On March 8, Pack 1892 Bear Scout Constantine H. and his brother, Tiger Scout Nicholas H. visited Summit Ropes in Chantilly, Va (near Dulles airport) for an unforgettable afternoon of climbing. The two scouts had never attempted anything comparable to the course, but with the constant encouragement and personal support of the facility’s staff, the scouts overcame their initial fears and discovered that they really could do it!
On March 30, Cub Scout Pack 492 of Rockville, MD spent the morning earning their Forensics Adventure loop by “investigating a break-in” at the National Law Enforcement Museum. The Cub Scouts learned how to photograph and bag evidence from a crime scene, how to dust & lift their own fingerprints, and how to cast a shoe impression.
The Cub Scouts were also explored the museum’s K-9 and forensic science exhibits, and created some memories at the interactive police car and Wanted Poster wall.
On Scout Sunday, mass at Blessed Sacrament was celebrated with Scouts from across the Colonial Districts. Participating units included Pack, Troop and Crew 129 chartered by Westminster Presbyterian Church, Troop 1515 from St. Stephens and St. Agnes Schools, and Pack 614 chartered by James K. Polk PTA.
With scouts competing in speed and show categories, Colonial’s 2019 Pinewood Derby drew 55 scouts for a day of friendly competition and fun.
Here are the winners in the speed categories:
FASTEST OVERALL RACERS
Carter B., Pack 155
Michael W., Pack 1507
Colin B., Pack 155
FASTEST LION RACERS
Henry S., Pack 867
Charlie S., Pack 867
Amelia G., Pack 888
FASTEST TIGER RACERS
Lorretta R., Pack 867
Brett C., Pack 801
Max M., Pack 1519
FASTEST WOLF RACERS
Ben S., Pack 867
Brandon B., Pack 133
Zavier A., Pack 1519
FASTEST BEAR RACERS
Jonathan A., Pack 133
Robert M., Pack 301
Benjamin W., Pack 1509
FASTEST WEBELO RACERS
Wesley F., Pack 1509
Caydan M., Pack 1509
Logan V., Pack 129
FASTEST ARROW OF LIGHT RACERS
Alex L., Pack 867
Noah N., Pack 129
Andrew B., Pack 867
From our show categories:
Most Scout like: Ethan P., Pack 867
Most realistic: Parker C., Pack 867
Most futuristic: Canon K., Pack 301
Most unique: Robert M., Pack 888
Most humorous: Max T., Pack 680
WOLF CAR SHOW RESULTS
Trevor C., Pack 867
Jacob N., Pack 867
Blake A., Pack 614
BEAR CAR SHOW RESULTS
Logan C., Pack 867
WEBELO CAR SHOW RESULTS
TJ D., Pack 867
Christain K., Pack 301
ARROW OF LIGHT CAR SHOW RESULTS
Kyle C., Pack 1503
SIBLING CAR SHOW RESULTS
Aston A; Cory M; Madeline Y, Pack 867.
Thank you to all our parent and Order of the Arrow volunteers who helped support the Pinewood Derby and to Packs 867 and 614 for providing the tracks for our races.
Promptly at 6:30 A.M., the first wave of Scouts set out from Alexandria toward National Harbor as part of Colonial’s Carpe Adventure Trek, or CAT. The 40 and 20 kilometer distances challenged Scouts to seize the (early) call for adventure during a day with a brisk wind and a high temperature of 47. In its second year, the CAT challenge was answered by 29 more hikers than in 2018 and included 14 units from four districts in the Council.
At support stops at Fort Hunt Park, Belle Haven Park, and at National Harbor, enthusiasm was high among Colonial’s hiking Scouts as they ticked off milestones and achieved greater distances. The smiles and laughs were plentiful (as were a few sock changes, blister treatments, and water breaks).
The first group of Scouts returned to Alexandria just shortly before 3PM to receive the coveted CAT Claw challenge coin for completing the 40km distance (akin to hiking a marathon).
Congratulations to all our CAT hikers who completed the trek. In addition, special thanks to Colonial’s Order of the Arrow chapter for managing the support stop at Belle Haven Park and to our many parent volunteers who helped at Good Shepherd Parish (host for the hike), Fort Hunt Park, Belle Haven and at National Harbor as well as the numerous volunteers who helped behind the scenes make this year’s CAT Trek successful.
The CAT awaits you in 2020….answer its challenge! “Many Are Called, Few Will Triumph.”
The quality of your Pinewood Derby car’s axles and wheels may be the most important factor in building a fast car. Here’s how to choose and polish your car’s axles and wheels.
1. Start with a set of raw axles.
2. Can you tell the difference between the axles in the top row and the ones on the bottom? The ones on the bottom aren’t straight and will slow your car.
3. To tell which are straight and which aren’t, mark each axle with a marker about 1/2 inch from the pointed end.
4. Have an adult clamp a power drill into a vise, a device that will hold it perfectly still.
5. Have an adult help you insert each axle into the drill at the location you marked in Step 3. Have the adult turn on the drill.
6. Bent axles will wobble as they turn in the drill. Straight axles will hardly wobble at all. Pick the ones that wobble least.
7. Once you’ve selected the four straightest axles, use a file or fine-grit sandpaper to remove small burrs and mold marks that can cause friction and slow a car. These imperfections should be removed from both the axles and the wheels. Watch this video to learn one way to do this.
8. Use polishing compound from the auto supply store to polish the wheels and axles. One easy way to do this is to clamp the axles back in the drill and let the drill spin the axle while you polish it.
9. When you install the axles and wheels, make sure they are aligned perfectly straight. You can test the alignment of your axles by pushing your car across a smooth floor or table. It should roll in a straight line.
10. Don’t forget to add graphite or another dry lubricant to your wheels and axles.
This post originally appeared on the online version of Boys’ Life Magazine at https://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/pinewood-derby/151297/how-to-polish-your-pinewood-derby-cars-axles-and-wheels/.
