Class of 66 - Nashville ICE!!!

FIELD TRIP!!!

In December 2007, our usual monthly luncheon took on a new dimension.

Many of our class mates live around the Nashville area, others a convenient drive away, so it seemed appropriate to take it on the road. Plus we also had an inside contact to the ICE exhibit at Opryland. And of course an opportunity to shop at Opry Mills just makes a good excuse for just about anything.

So bright and early on Monday December 3, 2007, the Paducah bunch car pooled and shopped our way to meet the Nashville bunch for lunch at the Macaroni Grill in the Opry Mills Mall. Our Paducah regulars; Cecelia, Reva, Dave, Brenda & Diana, were joined by Dianne Morris Lorenz, whom we had not seen in 40 years; Nancy Duff, Tony Holshouser, and then Nashville residents Rick and Paula Leeper. Diane Kaler Baribeau came down from Glascow. And we were later joined by Ken Kaler, Diane's brother, LOHS Class of 73 alumni and manager of Gaylord Entertainment's ICE!™ exhibit at Opry Mills, a.k.a "inside contact." It was certainly great seeing everyone, visiting and… yeh, lunch wasn't too bad either.

But lunch was only the appetizer. After our usual loooooooong visit, we moved to the ICE!™ show a short walk from the Mall. The exhibit provides very warm parkas for visitors, but a pair of insulated gloves is a plus, especially if one attempts to handle a camera. Maintained at a frigid 8°s by 1600-Tons of refrigeration, once you are inside viewing the amazing sculptures, carvings, walls, tunnels, decorations and even a 40ft ice slide made totally from 1.5 million pounds of colored and clear ice; you really don't notice the cold.

It took 35 artists from Harbin, China over a month to construct the amazingly intricate, highly colorful and detailed settings of Dr. Seuss's characters in addition to a very large nativity scene made of clear ice with lights set to music. You spend most of your time bouncing between WOW! and HOW'D THEY DO THAT?? The show alone was worth the trip, the mini-reunion and lunch was just an added delight.

The ICE!™ show closed shortly after New Years that year. Ken said they just drag the several tons of ice out to the parking lot and let colored water decorate the area for several weeks. This was an annual event prior to the 2010 flooding, it came back in 2012. Unfortunately, Opry Mills and all the restaurants were wiped out by the flood and have not been rebuilt, so we'll have to go back some time in the future.

After touring and playing in the ICE!™ exhibit, we then walked across the parking lot in a balmy 40°s to a very decorated Opryland Hotel. An adventure in its own complete with hanging lights, balloons, floral gardens, walking trees - Yep! It's Alive! - dancing fountains and looping walkways. We spent a few hours wandering and wondering. Hint! Buy a map!

There are a bunch of pictures below beyond just those of our class mates, but may serve to show just how much fun you can have as part of the Class of 66 Lunch Bunch.