So here are some of the pictures from the trip
My esteemed host, Joel (thanks for the cat5, btw)
A few guys getting together at the end of swim practice. I intend to use this one in a webpage for getting a local queer-friendly swim team started.
Medgar, swimmer, canadian, and environmentalist (spent much time at a party discussing patents on genes, and consequent suits against the accidental acquisition of a crop of modified canola)
The ever cute, and often silly Chris.
Jen & Rob
Jen & Rob’s new place
The main advantage to suburban living
Oh Metra, My Metra
Ravenswood Metra stop (sadly the beautiful crescent moon didn’t register to the soulless camera)
good luck with getting a local swim team started!
i don’t know what i’d have done if there hadn’t already been one here when i started looking for it. there should be plenty of people who’ve been looking, but not finding.
So, there is actually a swim team, two in fact. One’s like a mile or two out of my way (which isn’t trivial without a car) and the other is mucho expensive. And neither is specifically homo-oriented. So, I’m going to try to start one that is homo-oriented, right on campus, and more affordable. May have to compromise a bit on those goals, but we’ll see =)
splish-splash
oops, i should have been more specific; i did mean a gay team! Minneapolis has a very active masters’ community, but only one itty-bitty GLBT team.
are you going to try to create some sort of arrangement with a facility, or just gather during regular lap swimming until you get large enough for it to make a difference? we have always gone with the latter (having typically only six to eight participants per workout), but sometimes have trouble with crowding.
being affordable is a great goal!
Re: splish-splash
Well, the one in squirrel hill requires a membership with the JCC (Jewish Community Center) which includes free use of their pool, gym, etc, bladdy bladdy blah, but costs massive moolah (As I recall it was like $300/month, with financial assistance available if necessary. And I find that so outrageous that I suspect I misremembered, but when I was first told, I would have sworn I misheard, so who knows). Besides, still not gay.
The other one is only $35/month. For the use of the pool at cmu, we’re looking at $65 per two hour practice. Assuming 4.5 per month (once a week) that’s about $300/month. To get it down below the cost of the other team, we’d need at least 9 swimmers willing to pay (not including membership fees for masters and igla). So make it 10 or 11.
Still, not bad. I think I could recruit at least that many, with a little active campaigning. But there’s a key word there. “active” =)
Re: splish-splash
ahh. we co-opt the local YMCA’s facility, taking over about three or four lanes during practice. the only required fee is the Y membership, which runs about $45/month. of course, to compete there’s individual US Masters registration, and when we compete IGLA, we have to register the team beforehand.
i was amazed when i saw some of the dues involved, per month, for some of the bigger teams. were i to be in New York, for example, i wouldn’t be able to afford it and i’d have to train on my own!
Re: splish-splash
Wer you to be in nyc, I’m sure you’d be making alot more, too =)
pics
Cool trip pics! I wanted to see one of you, too!
Re: pics
I already put up like 7 of me =)
Re: pics
True, true, I’m being a bad Buddhist, always wanting more, always wanting to meet people in the flesh instead of sending electronic bits down a cable, etc.