2009 Iditarod. Winner of the Patrol Flag Contest Webelos Pack 309 Wyckoff Frontiersman. Winning Troop Flag Troop 54 Ho Ho Kus The Great Team

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1 2009 Iditarod The race occurred on February 7, 2009 on the unfrozen tundra of Crestwood Lake Park Allendale New Jersey. There was 3-4 inches of snow on the ground, the Allendale ponds were solid ice, and the temperatures were winter-like could this be a Iditarod Scout Race day in Allendale, New Jersey? After last years basic snowless weather, it was nice to have a nice winter day and snow! Temp: 15 degrees in the Morning and cloudy/10 MPH winds, but about 11 am a weather front passed thru, Sun (90%) came out, and temps raised to about degrees F (and the winds abated). Thirty patrols participated in this year's Iditarod Derby at Allendale's Crestwood Lake Park on February 7, At this event, there were 9 stations called towns (with over 100 volunteers in the background), all located using a basic map to hike around the picnic areas of Crestwood Lake park. At the end of the day the winners in the Cub & regular Scout division were: In the Cub Scout/ Webelos division the top three were: Polar Sun, Pack 157 Midland Park (1st ) HHK Huskies, Pack 54 HoHoKus (2nd ) Alaskan Huskies, Pack 157 Midland Park (3rd ) In the Boy Scout division the top three were: The Great Team, Troop 54 HoHoKus (1st) The Yetties, Troop 54 HoHoKus (2nd ) Snow Jaguars, Troop 133 Upper Saddle River (3rd ) In the senior Scout or Trek division the top three were: Cobras, Troop 133 Upper Saddle River (1st) Sarahs' Boys, Troop 77, Wyckoff (2nd ) (tie) Ice Truckers(3), Troop 258, Mahwah (2nd) (tie) Ahtena team, Troop 15, Glen Rock ( 3rd ) Winner of the Patrol Flag Contest Webelos Pack 309 Wyckoff Frontiersman In the senior Trek division the top Orienteering Team was: Troop 133, Cobras (~25 Minutes, all 10 Line O controls correctly found) FYI Line Orienteering Max time limit was 30 Minutes. In the Webelos division the top three Flags were: Frontiersman, Pack 309 Wyckoff (1st Polar Bear Banner) Alaskan Huskies, Pack 157 Midland Park (2nd Idit. Sled Banner) Northern Light Speed, Pack 54 HoHoKus (3rd Brown Bear Banner) In the Boy Scout division the top three Flags were: The Great Team, Troop 54 HoHoKus (1st Polar Bear Banner) Snow Jaguars, Troop 133 Upper Saddle River (2nd Polar Bear Banner) Winning Troop Flag Troop 54 Ho Ho Kus The Great Team

2 The Ice Dogs, Troop 31, Ramsey (3rd Idit. Sled Banner) The New Alaskan 25 cent piece was the theme for the sled or district Iditarod flag contest, the three losing coin designs that is, rendered in a 2 foot diameter design of any type but not' photocopies, and its nice to see the craftsmanship the Scouts can accomplish when they set their minds to a task. Remember mushers, a new Iditarod flag is delivered each year to our observant inspector Judges, no salvage from year to year. Tour de Force A few traveled to there first towns, to spread the over 30 sleds out. One such area was Mayors Walt Haderthauer's Anxiety Point town. My thanks to the Anxiety Point volunteers. Mrs Siobhain Keating and Mrs Janet Engles kept a tight watch over the Pacing and Distance training across a snow field competition field. The Tree Height estimation competition was watched over closely by the wandering team of Troop 258 Mahwah leaders Dave Haas, Dave Howard and Chuck Scully. The distance across the river competition was conducted under the watchful eyes of Troop 133 Scouts E Sibbald and T. Stacey. Don't have a match? Culinary Delights! T133 Life scout Peter was in charge of our welcoming committee and graciously laid down the Laws of the visit to Anxiety Point station, ensuring that all had a pleasant competition and kept to the rules. By the way, some thought the measured pine tree was 75 feet tall, the Gov measured twice and though 65 feet tall. Try it and you tell me. This year's Iditarod cooking competition featured Breakfast Musher food - as the main ingredient and most of the patrols, created by the Imaginative Mayor Larry Chiarelli of Troop 15. Even all sets of Webelos did a pretty good job of coming up with a creative bagged dish featuring this real life meal type, and then figured out that the sled could dump all the food in one common pot if they liked. This was so that Sleds would have to think about there sled race menu choices beforehand. The highest scorers in the cooking competition were: Yetties, Troop 54, HoHoKus Webelos from Polar Sun, Pack 157, Midland Park

