[0]The Honda Hoot is in town. Media coverage here [1], here [2], here [3], here [4], and here [5].

I know all these bikers coming down here are good for tourism and the economy, and I know they are a mostly upscale, responsible demographic, yada yada yada, but...

I'm starting to have doubts about biker tourism being good for the area, with what goes on up in the Smoky Mountains and on US 129.

We should ban motorcycles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park altogether. Or at least the ones with loud pipes. The park is getting overrun with them and the noise is unacceptable.

Up on US 129 ("The Dragon", damn I am so sick of that branding) every day is a day at the races. And it seems like every few days they're having to scrape some poor guy off a guardrail. Go drive it sometime and count how many times you get passed by some nut screaming by on a crotch rocket, and see how nervous you get going around blind curves expecting to meet one head-on.

Yeah, yeah, I know most of them are responsible, law-abiding citizens just out enjoying the ride yada yada yada. But c'mon. One or two merchants up there bitch about any attempts by law enforcement to crack down on it, and so far they seem to wield more influence than regular folks.

Sorry, I do not see this as a Good Thing for Knox/Blount/Sevier tourism.

Dear Honda Hooters: Please stay downtown in the Knoxville Old City or thereabouts, and let the rest of us enjoy the mountains in peace and quiet. Thank you.