frank and bonnie's Page

The online version of the National Geographic Traveler magazine rated 133 worldwide travel destinations and found the Smokies "a national treasure surrounded by a bathtub ring of ugly, unplanned development." The survey of 437 experts included travel writers, historic preservationists, ecologists etc., placed the Smokies in the next-to-worst category: "Places with Troubles". One judge said the mass tourist development of PF and G'burg are hurting the beauty of theSmokies, although G'burg has "sp… Continue

I know there are lots of serious hikers on this site and was just wondering about something. Does anyone else get on a trail and have thoughts of "what if I have abad fall and break something" or "what if I get bitten by a snake" or "what if I need emergency medcal aid", etc. We have been on a few trails where we never met another soul and it's a bit unsettling when these thoughts creep into the mind. I know a lot of you guys and gals, in paticular, that hike alone - do you ever get uneasy about… Continue

I hope no one is offended by the photos I just posted with all the graffitti. While looking at the beautiful Meigs Falls tday I looked down at the big rock wall and was amazed by all the junk people had recently written on those big rocks. Is it a lack of education or a need to feel important that makes assumed civilized people wrte all over everything and anything they happen to come across? From walls to old cabins to bathroom walls - WHY?

If anyone is visiting this site and sees their "artwo… Continue

Apparently the THP has found a unique spot to pad their quotas. We were coming home from the mountains Thurs. on 321 toward Maryville. Just outside of Kinzel Springs there is an especially sharp curve and on the right, or river side, in this curve there is a huge paved area probably more than 15 feet wide and twice that long. We saw the THP cruiser sitting there and we were well within the speed limit just enjoying our ride in the rain. Just as we passed the cruiser he pulled out with blue light… Continue

Ever since our daughter moved here from VA this spring the oldest of her three boys (now 7) has wanted to ride a horse. We have stopped a couple of times for him to rub their noses at the fence on the loop and he really thought he wanted to ride one. Saturday we decided to surprise him and take him riding at the stable in the cove. My daughter and I signed the paperwork and got him a helmet. When we walked out of the office he ran up to us and said,"Mommy can I ride a horse?!?" My daughter had t… Continue