3 Honorable Mush-cooking Town mention went to (not in any order): Sled Subzero Webelos, Pack 88, Waldwick Polar Bear Express, Troop 77, Ramsey Frontiersman Webelos from Pack 308, Wyckoff AK Huskies Webelos from Pack 157, Midland Park HHK Huskies Webelos from Pack 54, HoHoKus We again had a new orienteering course at the park, and sleds did a Score-O session, finding as many of the 12 Scout laws (attached to many orienteering markers), but the twist was that they only had limited time to do so. Better to run to the various orange and white markers and back to the finish line instead of earning negative points for being late. Markers were installed by the brave event Governor (my hobby), and while some were easy to find, 3 or 4 of the 17 cloth O markers were carefully hidden to challenge the older Scouts. Special thanks to Jerry Smith (Troop 70, Ocean Tsp) for lending me his mini-orienteering flags (set of 17) which make club style orienteering training possible. I course - set two courses on 7 Feb at Crestwood lake Park, in Allendale NJ. Susan Bell Scout master of Troop 89, Wyckoff (NJ), was event director. Map was a "homemade" B & W map, using pace checks and Google maps for a cheap but usable basic - orienteering map. Park is dominated by a man made lake (1/3 mile long), but it is drained every winter for safety and Scouts could cross it OK. Soccer fields, picnic areas and fringe forest (easy to orange level controls, with some boulders and small thickets) are prevalent. 250 Scouts from this areas district (centered roughly about Allendale in North/Bergen Co, NJ) participated. A Score course was set for the younger Scouts (4th thru 8th grades). 15 minutes to find 12 different markers, each with one Scout law (tag) on them, but laws (the words) locations are not ID'ed on the map, only circles on the map and standard O clues about the rock, fence or structure the marker was on. With a twist that the team of 8 in a patrol was split in 2 parts for maximum learning. A older age/trek Scout "Line O" was also offered, and presented a 30 minute and contour and obstacle avoidance advanced (easy Orange) course.

4 One team who found all markers on line O training route was walking for 31 minutes, they forgot the instructions stated that "running" was needed to meet the 30 minute max rule (penalty points kick in). All other teams met that 30 minutes (winner in at ~25 minutes), and as a ref I test-ran the advanced O line course in 21 minutes flat. Town Mayor competition (internal and invisible to the sledders), each Area the teams visited had a host or Mayor running his /her units Scout Skill area. The Governor was again at a loss to pick the Iditarod best town, and a tie between Troop 65 Cedar Grove and Troop 157 Midland Park was declared. Well done to all Mayors and helpers. All Scout skill towns tend to vary a bit each year, as the Mayors/Trainers try to challenge the Scouts by presenting various training scenarios or skill schemes. Most importantly, Mayors or volunteers helping same debrief the sled participants, and give tips to Scouts on how to improve there basic Scout knowledge for either personal life use or for betterment of future Scout camping trips. Special mention of the First Aid town, the test was a simulated campout with 3 injuries, a bear (story) had attacked 3 campers near a tent, and the victims had simple index cards on them describing issues (Like He's stopped breathing or he has a deep cut on his Right fore arm! Then the Scouts are to think of what to do like take/check his pulse first, get the first aid kit out, show team work, and do it; else the victim might expire after 10 minutes or so. In a real emergency, knowing what to do will save lives or limb. The most basic thing for Scout leaders, is that the campers had 3 place settings around there campfire, yet a few Scouts never thought to look about 10 feet behind a large rock or log, for the third victim (with clue of blood (actor dye) trail leading to him), which the bear had dragged a bit into the woods but then left. Many a Scout was surprised to lose points for not finding a third victim. Next year we might hire a few Ponzi bankers in bear' suits to act as ferocious bears, to liven up this action, and reform the bankers to boot. Again, well Done Troop 65 leaders and there friends from the Cedar Grove First aid squad, much thanks to T65 SM Ed O'Connell Spectators could sample the culinary delights of the Road Kill Cafe. Venison chili, Venison sausage, some kind of patty, hamburgers, hotdog's, hot coffee and cocoa were standard fair for the day. There was plenty of food and hot drink for those in attendance. Everything was one dollar, reasonable by today's standards. Thanks to Lee, Dave, Rick Tom, and Bernie, You made our guests feel welcomed. If you weren't early you missed your opportunity to sample Toad in a hole for breakfast. the food was great the company was even better. If you talked to the group you would have discovered over two centuries of Scouting experience. If you listened, you would have heard some great stories

