The official count for the 1/1/07 Lake George Polar Plunge was 864
registrants.

That definitely beats last years numbers.

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the LakeGeorgePolarPlunge
group.

   File        : /2007 Winter Carnival schedule.jpg
   Uploaded by : crm365 <crm0365@...>
   Description : schedule of 2007 Winter Carnival events

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LakeGeorgePolarPlunge/files/2007%20Winter%20Carniv\
al%20schedule.jpg

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files

Regards,

crm365 <crm0365@...>

Enter the Staples Photo Contest

www.staples.com/hometownviews

Deadline for entries is 3/15/07

Show everyone what you love about your hometown in one single photo.
All entrants will receive a poster sized copy of their entry from
Staples.

Another great video of the 1/1/07 Lake George Polar Plune on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwcfF-R9hXw

Some pictures posted by an LGWC member on webshots

http://sports.webshots.com/album/556781091dNGwse

Mike has sent 4 more pictures. They are posted as well. Just look in
Photos section of group in the 2007 album.


--- In LakeGeorgePolarPlunge@yahoogroups.com, "Craig" <crm0365@...>
wrote:
>
> I have posted 2 great pictures sent to me by Mike Fischer from The
> Adriondack Pirate Paddlers.
>
> Thier website is: http://www.adirondackpiratepaddlers.org/
>
> One of the first paddlers to arrive was photographer Ed Sharp who has
> already posted pictures he took on his own website: SharpPhoto.com
>
> Besides Ed, The APP included Mike Fischer (blue kayak) aka Mad Dog
> Mike, Jim Gould (yellow kayak) aka Dr. Grog, Bill Smolin (beige
kayak)
> aka Baja Bill, and Mack McPherson (wooden boat) aka De Mac.
>
> About 9 of their group arrived later on.
>

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed

To: LakeGeorgePolarPlunge@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 8:01 AM

Subject: [LakeGeorgePolarPlunge] Thank you to the Adirondack Paddlers

I just wanted to say thank you to the Adirondack Paddlers for giving me
heads up that a couple of the big guys that go in for the swim have a
habit of trying to flip the people in Kayaks. I wouldn't mind going
into the drink that much, except for the fact that a couple thousand
dollars worth of camera equipment would have been ruined.
Thanks guys.

PS
Your video on youtube is great Craig, it really show the excitement of
the charge into the lake!

Ed

I just wanted to say thank you to the Adirondack Paddlers for giving me
heads up that a couple of the big guys that go in for the swim have a
habit of trying to flip the people in Kayaks. I wouldn't mind going
into the drink that much, except for the fact that a couple thousand
dollars worth of camera equipment would have been ruined.
Thanks guys.

PS
Your video on youtube is great Craig, it really show the excitement of
the charge into the lake!

Ed

I have posted 2 great pictures sent to me by Mike Fischer from The
Adriondack Pirate Paddlers.

Thier website is: http://www.adirondackpiratepaddlers.org/

One of the first paddlers to arrive was photographer Ed Sharp who has
already posted pictures he took on his own website: SharpPhoto.com

Besides Ed, The APP included Mike Fischer (blue kayak) aka Mad Dog
Mike, Jim Gould (yellow kayak) aka Dr. Grog, Bill Smolin (beige kayak)
aka Baja Bill, and Mack McPherson (wooden boat) aka De Mac.

About 9 of their group arrived later on.

http://poststar.com/articles/2007/01/02/news/doc459ab3d317fd0249894366
.txt

We weren't the only ones filming the Polar plunge ...


By MADELINE FARBMAN, mfarbman@...
Tuesday, January 2, 2007 2:39 PM EST

The Post-Star captured the thrill-seeking, chill-seeking swimmers at
the 2007 Polar Plunge in an online slideshow, but we weren't only
ones watching them make a big splash.

