The Polar Bear Jump still occurs every January in the Seward Boat Harbor. The water temperature is usually 35-38F. I have yet to participate, though I have run in Sewards annual July 4th Mt Marathon Race for the last seven years. For those unfamilar, it is one of the oldest running(using the term loosely) races in the U.S. The race is only 3.5 miles long, half of which is on city streets and the other half climbs Mt Marathon to 3022ft and back from sea level. The course record is 43:23 and has stood since the early 80's. The World Mountain Running Championships were held at a ski resort near here in August, and we had to make the course easier then what we normally run to make it acceptable.

It is Friday isn't it?

Mark in AK

----- Original Message -----
From: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Friday, October 31, 2003 1:20 pm
Subject: Re: Friday Census/"flush" thread

> Bob Stevens wrote:
>
> >Being Friday: my brother's daughter lives in Anchorage. Has the below
> >observation:
> >
> >"As Karen said when asked about the odds ( men-women) in
> >Alaska.............." the odds are good but the goods are odd"
> >
> >
> I love it!!!
>
> Ah, Alaska! Where men are men, and women win the Iditarod!!!!
>
> Such things are  what make Alaska such an interesting and
> wonderful place!!
>
> Example:
>
> At Seward one winter down on the Kenai Peninsula, there was (may still
> be) the "Polar Bear" Swim that was conducted. The proceedings were
> carried on the local radio. Brave and hardy (fool hardy perhaps)
> Alaskans leaped off the dock into the harbor in the winter water with
> ice floating around. One participant .... a tall lanky old codger with
> grizzled beard, arrived to leap, wearing faded read longhandles,
> cowboyboots and a cowboy hat ......and nothing more ...... except
> for a length
> of red ribbon hanging out the front fly. When asked by the Master of
> Ceremony about the ribbon, he replied "That's so's  I can find the
> little sucker after I get out of that water!!!!"
>
> He was the crowd's favorite that year!!!
>
> Only in Alaska...........
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>