Hey everyone, RICH YOUR LOCAL NEWSCASTER coming to you from Saranac Lake where the 115th Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is about to begin.  This is a festival of many sporting events, great food, live entertainment and a great parade and fireworks display.  This is taking place from now Feb. 3rd until Sunday Feb.12th, 2008.  It is time to enjoy and celebrate this great Adirondack area and the winter season at the longest running event of its kind in the Eastern US.  This year Aliens! (YES ALIENS!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE) have invaded Saranac lake and is the theme that this year’s Winter Carnival is set around. Spaceships, weird creatures and aliens of all sorts will be walking and entertaining for this year’s festivities.  One of the events which is a must see is the event called the Fry Pan toss, where you see the ladies throwing their cast iron pans. (OUCH! hope one does not hit me in the head from a miss-aim or who knows you may see an alien beaming down to toss a fry pan..now that is exciting).

One of the great highlights of this carnival which can be seen by driving down RT 86 in Saranac Lake is the Lighted Ice Palace. This is constructed out of the lake ice and has a maze for the children and is quite the spectacular lighted sight.  I also spotted an Alien Ice Sculpture as I was driving by so the Aliens have landed in Saranac Lake (makes me all warm inside or cold if you are standing near the Ice Castle BRRRR!!).  Please do not miss the spectacular fireworks show on Saturday February 4th when the Castle is lit and the following week Saturday Feb. 11th there is the great parade for adults and children alike that you will certainly not want to miss.  So, many events packed into one week that you will not want to miss.

Get on that phone today and reserve your room as you will not want to miss the great week of fun and excitement.  Okay, I see a place to have a hot toddy to warm up my frozen feet. All of you have a great time at the carnival and hope to see you around.  BYE!

Are you sitting right now watching your favorite hockey team skating back and forth on the ice and scoring those hat tricks?  Thinking to yourself, “Hmm, wouldn’t it be great to hop in my hockey skates and get a small team together to test your skills in this great sport. ” Hop into your car and head to Lake Placid area where those dreams could be come a reality. RICH YOUR SPORTSCASTER outside the back door of the Golden Arrow on Mirror Lake just about to lace up my skates to head out on the ice!!! (wish me luck, that I dont fall on my tailbone again..ouch or worse crash into one of my fellow skaters)  Watching the great staff of ORDA cleaning up the ice and making minature rinks for the upcoming Pond Hockey tournament this weekend.

Ahh!! I remember the memories of my childhood. There was something very special about playing hockey on the frozen pond. Heading down to the Pond with your skates over your shoulder. You and hockey buddies pushing the newly fallen snow off the Pond, setting the boots as goal posts, and hearing the imaginary roar of the crowd as you score the first goal! It just doesn’t get any better than this! The CAN/AM HOCKEY ASSOCIATION has done just that!!! You can re-enact this scene in Lake Placid, NY on January 26-29, 2012. The script is perfect…Pond Hockey with a team of close friends, the setting is spectacular with Whiteface Mountain overlooking Mirror Lake, the competition spirited and intense, and add into the mix the atmosphere of the Olympic site and the 1980 Gold Medal Victory. A Unique happening is about to take place. Be there to experience what hockey is all about.

Golden Arrow is very excited and happy to have all of our Pond Hockiers back for this upcoming weekend to enjoy another great year of Pond Hockey on Mirror Lake. (One suggestion, bring your heavy clothes and bundle up..dont want you frozen to that ice..hehe and please do not stick your tongue to it..not a pleasant experience either). We look forward to watching everyone strive for the gold medal in the division. OH!!!! Do not want to leave the youngsters out!! Sorry guys. There is also a Children’s hockey tournament going on across the street at the OLYMPIC ARENA. CANADIAN HOCKEY ENTERPRISE is hosting one of many youth hockey tournaments at the same time this weekend. If you get too cold from watching the guys out on the ice on Mirror Lake and want to watch more hockey, then head across the road to the Olympic Center and watch the youngsters strive for the Gold. Whew!!! Now I am all stoked to get out on this ice. Wish me luck and Good luck to all the participants this weekend in your tournaments!!! Goals for everyone!!! (Falls on ice few times) Have a great hockey weekend!!!

I know we all have been waiting for Mother Nature to throw down the gauntlet of snow in all the Eastern coast.  Do not fret anymore!!  As, of the past few weeks we have received inches of snow here and inches of snow there.  With all the cold temperatures everything has frozen over nicely and Lake Placid has all the winter activites to enjoy.  We have had myriads of people over the last few weeks tell us how wonderful the area is and the great winter events that their family has enjoyed.  With that said, RICH YOUR NEWSCASTER & MS. DEAL-MAKER would like to throw some ideas your way to book your winter break and vacation.

As, I ride up on WHITEFACE MOUNTAINS CLOUDSPLITTER GONDOLA anticipating that first trip down its great slopes, I want to catch you all up to date on the current snow conditions.  Whiteface is reporting at this time 65% of the slopes open at the mountain which is a great 55 of 85 trails open.  Primary surface conditions are loose granular and they have had at least 9 new inches of snow over the past 7 days.  This makes for a great day of skiing for any snow bunny or hotdogger out there who wants to loosen up those ski legs.  The extended forecast looks good with possible snow showers once again on Monday and Tuesday.  Time for me to get off this phone and typing, almost at the summit.  Wish me luck and hopefully I dont look like a giant snowball rolling down the slope and stay on the skis this time..hehe…that does not feel good!!  Have a great day everyone and I am turning it over to the Golden Arrow and my gal of deals Ms. Deal-Maker.

Thank you Richard, my dear, and I hope that you are dressed warm and keep on those legs.  Hi, all of you skiiers out there!!  I have mentioned these packages before but I want to touch base one more time about our MIDWEEK & WEEKEND SKI PACKAGES.  The snow is looking great and here are the deals to save some money while enjoying that much needed ski vacation.  From Sunday through Thursday for $109 per person, per night (based on double occupancy) enjoy a relaxing e