Craig Mason, a member of the Lake George Winter Carnival Committee,
sent a link to the video he made and posted on YouTube. You can watch
it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWu2ofHdvQ0

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed

To: LakeGeorgePolarPlunge@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 7:09 AM

Subject: [LakeGeorgePolarPlunge] Polar Plunge Photos on SharpPhoto.com

I shot some photos of the event from my Kayak yesterday. Just follow
the yellow "show me my photos" button. I hope evryone is warmed back up
now.

http://www.sharpphoto.com/

Ed

I shot some photos of the event from my Kayak yesterday. Just follow
the yellow "show me my photos" button. I hope evryone is warmed back up
now.

http://www.sharpphoto.com/

Ed

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?
ArID=201685

www.capitalnews9.com

video link:
http://www.capitalnews9.com/shared/video/video_pop.asp?destlist=97978


Hundreds Plunge into Lake George for the New Year
Updated: 1/1/2007 6:47:22 PM
By: Jessica Mokhiber

Nearly 900 people started off the New Year by changing into bathing
suits and taking the plunge the Polar Plunge that is into Lake
George's 42 degree waters.

It may have been foggy, but it wasn't too cold for these brave
swimmers. Joni Rhodes of Albany said, "It's not as bad as it could
be."

Other swimmers said, "I think it's pretty warm."

John McCabe of Latham said, "I think the first year we went it was 14
degrees outside."

Hundreds watched from the beach at Shepard's Park, all bundled up,
supporting their friends and family.

Edward Cady of Pittstown said, "I was planning on doing it but at the
last minute, I chickened out."

Some jumped in this year, saying they had something to prove.
Steven Duell of Queensbury said, "It's just a challenge because last
year his dad did it and we wanted to try it so we went in."

Laurie McCarroll of Castleton said, "A bunch of our friends from the
Albany Irish Rowing Club talked us into it, and they're not here and
we are."

Her friend Cynthia Burkee of Wynantskill said, "I'll stay in as long
as she does and I hope she rushes out quickly."

81 year-old Troy resident Jean Thomas also went in. She said, "I got
talked into it. My kids were going and they conned me into it."

Whether it was their first year, or a long-standing family tradition,
everyone said this was a great way to start off 2007.

John McCabe said, "You jump in. You feel good. You're doing something
nobody else will do."

Colonie resident Mike Cassese said, "That was amazing. The best thing
ever. It was a great time. I feel like I can accomplish anything this
year."

http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?
newsid=17657600&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=17708&rfi=6


01/02/2007
Taking the Polar Bear Plunge
PAUL POST , The Saratogian

LAKE GEORGE -- Dick Clark helped America usher in 2007 at Times
Square.
New Year's didn't officially reach this resort community until 2 p.m.
Monday, when a record 864 people raced into 40-degree Lake George for
the annual New York's Day Polar Bear Plunge.

The throng shattered the previous mark of 716 set a year ago.

'This is my second time,' said Cindy Finger of Saratoga Springs. 'I
didn't learn the first time. Everything hurts, but it's a rush. It's
fun.'

Recovering from the icy experience beneath a fur coat, she couldn't
wait to get home to the comforts a long, hot shower.

'From now on, every day's going to seem warm,' she said.

Her husband, Dr. Edward Finger, didn't make the cold water swim, but
provided plenty of moral support.

'She's been looking forward to this all year, but none of her friends
would do it with her. I can't figure out why,' he said, laughing.

Like many participants, the Spa City's Cole Walsh, 15, was making his
first-ever Polar Bear swim.

'I can't believe I did it,' he said.

Walsh joined in the annual event at the urging of his friend Steve
Cash, who made his first New Year's swim last year.

'It was more fun this time,' he said. 'More of my friends came. I
just run and plunge in. I plan on doing this for the rest of my life.'

Low-lying clouds hung over the water, making it impossible to see
mountains on the east side of the lake.

