04/02 - 04/17 Nashville/Mt. Juliet TN C-Dory Gathering

Byrdman · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:09 am Post subject:

Bill: My plans are a toss of the coin now.. I got picked up for Lieutenant Colonel by the Department of Army promotion board. Screwy regulation that us Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) soldiers have to retire at 20 years active federal service, rather than our Mandatory Removal Date (MRD) (of which mine is 2017).... The only way I can pin on/accept the promotion would be to get picked up for another mobilization tour. So, If I get a tour, I would work with Mike to get my boat moved to Old Hickory lake at either his or Mom's dock, then do the Apr05 gathering on leave status...and have to return on Tuesday...... or, if I do not get picked up, stay on course to retire and I am wide open to bounce around a while. Looks as if some of us can go way up river after the Nashville Opry visit... so if we can, I'd like to go up the Cumberland for a day or two. Then, If some want to pull out, haul/launch in Knoxville, work another "horse shoe" back around and end up back in Mt. Juliet, that would be fun too. I am way flexible.....if I retire. But, even without me, those that make the gathering several have expressed some type of travel in the "general area." We can take a poll on Sat/Sun/Monday and see who needs to be where....and who wants to go where...

Wanderer · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 11:39 am Post subject:

Byrdman,

It all sounds great. Add Wanderer to the list. Hope to get there on Friday. We plan to cruise the area after the gathering. May our vehicle and trailer remain for a week or two, if we decide to cruise from your location?

Byrdman · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:20 am Post subject:

George/Wanderer: Sorry for the delay in this response... Working on that transition into the retired life and have not been around a computer much this month.... Great to have you join us. Yes, I plan to get up to Mt. Juliet around Thursday late afternoon myself. Yes, no problem at all with tow vehicle/trailer storage for about as long as a month. Longer than that may not be any problem either, but we would need to keep a key to the vehicle as to move it around to cut the grass and stuff. I will be posting a few GPS markings today or early next week for folks to follow to the ramp, Mom's house where we will store the trailers. Some may also be stored in my brothers yard, but he has a very "krisp" drop leaving the road and getting onto his driveway and I am not sure of the head clearance with limbs and stuff going down his driveway. He has a beautiful place tucked back into the woods, right on the lake also. A new dock should be in place by the gathering too. More later.

Byrdman · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject:

Looks to be about 8-12 boats signed up between the two sites and some local C-Dory want-a-be folks! Need to get head counts for Opry tickets and dinner reservations for our Saturday Night on the Town in Nashville. I have to send numbers for tickets up on the 10th of March due to me and Sherryl leaving the country for a Tahiti/French Polynesia Island cruise, and possbile factory visit (if they have a TC25 somewhere on the west coast) from 13-27Mar05. Then, pulling my boat and heading north to Mt. Juliet, TN on 30Mar05 for the gathering. Looks like most can play for just about a week in the area, so we will make "long range" plans on Saturday, 2Apr05 after all are on site/in water. Please let me know your arrival time/date and if you can stay in the area thru about 8Apr05. Please let me know how many Opry tickets your boat/guest will need for the 630pm 2Apr05 Grand Ol'Opry event just after our good ol'souther BBQ dinner (buffet style for our group). If you feel better sending email rather than posting this information (AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE'S CELL PHONE) just email it to me @ zboat4@mindspring.com. I will be checking my email again on Sunday, 6Mar, and each day there after. Also, if you can send me your approach plan to the Nashville area, I can/will send you detailed driving directions with GPS coordinates. Thanks and truly looking forward to this event.

Wanderer · Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:17 am Post subject:

Hi,

I responded to your email before I saw this post.

We can't wait!!!

Byrdman · Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 5:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks George! Got your email and will send directions with GPS coordinates this weekend. Great to have yall come up.

Byrdman · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 7:51 am Post subject:

If you want a word file of this... just email me and request.
Directions to the Nashville/Mt. Juliet, TN Apr05 C-Dory Gathering: The GPS coordinates are pretty much on target...give or take a few feet due to plugging them in while driving rather than taking a chance of standing in the streets ...... I save my fun for on the water...grin.

