Derby Deja Vu

 

Ah ... the Pinewood Derby. For the Blackham family, there was a little more than the usual Derby Daze. It started shortly after Landon's first derby. It wasn't great ... an old wood track, a yardstick for the starting gate, four judges attempting to eyeball the finish line. Grayson looked at his boys and realized he had MANY more years of derbies ahead of him, and he wanted a better experience. That lead to his investment in a Pinewood Derby track (and tables, and timer, and computer/software, projector/screen).

There are quite a few posts on the Blackham Blog about derby days, although it doesn't go back to the beginning (2006). Gray started doing the derby just for our ward, but with such a nice set-up, he began doing derbies for others as well. We even took a family trip to St. George to run one for Wendy's ward (2008 ... and Wendy has many DERBY posts on the Jenson Journal blog). I don't have the records for every year, but my records show 2010/26, 2011/32, 2012/36, 2016/54, 2017/43, 2018/45, 2019/52. Not sure why I didn't have the numbers recorded for 2013/2014/2015, but I had noted that Grayson bought a covered trailer in 2014 to replace the flatbed (kept things cleaner/organized). Gray would have one of the boys come along and help, moving in the equipment, setting up the computer/projector, and running the starting gate. He wondered if maybe the boys would like to run it themselves as a little side-business when they were older.

When the LDS church announced it was cutting ties with the Boy Scouts program, Gray wondered if that would impact/eliminate pinewood derbies, or if the church's replacement program would still utilize them. Gray had invested in a lot of legos, and had done some parties/youth activities featuring a Lego Derby as an option, he'd done some family/work ones, so it wasn't just boy scouts requesting his services. Alas, it was Covid that really cancelled things. There had been a few derbies in Jan/Feb of 2020, and then...  the tracks went into storage and Gray wasn't sure if he'd be getting them out again.

Gray got a request for a derby in April of 2025 ... a favor for a friend. He did it, Landon was his helper (video short here). He has a BIG trailer for his toys/RZR, which was a bit of overkill for the derby stuff, but it looked nice with his truck (first towing test for it). When Derek texted asking about derby status/possibilities, Grayson got him scheduled for November 12 and it was quite the night. Keaton was the helper here, and Gray borrowed a friend's trailer for transport. Derek took some video and made  his own YouTube video (DIY Pinewood Derby Tribute to a 600,000-Mile Acura Legend) showcasing the derby, and the car he created for it. 

Grayson isn't really sure what the future holds for his derby days ... it really is a huge time investment. He has accepted one request for next year, so we'll see what happens.  Taking off several years, and then coming back to it ... a bit of Derby Deja Vu. 

Blackhams go to Bellevue

 

Grayson is quite the traveler ... me, not so much. But when I saw that Colton and the Clackamas crew were scheduled for some games at the Bellevue Jamboree (preseason scrimmages), and that they wouldn't be streamed for me to watch from home, I suggested to Gray that we make a quick weekend trip out. He said okay. 

We flew out on Friday, November 7 ... this was the day the airlines had been instructed to cut flights due to the government shutdown. Luckily, we had no issues at all. Grayson was pretty excited to try out the new Delta SkyClub, which had had just opened. It was very nice. He'd also booked us first class, and as I didn't care for the food included in-flight (picky eater me!) Grayson got double!

Gray had rented a car, and we drove from the airport to our hotel, which was very close to the college where the basketball games would be played. The Clackamas crew had a 3+ hour drive, so their games didn't start until a little later in the day (Nov8). Gray started his Saturday with a six mile run at Gas Works Park. We then grabbed some breakfast, and did a quick drive by the college so we would know where to go (which building). We saw a group of basketball boys unloading from a bus ... and it was Colton and the Clackamas Crew! Fun to bump into them as they arrived.

We still had an hour or more until the games started, so we let Colton rejoin his team while we went back to the hotel for a bit. These games were mini-match ups, just 20 minutes (no halves or changing sides). As I hadn't been able to make it out last year for the family trip, this was my first time seeing Colton play college ball in person (I had watched every game on the live stream). I had my video camera up and recording. It was fun to meet his roommate and coaches, who I felt like I already knew (just from pictures and Colton talking about them).  Gray found some pickleballs around in the bleachers.

Here's the highlights from the games ...

Clackamas vs Bellevue

Clackamas vs Yakima

Clackamas vs South Puget Sound

The first game ended in a tie (no OT in these scrimmages), and the other two were losses. Colton got some points in the second game, but had early foul trouble in the third game and didn't get as much playing time there. He was a little under the weather, fighting a cold, and his stitches would come out the next day. It was fun to be there to see him play in person though, a little better view than the live stream (although I appreciate having at least that!)  After the games, the team headed home and we went back to the hotel. 

Lovely fall foliage on the college campus ... 

GB had to stop for a photo, and I snuck a picture of him! 

We had breakfast, and then dinner, at a nearby diner. 

The breakfast was really good ... the dinner not so much. 

Early flight out (5:15 ... so we got up and on our way around 3:30). Returned the rental car. Again, no issues getting through security, and Gray had timed it perfectly so that as soon as we arrived at our gate, we were boarding the plane. 

Landon and Valentina had gone on a weekend getaway to Las Vegas ... and they were returning home at almost the same time we were! Only 10min or so apart in our arrivals, but I didn't notice until a a bit later after Gray and I had already headed home. It would have been funny to bump into each other there at the airport!

The Blackham Bunch is planning another trip to see Colton play at the end of the year. Clackamas will be hosting a tournament after Christmas, three full games. I plan on making it this year ... getting more video and seeing Colton's college, apartment and stomping grounds!

Colton Hits the Hardwood (Literally)

On Sunday, November 2 - Clackamas Community College was hosting a basketball jamboree. These were mini match-ups, just 20 minutes/running clock. Colton and the Clackamas crew had five games, and as the third one started up, Colton went down, hitting his face on the hardwood floor. He was a little slow to get up and shake it off, and a minute later the ref stopped the game, noting Colton was bleeding. So off Colton went for some medical attention (and his team still won the game). Cleaned up the blood, and some steri-strips to keep the cut closed, and Colton played the remaining two games. 

Afterward ... looking at the gash, it was decided that he probably needed stitches. Luckily, last year I'd done a little reconnaissance, contacting our medical insurance to find out what Colton should do if he needed to visit a doctor or urgent care out of state (it wasn't something I was able to easily search on the insurance website). I had the name/address of a couple local urgent care centers, and he had a copy of the insurance card, so Colton went and got five stitches.

Keaton bopped that same area when he was just a little guy, and Grayson managed a HUGE gash (the final pictures in the Interesting Injuries blog post from several years ago) ... but the eyebrow area, while apparently prone to injury, is also good at camouflaging any scarring. 

Here's the game ... it happens right about the 1:00 mark

https://youtu.be/3CugyLRVxvc

You can see all of Colton's games from his Sophomore year (post in progress).

Hopefully no additional injuries!

He got the stitches out a week later. Everything seems to be healing well.