Thursday, April 2, 2009

Welcome To Nashville, Look Out For Tornadoes

I was wrong about hordes of kids playing chess by the gate in Chicago. There were about 6 kids total on that flight going to the tournament. I guess there will be more later. So after a minor glitch and gate change we left Chicago about 15 minutes late. Not bad at all especially considering what followed.

When I travel to an event like this, I try to get out of New York early in the morning. Weather went to pieces up there, and by the afternoon there were two hour delays due to fog and mist. That was mild compared to the excitement here.

Some kids couldn't wait to start playing.
Killing time waiting for the shuttle.


A Royal Welcome to The Gaylord Opryland Resort

Mother nature wasn't so welcoming. We were hanging out in our rooms when they start announcing "Tornado warning. Leave the atrium, do not stay next to windows. Stay on an interior area and go to lower level." We stood outside our rooms in the hall ways, but then they made go down to the basement. This was a first for me. I've had fire alarms real and false go off during tournamnets. This was my first tornado experience.

Enjoying the ambiance of the hotel shelter.
What me worry??

After about a half hour they let go back upstairs. The blitz tournament got off to a late start. I'll report later on that.
Who am I playing?? What board am I on??

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Polly!

Welcome to Nashville in the Spring time. This is how we roll weather wise. It never gets as bad for tornadoes here as it does in some places in the midwest but we do have our fair share of warnings and actual tornadoes.

Have fun at the super nationals!

If you get a chance and you like real Suthern Cooking go to Arnold's on 8th avenue. It is a meat and three (if you don't know what that it is it is just a cafeteria where you get a meat and three sides!!) Arnold's rocks and is always crowded and only open for lunch as far as I know. If you like a good adult beverage Blackstones brews their own beer.

Tommyg

Anonymous said...

This is our 7th Nationals and while we have a lot of war stories from the previous six, I think the tornado warning which forced everyone in the hotel into the severe weather shelter underground takes the cake. I heard some people from NY ended up getting diverted to Knoxville and driving. We are happy we decided to come on Wednesday night for bughouse! Ellen

Polly said...

New York is a mess. I know some people whose flights got canceled. Not sure whether they're going to even make it tomorrow. Weather is going to be lousy on Friday too. Congrats to Lilia and Maddie for 5th place in bug.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. Fun for them to play on the same team for once! Glad you made it without too much trouble. Ellen

From the patzer said...

I wonder what will happen if such tornado warning is due during a round of play? Will the clocks be stopped before the run to the shelter and play resume after the warnings? Or will play just stop for that round? What are the rules for this?

Glad to see you not worry. :-)

Polly said...

Tiger: Tornadoes are very common in the south at this time of year. One coach was telling me that at the junior high nationals in 2006 they had a tornado warning in the middle of a round. It was only 1200 kids, but they had to stop the games, and evacuate. After it passed, they came back and resumed play. I'm not sure what would happen if we have to move 5200 kids and parents.