These will work coming into the Nashville area from 65N, 24N, or 40E/75S. For those coming from other directions.... basically get to Exit 226 on I-40 in Mt. Juliet, TN... (N36.10.349 W086.30.875) go thru the "city" of MJ to Hwy 70 and turn right onto Hwy 70...(missing this GPS coordinate) then look for the Benders Ferry GPS coordinates... and.. the best fuel point with maneuvering room will then be the market on the right hand side of the road about 1/3 mile PRIOR to getting to Benders Ferry.

From Atlanta, GA, take 75N to Chattanooga, TN, taking 24W to Nashville/Mt. Juliet area.

From Mobile, AL, take 65N to about 30-35 miles shy of Nashville, taking Hwy 840 toward Gallatin, TN.

From Knoxville or other places east of Knoxville, and/or merging into Knoxville from 75S, take 40W to Hwy 109 in Lebanon, TN, taking Hwy 109 towards Gallatin, TN

GPS coordinates of the "major" intersections from Atlanta would be as follows:

Atlanta GA: N33.45.800 W084.25.300 - Just punched in spot in the middle of
the "traffic circle" in Atl on this.

Intersection of I-75N & I-24W just outside of Chattanooga TN: N35.00.311 W08512.598 & go west on 24 towards Chattanooga/Nashville, TN

Intersection leaving Chattanooga towards Nashville on I-24W: N35.02.454 W085.41.437

Intersection of I-24W & Hwy 840 PRIOR TO GETTING INTO NASHVILLE: N35.53.210 W086.28.733 Take 840 towards Murfreesboro, TN

On 840 get off on Exit # 72B onto Hwy 109N going towards Gallatin, TN: N36.07.701 W086.23.925

Stay on Hwy 109 and you will cross over I-40: N36.11.173 W086.24.448... & continue to Hwy 70.

Intersection of Hwy 109 & Hwy 70, TURN LEFT onto Hwy 70: N36.13.975 W086.25.767

Note: the following road miles are just "ruff estimates...thru guess and straight line distance"...
Go to Hwy 70 & Benders Ferry Rd, about 3.5 miles, TURN RIGHT onto Benders Ferry Rd (corner market-last gas) N36.13.906 W086.29.464

Note: This corner market is very tight and crowded.. If you want to fuel up prior to launch, just stay on 70 for about a 1/3 mile on left for larger market with several pumps and drive threw...then loop back to Benders Ferry.

Benders Ferry is a crooked road, but well paved...watching for Long Branch on your left...after a bridge or two where you can see parts of the lake...just keep going and watch for very tight turns.. about 4 miles from
Hwy70.

Long Branch Ramp: N36.16.986 W086.30.143 Actual Boat Ramp location...bottom left of parking lot

After launch: Continue on Benders Ferry to about another 2 miles, to Gambell Cove-Tubbs Rd & turn left: N36.18.134 W086.29.041

Tar back road…go slow, stay left at a fork....one lane with "passing locations".. when you hit a small turn-about, go between the two black mailboxes toward the white house at the bottom of the hill on the left. “Momma Byrd’s” N36.18.680 W086.29151 Place tow vehicles/trailers to the left or right of the drive, pointing down hill, allowing others to pull in and do the same.. NOTE: DO NOT PULL STRAIGHT DOWN THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL PAST THE RIGHT SIDE OF (OR BETWEEN THE 2 WHITE HOSES)…..SEPTIC TANK AREA JUST OFF DRIVEWAY AND WILL NOT HOLD.

El and Bill · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject:

We're plotting the points, Byrdman -- you folks have a great time in the South Pacific -- El wants to see you in a grass skirt, Pat!!

