A couple of observant readers noticed something funny (or rather not so funny) about the page 1A photo by Tom Sherlin with the story headlined "Motorcycle Mania" in Sunday's edition of The Daily Times.
Both Jim Plogger and Henry Jones of Maryville  pointed out that one of the cyclists was riding on the wrong side of the road into a curve on U.S. 129, better known as the Dragon.
"I think many drivers in this area, not just cyclists, use both sides of the road to negotiate curves," said Jones. "I have had to run off the road twice in the past four years to avoid being hit on Montvale. Everyday, I can count on 20 percent of opposing traffic on Montvale to be on the wrong side of a double yellow. Once I was passed by a cyclist on the Dragon who cut in front of me with one foot to spare. I passed by him two miles later as his buddies were separating him from the dirt and his totaled bike."
As Iva Butler's story tells us, 2008 is going to bring hundreds if not thousands of motorcycles to Blount County with seven rallies scheduled between now and October. And there are probably more that haven't been announced.
These events will certainly keep our local law enforcement officers busy this summer trying to prevent accidents and save lives. I wish them the best of luck, but I doubt we will escape the season without a serious injury or death.
  
     

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U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander continues to be passionate about his native Blount County, particularly protecting the scenic countryside from Maryville to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  During a visit Tuesday with Daily Times editors, he often returned to the topic of protecting the beauty of our county.
One way, he noted, would be to require cell towers to be camouflaged. He later sent us some pretty unique examples.  The senator said he has also sent these photos to Blount County officials in hopes they will consider strengthening the cell tower regulations to require new towers to blend in with the scenery.

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