But that is now the title of the newest addition to Winter Carnival’s weird and wild slate of events this year. The Wheel-a-Palooza will be a more than one-mile bike ride from the Ice Palace, on a loop around town through Church Street to Main Street, with a police escort the whole way on Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.

It’s not a race, per se. More of an open-air polar plunge — or, as Seidenstein says, an “open-HAIR polar plunge.” The whole thing will be done in bathing suits. Riders can wear as much or as little as they like, as long as their trunks are on display — hence the blue buns.

Drury, the event’s “assistant promoter, director of public relations and minister of recruitment,” lays all the credit — and the blame — at Seidenstein’s feet.

Where ideas come from is usually hard to pin down, but Seidenstein, an Enterprise columnist and Saranac Lake resident, knows exactly where he was when he thought up the Wheel-a-Palooza. He was sitting around with Jennifer Scofield when the Queen song “Bicycle Race” came on and he had a vision of people riding, scantily clad, around Saranac Lake.

Bob Seidenstein (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Drury, also an Enterprise columnist and Saranac Lake resident, said when his friend messaged him to let him in on his idea, Drury’s first thought — as it is with all of Seidenstein’s texts — was “uh-oh.” But he liked the idea and knew it would be popular right away.

“It’s just crazy enough that it might be fun,” Drury said. “It’s all about having fun. That’s what Winter Carnival is about.”

He got reeled into helping organize and promote the thing, but said he’s trying to do as little as possible.

Seidenstein “borrowed” a reporter’s notebook from the Enterprise offices last week and has been scribbling a long to-do list on it. Drury, meanwhile, has a “not-to-do list.”

Seidenstein said he’s learning about the “iceberg” of work it takes to get an event above the surface.

It started with pitching the idea to the Winter Carnival Committee. Seidenstein has spent time on committees before and he regards them with derision.

“A committee is something that spends hours taking minutes,” he said.

But he was “gobsmacked” when he went to the Winter Carnival meeting and pitching the idea was quick and painless.

Seidenstein had low turnout expectations at first, but Drury believed the idea had legs.

Winter Carnival Committee Chair Jeff Branch said when the event was posted on the Carnival social media page it got 25,145 views within the first 30 hours.

Seidenstein says he doesn’t care about hits. He wants to know who will actually come. Still, Jack pointed out that this shows the event’s appeal. Seidenstein said it shows “humankind’s fascination with the bizarre.”

“We are the sideshow,” he said.

The race is being dedicated to John Van Anden, a friend and co-owner of Lakeview Deli who died in 2021.

Seidenstein said Van Anden was a great guy with a subtle sense of humor who loved Saranac Lake and got a lot of love in return. Van Anden was a hard worker, Seidenstein said, and one of the only times they got the chance to sit down and have a chat was at the deli on River Street before the Winter Carnival fireworks.

“The ride is dedicated to John Van Anden, a lover of Carnival and beloved by Saranac Lake and who would get a good laugh out of us,” a statement announcing the event reads.

There are not a lot of rules for the race, but one that must be abided by is that bathing suits must be worn.

“You can wear whatever you want but the bathing suit’s got to be the last item,” Drury said.

“Bathing suits are mandatory, underlayers are optional,” Seidenstein said.

The press release adds that underlayers are “STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.”

The Cake Placid bakery in Lake Placid is making “bun-shaped buns” as prizes.

“Teams are welcome, as are veterans’ groups. Tasty prizes will be given for the youngest and oldest riders, the biggest group, best costumes and anything else that suits our fancy,” the statement reads.

Currently, that includes oldest, youngest, from farthest away, best costume, least dressed and most creative bike. Some of these prize categories were dreamed up during the interview for this article.

“We’re going to have to go back to this article to learn these categories,” Drury said with a laugh.

The two friends speak about the event as a sort of homunculus they created which has “taken on a life of its own” — a sentient and autonomous being of its own.

They keep coming up with new social categories for riders — several military categories, including the Undressed Blues, Coastie with the Mostie, Wackies in Khakis, Wingnuts and Montezuma’s revenge. Everyone will get a certificate inducting them into the Fraternity of the Frosted Fadoolies.

Drury said he hopes to see people lining the streets to witness the spectacle. Seidenstein said he hopes it is like the Gala Parade, “but bigger.”

“Parking is limited at best, nonexistent at worst, so count on either being dropped off or riding your bike to the start,” a statement reads.

There will be a warm-up hut at the Ice Palace with bags supplied for bikers to stash their clothes and go as little dressed as possible, if they so choose.

The event will be free to participate in. Any money it happens to generate will go to Carnival, Drury said.

Registration and waiver forms can be picked up at the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce office in the Harrietstown Town Hall, or procrastinators can register the day of the race at the Ice Palace from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

For more information, call Drury at 518-891-5915 or Seidenstein at 518-891-4061.