The 2010 Patrol Gunboat Association was held in Nashville, TN.

THE REUNION.........

The Radisson Hotel Nashville Airport hosted the 2010 Patrol Gunboat Association Reunion from Wednesday, August 4 through Sunday, August 8, 2010. 

Most of you have either heard or read my comments about making the reunions a family affair.  For us, the trip to Nashville included my son Paul and daughter in law Nicci and our grand daughter Samantha.  We left a few days early so we could include a stop at Pidgeon Forge TN and an evening at the Grand Ole Opry.

 THE TRIP TO NASHVILLE

Wednesday was an early arrival date with no scheduled tours or meals. The hospitality room opened at noon with check-in starting at  3:00. As usual, we had have commemorative coffee mugs and a free gift for each member along with an opportunity to get a free ball cap with the purchase of raffle tickets. We also sold additional tickets for the 50-50 drawing. As always, there was free snacks, soft drinks and beer.

THE HOTEL, HOSPITALITY ROOM

AND

WHO CAME TO DINNER

After  breakfast on Thursday, we headed out with our guide on the Nashville City Tour. Our tour included a drive by of the Bicentennial Mall, Historic Second Avenue, Music Row, Vanderbilt University, The Parthenon, etc. We also toured the Historic Ryman Auditorium, Known as the “Mother Church of Country Music”. After lunch on our own in downtown Nashville we stopped at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. 

THURSDAY TOUR

Several years ago I started to arrange for a dinner out on Thursday night.  In Buffalo we went to a very nice restaurant for a private dinner.  Virginia Beach included dinner and a show at the Virginia Beach Comedy Club.  In Nashville, we went to the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater for dinner and a show.  The club arranged for special group seating for us.  We arranged carpool transportation to the theater with designated drivers to ensure a safe trip back to the hotel. Of course the Hospitality room remained open for those who preferred to remain at the hotel.

THURSDAY DINING OUT

Our Friday tour was to The Hermitage Mansion, home of Andrew Jackson, our nations seventh president.  We enjoyed a tour of the stately manor where we were guided by costumed historical interpreters, weaving tales of Jackson’s colorful and controversial life, stories of his family and the slaves who lived and worked there. The tour was highlighted by the complete restoration of the mansion that appears just as Jackson would have seen it in 1837. The tour also included a film, museum, church, formal garden, Jackson’s tomb, and original log cabins. After a break for lunch on our own, we went to the Belle Meade Plantation. The centerpiece of the property is the Belle Meade mansion built in 1853.  This Greek revival house was home to five generations of the Harding-Jackson family, original owners of the Belle Meade Farm.  In the late 19th century, the farm encompassed 5,400 acres and was one of the largest private estates in Nashville.  The farm was a thoroughbred nursery famous for breeding and training championship race horses.  Recent Kentucky derby winners like Funny Cide and Barbaro, even racing legends like Secretariat can trace their bloodlines back to the breeding stock at Belle Meade.

FRIDAY TOUR

Friday evening is usually our traditional buffet dinner. This year I decided to do something different. Rather than our normal buffet dinner, I decided to try a Nashville Style Southern Cookout.  Since it was rather warm out, we decided to have our cookout buffet dinner inside in one of the hotel's air conditioned ball rooms.  

FRIDAY BUFFET DINNER

Sunday morning many of us gathered in the hotel lobby to share hugs and promises to meet next year at the 2011 Patrol Gunboat Association reunion. The hospitality room closed at noon