This years Flag theme was create a Sled Flag based on one of three Alaskan quarter coin designs (losing US Mint entries) found on the internet, either the Gold Miner with Mount. Denali in the background, the Polar Bear and Sunburst , or the Racer and Dogsled team with Denali Mountain in the back ground. I can say that the Scout certainly were creative in the “flag” making department. We saw the Polar bear design win “out” 13 to 9 versus the Iditarod dog sled design, with the Gold Miner coin design coming in a distant third with 3 sled/flags. Ironic the 2009 Event Patch was constructed with the purple Mountain (with snow on top) and a bearded 59'er panning for Gold in a Alaskan stream. Anyway , well done Scouts! Oh yes , also 3 sleds/Flags were so creative , they either had only the patrol names and no quarter design, or a very loose interpretation of the flag contest rules. All but 1 sled had attached there real US Alaskan 2008 Quarters to the flag , one thing the judges were really keen to rate them on; those with paper photocopies (not allowed) of the real 25 cent coin were docked points per the Governors and Flag Mayors rules. This flag theme was inspired on the fact that Alaska is celebrating 50 years of statehood in 2009 and that the Alaska state quarter (49 th issued) was commonly found in change after November 2008 (when the flag rules were drafted).

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)
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.

Winning Troop Flag

The Great Team Troop 54 Ho Ho Kus

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.

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.

Culinary Delights!

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

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

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

When all efforts fail!

Pray

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

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 slve the problem and then poke the bag from the tree. I was supprised to see Webelos doing a great job on the lashes and quickly knocking down th bag

Learning

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