Byrdman · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:14 pm Post subject:

About to check out of the net for our trip to Tahiti/French Polynesian Islands... Got that make up cruise for our 25th anniversary (Dec 2003)...and Sherryl did not take our trip up to Oak Harbor to pick up FreeByrd and drive her home as an anniversary trip.... I enjoyed that trip a great deal. I'll be back on the net around 26Mar05. Have a Blessed Day!
Byrdman....departing Bama

Wanderer · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:18 am Post subject:

Byrdman,

Hope you had a wonderful trip.

We will disconnect the computer and shut down e-mail and the web Monday AM, 28 March.

After launch, what do you recommend we do with the boat while we take the trailer to "Moma Byrd's"?

Is there a dock to tie up to or a safe place to anchor?

Can one leave a vehicle parked at the launch ramp?

If so, do you deem it safe to leave a vehicle at the launch ramp?

Thanks,

El and Bill · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:46 pm Post subject:

George and Penny --
Good questions, and we have the same for Pat on his return. We are en route to OK now and plan to arrive at Halcyon tomorrow or Saturday. We'll be there over Easter Weekend, and then head easterly to Ol' Hickory. When do you plan to arrive at the ramp? We still plan to cruise on the Cumberland/Tennessee system until near the end of April, and then over the mountains to the Carolina Sounds. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Wanderer · Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:48 am Post subject:

EL and Bill,

We plan to arrive Friday afternoon, 1 April.

Our plans are the same as yours expressed above. However, we are new at cruising on Wanderer - having spent only four nights in a row aboard. We are looking forward to an extended cruise and to learning the ropes from experts. Hopefully, our expectations are realistic.

We need to be home before the end of May. From the Carolina sounds, we will haul the boat home.

Byrdman · Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:01 pm Post subject:

Nashville Update: Well, got back in the US. The tornados today missed our house by about 1 mile straight line distance and no hail damage, just road closures for a few hours to allow the rain to run off a bit. Marina is suppose to have gotten hit with golf ball or larger hail. Going up tonight to get on FreeByrd and check for damage and prep for pull out on Wednesday, heading to Nashville on Thursday. Opry tickets and BBQ dinner is locked in, bus will pick us up at dinner and drop us off at the front door of the Opry to prevent us from having to worry with parking...and let us enjoy our evening a bit more, then return us back to the Scoreboard (dinner location name) after the gig. Really looking forward to it.

Did get email today from Joel and Susan...from Oklahoma after 800 mile day on the road. All is well on their treck east.. Should hear from some of the others on either Monday or Tuesday.

Ken: Keep the physcal "terriorist" at bay man. No pain no gain...but that will not stop the immediate thoughts of removing their limbs during "treatment" times. Hang in there man. Got the banner. Will re-read my emails looking for the address to forward it to after our gathering..... Catching up a bit from being gone. Great trip it was.

I plan to launch either late Thusday evening or early Friday morning. As folks arrive at the ramp location, we can very easily work shuffle for tow vehicles to Mom's. Only about 15 minutes water time or 5 minutes road time from ramp. More later....gotta go check on FreeByrd.

Byrdman

334-549-BOAT (2628)

El and Bill · Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2005 8:42 pm Post subject:

Welcome Home, Pat. Trust it was a great time in the islands. Sure glad the tornado gave a miss, and trust that FreeByrd is fine.

We are in eastern Oklahoma, and will be back to Halcyon at Applegate Marina, Sallisaw OK, tomorrow. After a little scrubbing up of the boat and checking out her systems, we will be on the road bound for Old Hickory.

Looking forward to seeing you -- and welcome home!!

Byrdman · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 1:22 pm Post subject:

Thankfully I have been blessed again by missing damage to FreeByrd. Boat is fine, just totally covered in yellow polin from the pine trees. The docks did not fare all that well. Busted water pipes and electrical issues on the docks due to them "shifting" at some locations....and not all locations. Busted "span plates/bolts" at some of the "intersections" of the docks. But, once things calm down, a bit of shifting about, then some plumbing and electrical re-works and things should be OK. What weather we have had in the last 12 months. Hope the wind stops prior to pull-out on Wednesday afternoon/evening. See yall later in the week and safe travels to all!