2009 Pinewood Derby

We don't really enjoy the Pinewood Derby at our house, but don't tell anybody. Gregory and Samuel did, and Jason will LOVE it next year, but Jonathan is more like his dad, kind of surprising since he's the kid who loves constructing stuff... but here he is with his car:
We do have a system though. Nels and the boy/s go to a helpful neighbor's house to get it cut out to the kid's specs. I help the boy/s with the sanding and the paint, and Nels helps them with the axles, wheels and weight management, and oversees the graphite application at the event itself. Then I take pictures. Granddaddy always comes - he seems to enjoy it, and we love his support.

This year's car got the "The ATV Award." He wanted camouflage, and he got it!






Thanks to all the wonderfully consistent scout leaders. They do a SUPER job.

It's a cool track they use nowadays - it's all computerized - from the start to the finish. The winning car was going nearly 229 miles an hour!! Each race is finished in less than three seconds for the fastest. Many races were down to 100ths of a seconds, but the computer could handle it. 22 boys, 44 heats, less than an hour...things sure have changed since I was first a den leader 16 plus years ago!

I just love this picture of after the event...who's car is left unclaimed? Yes, you guessed who's it was.

Next year will be a different story - two boys, one not so interested, and another who won't be able sit still for a month, he'll be so excited! Sigh...