5 In case you were wondering with all the food and refreshments in an outdoor setting what does one do for relief? Port a-johns were available for all to use. Troop 54 Ho-Ho-Kus came up with a unique event again this year! Each year they seem to come up with an idea that is entertaining and develops Scout skills. This year they placed the bear bag in a tree thirty feet up. the rope was not tied around the tree to lower to the ground. It was just thirty feet up! The Scouts were given ten foot pole and some rope to work the proplem. You had to tie several Shear lashes to solve the problem and then poke the bag from the tree. I was surprised to see Webelos doing a great job on the lashes and quickly knocking down the bag Learning Great Job Bob Rycharski! At the other 7 towns, Scouts sawed wood, tied knots, or lashed poles together, or even mastered there metal fire-starters or set up there tarps in to emergency shelters as quick as they can. We congratulate the race winners, but I would like to leave it that all Scouts who participated, learned a few things, made a few memories, and sharpened there team work skills in the Allendale Park this past February. And not the least we thanks all the day of even volunteers, and the towns [Mayors} of Unalakleet (Tarp and knots) and Point Barrow (First Aid) were both selected for best Run Towns, which besides being best organized, had large town signs and they also left no trace of there event except footprints, the occasional photo picture and fond memories. Thanks to the troops who helped make the Iditarod possible were Troop 15 Glen Rock, Troop 27 Glen Rock, Troop 54 HoHoKus, Troop 59 Allendale, Troop 77 Ramsey, Troop 89 Wyckoff, Troop, Troop 65 Cedar Grove (First Aid town), Troop 157 Midland Park, Troop 133 USR, and Troop 369 (Hot Drinking Water Service). Special thanks to Trek Leader - Bob Taschler Sr. of the District Committee and his Son Rob Jr.: Jim Kapotes and Tom Jaeger our roving photographers, volunteers Lorraine Deluca, Troop 59 Scouts and committeemen for Parking Lot attendance duty, Our Cooking Red Jacket chefs galore (with delicious food), and the DVOA hiking club for orienteering flags/supplies, we additionally many Unit and Iditarod alumni, the DPW office of Town of Allendale, and a host of others

6 One Year, and 20 Degrees? Results Sled # Pack Town Patrol Name (Hr. Min) Rank Cub/Webelos Sleds 112 P157 Midland Park Polar Sun 1 5:18 1st 105 P54 Ho-Ho-Kus HHK Huskies 4:45 2nd 106 P157 Midland Park Alaskan Huskies 5:09 3rd 104 P54 Ho-Ho-Kus Polar Bear Express 4:40 4th 103 P175 Ramsey Hawks 4:58 5th 101 P54 Ho-Ho-Kus Northern Lights 4:38 6th 107 P210 Wyckoff Frozen Huskies 4:38 7th 110 P27 Glen Rock Bull Dogs 5:00 8th 108 P309 Wyckoff Frontiersmen 4:45 9th 115 P309 Wyckoff Cobras 4:54 10th 109 P88 Waldwick SubZero 5:07 11th 102 P88 Waldwick Iditabear 5:11 12th Traditional or Scout Sleds 202 T54 Ho-Ho-Kus The Great Team st 213 T54 Ho-Ho-Kus The Yetties nd 211 T133 Up Saddle River Sno Jaguars rd 218 T54 Ho-Ho-Kus Ho Ho Kus Eskimos th 204 T59 Allendale Team Punjabi th 209 T133 Up Saddle River Eagles th 210 T77 Wyckoff Polar Bear Express th 201 T59 Allendale Alaskan Gold Miners th 217 T59 Allendale Alaskan Mushers th

7 203 T31 Ramsey Ice Dogs th 220 T308 Waldwick Snow Eagles th 206 T59 Allendale Lone Eskimo th 208 T369 Oakland The Braves th 219 T89 Wyckoff Artic Storm th 205 T34 Franklin Lakes Acid Rain th Trek Race Results 303 T133 Up Saddle River Cobras 1st 301 T77 Wyckoff Sarah's Boys (Palin) 2nd 308 T258 Mahwah Ice Truckers 3rd 310 T15 Glen Rock Ahtena Team 4th