However, temperatures in the low 40s were balmy compared to some
years when snowbanks have lined the shores. A large contingent of
spectators, at least twice the number of swimmers, watched from
nearby docks, a second-story restaurant deck and sloped grounds
surrounding the Shepard Park beach.

The forecast originally called for a wintry mix of sleet and freezing
rain. All traces of that had stopped by early morning, and left over
dreary skies were quickly dispelled by the zany cacophony of revelers
racing into the frigid water.

'It's cold! A little disorienting when you first get out,' said Brian
Buckler, 23, who was making his inaugural Polar Plunge. 'I'll be back
next year.'

A growing number of people from the Albany-Troy-Schenectady area make
the trip up the Northway each year. The event was founded by the late
Charles 'Papa Bear' Albert in the 1970s.

Troy's John Sawyer dared his son-in-law, Vincent Miles of
Loudonville, to join him.

'I'll believe it when I see him in the water,' he said.

People of all ages wore wild and crazy costumes, some of them
painting messages such as 'Happy 07' on their backs and bare chests.
Almost as if seeking a measure of protection from the cold, some
swimmers donned football, motorcycle and construction helmets.

Bruce Clark of Glens Falls wore a long, bright blue grass skirt with
a bikini top made of coconuts. A handful of friends joined him.

'We're the only hula people here,' he said. 'We're starting to
multiply.'

Many people run into the water about waist deep, then make a quick
180-degree turnaround and sprint back to shore. Others actually seem
to enjoy the experience, lingering beneath the surface for minutes at
a time.

'You have to be submerged for it to count,' said Clifton Park's Tom
Swift. 'It's a good way to start the year. Dive into it.'

'Now I can say I did it,' said Rotterdam's Bill Frank. 'I think it's
the last time, though.'

Schodack's Chris 'Frozen' Gilluley was making his second New Year's
Day swim.

'It's all about the bragging rights,' he said. 'Nothing more.'

http://poststar.com/articles/2007/01/02/news/doc4599c8246771e726642105.p
rt

Polar Plunge draws brave folks in goofy costumes

By MADELINE FARBMAN, mfarbman@...
Monday, January 1, 2007 9:52 PM EST

LAKE GEORGE -- Mild, schmild. When you're standing around outside in a
bathing suit on January 1, this winter still seems pretty cold.

But a record 864 people overrode their natural impulse -- the one that
says "Don't jump into freezing lakes in winter" -- to take part in the
2007 Polar Plunge at Shepard Park Beach on Monday.

You can see the news video here.

http://www.poststar.com/video/polarswim07.php

A 3 minute clip from today. Best viewed on a broadband/high-speed
connection.

The Lac du Saint Sacrement puts in a surprise visit at the New Years
Day Polar Bear Swim!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWu2ofHdvQ0

25 pictures of 1/1/2007 just posted here in the group and on webshots.
These were taken by Vickie..... uh, Vickie, why weren't you swimming?
You did the last 9 years.

http://sports.webshots.com/album/556493529cJMaSA

http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?
newsid=17655658&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dept_id=7021&rfi=6


