One Way to Kick Off The New Year
A New Year means a new start at my personal photography challenge. What better way to kick it off than with a whole bunch of crazy people who have decided to start their year by jumping into a freezing river?
There is no better way.
I met up with the crazies (I say that with love, and they know it) just in time to watch them take part in the 2011 Pittsburgh Polar Bear Plunge. We fought through treacherous mud, pouring rain, weirdly warm temperatures, and thick fog.
Then THEY fought through stripping down to the essentials and jumping into a arctic river. I fought through clicking a little button and staying out of the way. I'M SO TOUGH.
She's tougher. I'm OK with that.
While it was fifty degrees outside when the Polar Bear Plunge went down, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the water was more like ZOMGBRRRRRSOOOOCOLD. I think body parts fell off.
And yet, one after another, the crazies leaped into the icy abyss.
That first glance of them when they emerged from the river was like a lesson in foul language, pain, and SERIOUSLY? THEY'RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?
ON PURPOSE.
They even seemed to . . . I don't know . . . LIKE IT.
Weird.
They are all pretty much rock stars.
Hat's off to Yinz, but that's it. Just my hat. I'll be keeping my warm, dry clothes on.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Reader Comments (16)
This is just crazy talk! More power to them and an extra warm 'woooohooo' salute.
This was my third year jumping! To a sane person, it seems like people who jump in the river in January on purpose may have a few screws loose. While I admit to almost backing out this year since my mini-me changed her mind, I get swept up every year in the excitement of the crowd. And what a great way to bring in the New Year than being surrounded by a bunch of crazies!
i think it's eighteen shades of crazy, and the only way you'd catch me near one of those events wouls be from the same spot you were standing in! Happy (warm, toasty, no cold water involved) New Year.
LOL!!! Totally rock stars!
That is insane, but the pictures are awesome! I'm glad it wasn't too cold when they got out, at least!
At least with it being that cold, perhaps some of the yuck that is the river is killed off? There are many things about that that make me shiver. But go them!
There were lots of things I wanted to do today. Jumping into cold water -- especially that water -- wasn't one of them. But what super fun photos. Good job!
Tee hee. We know some really weird people. *point, point, point, poke*
@rebelliousflaw--You have a bunch of fingers pointing back at you in that *point, point, point, poke* I'm just sayin'.
Awesome pictures of some awesomely insane folks!!! LOL.
Looks like a great time....I am so tempted to do it next year!
That does look like an exercise in insanity... but yesterday as I was running in the rain on New Years Day I realized I was doing something that a few years ago, when I saw someone else doing so, I would think, "What a wacko!" Never say never, right!? I will say it looks like they have a blast -- doesn't it raise money for some charity or something too?
Those people have bigger cojones than I do for sure!! I'm with you...My braveness would be restricted to being behind my lens *lol*
I am proud to be a crazy!
Insane. They are insane and that is the only explanation. My body is going into hypothermic shock just watching them!
and next year - you are totally going in right?
Happy New Year!!