'll
get your own lane. I had to share only on Sunday. It's free with a Y card
and not too much without one.
By the way, I hope you
hippie Baby Boomer types are regretting all the acid you took in the '60's.
If not, allow me to introduce you to the Singing Kicker. This Joni Mitchell
lookalike belts out Joan Osbourne's "What if God Were One of Us?" during her
kick sets, and the acoustics of an indoor pool make for some Karioke-style
cringing. Honey, I think if God were one of us, He'd beat you to death with
a paceclock. Put a cork in it.
- San
Antonio
Downtown YMCA
SGOL Link
B+
Cool water, paceclock, kickboards, pull buoys.
Four lanes, but even so it's rarely crowded.
I doubt you'll ever have to circle. And the Y is closed on Sundays. What's
up with that? Are you Christians going to church all goddamn day?
A swim team works out here prior to evening lap
swim. One girl asked me if I was an Olympian, and since I am not, I told her
"of course," and spent the next hour signing autographs. I hope I spelled
Egerzegi correctly.