01/01/2007
Polar bears prepare for icy dip
By: Paul Post , Special to The Record

LAKE GEORGE - Record reporter Danielle Sanzone couldn't feel her
toes, thighs, butt, or fingers, but she was still able to comprehend
the sensation of diving into Lake George's 42-degree water last Jan.
1.
Call it brave - or crazy - she plans to do it again today with
hundreds of other revelers during the annual New Year's Day Polar
Bear Swim.
The 2 p.m. event at Shepard Park Beach climaxes a full slate of First
Day activities, including a 1 p.m. parade.
"This will be my fourth year," said Sanzone of Troy. "I actually have
a bit of a head cold this year, too, but I don't want to break this
tradition with my friends. I'm guessing dipping into frigid water
will either make my cold a lot worse or maybe the swim will knock it
out of my system. Maybe. In any case, it's a fun excuse to get
together with old friends and just be silly."
The swim seems to keep growing year by year, with participants from
throughout the Northeast and beyond. Founded by Charles "Papa Bear"
Albert in the 1970s, the New Year's swim started out with a handful
of people.
Last year, a record 716 registered Polar Bears plunged into the icy
waters, with nearly twice as many spectators showing up to enjoy the
show.
Some years, the lakeshore has been covered in snow, with large chunks
of ice floating in the water. That won't be the case this year, with
no significant snowfall and temperatures this season thus far not
cold enough to freeze the lake.
However, swimmers might be pelted by sleet and freezing rain today,
long before the swim officially starts. And the water certainly won't
be warm.
"Some of the bays have frozen over," said Linda Duffy of Lake George
Winter Carnival, which organizes the swim. "The water temperature is
cold."
The mercury failed to get above 40 during a thermometer reading taken
Friday of the lake water. The colder it gets, however, the more
people tend to join in. Clad in all kinds of zany outfits from Santa
Claus caps to Viking helmets, swimmers rush headlong into the water
in a freezing frenzy.
Sanzone advises first-time Polar Bears to come prepared with towels
and a change of warm clothes.
Wilton's Bill Rice agrees.
"You can only get so cold," he said. "After that, it really doesn't
matter. Once you get your wet clothes off, it's really not that bad."
He made his first arctic splash in 2000 to usher in the new
millennium and has been going back ever since.
"You've got to start the New Year off right with a dip in refreshing
Lake George," he said.
Cindy Manz was the first member of her Wilton family to try the Polar
Bear Swim. Now she's joined by her husband, Keith, and sons Bryan and
Kevin each year.
"The worst part is waiting on the beach, trying to stay warm," Keith
Manz said. "It's actually worse when the weather's warmer. It makes
the water feel that much colder."
Surrounded by a screaming, yelling crowd, he plots a route into and
out of the water.
"You just don't want to get trampled," Manz said, laughing.
When it's all over, the family heads to a local restaurant and then
home for some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
"For the rest of the day, you can just hang out inside where it's
warm and watch football," Manz said.
Record reporter Danielle Sanzone contributed to this story.

The following is the link for the Yahoo Group for the Lake George
Winter Carnival Bicycle Race.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WinterCarnivalBicycleRace/

The following is the link for a Yahoo Group about the Winter Carnival
5K Run.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WinterCarnival5KRun/

Happy New Year!

I hope to see you all in the water today.

Fort Wayne Polar Bears
1/1/1995
video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFB_IdyCK2Q

Same group. Different camera?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9raBtE5j324

Here is a video on You Tube taken at Lake George. I'm not sure where or
when, because it doesn't say. But it is not the Polar Plunge. And it is
not Shepards Park.

What is NYCKI?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twR-cCAhd1M

Forget the Inauguration! Lake George is the pace to be tomorrow!

*Please note that if you plan on coming to Lake George after 11:30
am, be aware that traffic may be very slow around Beach Road and on
Canada Street between Beach Road and Amherst Street. Staging for the
parade wil be occuring on Beach Road. The parade starts at 1 pm. The
route takes it up Canada Street to Shepard Park.


Swimmers Wanted!

Lake George Polar Plunge
January 1, 2007
2:00 pm.

Please help us make 2007 our biggest event ever. We had 680 swimmers
on 1/1/2006 and we'd like to see even more on 1/1/07. Come join the
swim or just come to watch the fun. It's time for all the first
timers to get their feet wet. Many swimmers come in costumes ranging
from simple to the outrageous. This is the area's hottest New Years
Day event.

The swim takes place at Shepards Beach in the village of Lake George
at 2 pm. Participants can sign up at Duffy's Tavern before the swim.
Duffy's will open at 10:30 am. For more information call Duffy's at
518-668-5323. Please come early, allowing yourself plenty of time to
travel, sign-up and get ready. Simple Simons will also be open.

