By Dave Begel Contributing Writer Published Jan 01, 2013 at 4:17 PM

I really don't care all that much about the annual polar bear plunge on the first day of the year at Bradford Beach. The idea of stripping down and running into a freezing lake, dunking yourself and then having your friends warm you up while they laugh like crazy just has never had much attraction for me.

But this year I got caught in a traffic jam out in front of the pavilion just about as the dunking was to take place. Traffic came to a total stop as people craned their necks to watch. I couldn't go anywhere, so I got out of my car and took a look.

The lakefront was jammed and the polar bears seemed ready and eager to get going. There was shivering everywhere. These people are like boxers. They do the fighting and they have people in their corner doing all the support work.

I was waiting for the gun or Klaxon or whatever, when I saw a woman walk toward the lake. She was wearing jeans and a gray hoodie. She was all alone.

She stopped and slid off her jeans and her hoodie and stood there in a jet black bikini. Let me say without fear of contradiction that she was a real attention getter. She just stood there, barefoot.

Then the stampede began and she ran with the others into the water. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She dunked herself under the water, turned and walked out. She got to her clothes, still barefoot, put on her jeans and hoodie, and walked away to the south.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't come up with what her story was. There must have been one, but I was at a loss for words.

Dave Begel Contributing Writer

With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.

He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.

This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.

Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.