There are children's activities in Shepards Park from 11 am til 1 pm.
The Lake George Winter Carnival Parade starts at 1 pm.

Swimmers are advised to bring the following: a friend to hold/watch
your stuff, towel(s), swimming shoes, lose clothing to wear over swim
suit prior to swim, and warm clothing for after the swim.

For more up to date information on this event and others see the
following websites:

http://lakegeorgewintercarnival.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LakeGeorgeWinterCarnival/
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/LakeGeorgePolarPlunge/

You can also see some videos from past events by searching
"Lake George Polar Plunge" or "Lake George Winter Carnival" on
Yahoo Video, Google Video, You Tube, My Space and ifilm

The Adirondack Pirate Paddlers will be joining us on 1/1/2007.
http://www.adirondackpiratepaddlers.org/

We also do the Polar Plunge every Saturday and Sunday of February
during the Winter Carnival. We would like to see you all there as
well.

Be sure to check out the article in the February 2007 issue of
Adirondack Life magzine.

See pictures at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/crm0365

Billy Grey
Ride for Research
SAVE THE DATE!
Sunday ~ May 20, 2007
Farmer's Market
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
http://www.teambilly.org/

"The Snow Won't Stop Us" Mountain Bike Dual Slalom

This hysterical event sees mountain bike riders take to the snow in
this downhill race! Located on the Arena. Event will be two timed runs
per racer, with best combined times determining overall standings.
HELMETS REQUIRED.

Registration will be held day-of at the Main Lodge Information Desk,
from 8:30am-10:30pm.

Date: 1/07/07 - 1/07/07
Location: The Arena
Hours: 11am
Admission: $10


http://goremountain.com/mountain/moreinfo.cfm?id=95

http://www.battenkillroubaix.com/

Battenkill-Roubaix Bicycle Race
"The Hell of the North"
Salem, NY
Saturday, April 14, 2007

The Winter Carnival 5K Run and Bicycle Race evnts for 2007.

These are new events for the Lake George Winter Carnival. We hope
they will be annual events. Particpation is the key to success.

The Bicycle Race is on Sunday, 2/11/2007 at noon.

Registration will start at 10:00 am at King Neptunes Pub.

The 5K Run is on Sunday, 2/25/2007 at noon.

Registration will start at 10:00 am at King Neptunes Pub.

Registration forms for these races can be found at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LakeGeorgePolarPlunge
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LakeGeorgeWinterCarnival

Just look in the Files section of these 2 groups for the pdf files.
These can be opened and printed on any computer that has the free
Adobe Reader software installed.

You can als o get information at:
http://www.finishright.com/

You can also e-mail directly for a registration form if you like:
crm365@...

Pre-registration for each event is $13.00

Day of event registration for both events is $15.00.

We will have limited shirts for both events, so please register early
to ensure you get one.

We will have prizes for the top 3 male and female finishers for both
events. These are TBA.

Timing for both events will be done by Finish Right Timing. They will
be posting results at King Neptunes Pub shortly after each race as
well as on their website.

Both races will begin and end at Shepard Park.

*King Neptunes Pub, Duffy's Tavern, and Simple Simons are some of the
places that will be open each day of the Winter Carnival. There will
be activities going on throughout the village all day; including
tethered balloon rides and a Polar Plunge at 3:00 pm. For more
information see:
http://lakegeorgewintercarnival.com/

**Runners please note that the Wiinter Carnival 5K Run is not the
Polar Cap Run, which is a 4 mile race. That race is run by the
Adirondack Runners. It is an annual race which usually has 200 or
more runners each year. For more information on their race, which
will be Saturday, 2/3/2007 go to their website:
http://www.adirondackrunners.com/index.htm

I do not get The Daily Gazette, a paper in Schenectady, but I
understand that an article did appear in that paper on 12/28/06 about
the upcoming New Years Day Swim in Lake George.

http://www.dailygazette.com/