>>... the Smokies certainly are mountains, real mountains, in all
senses of the word, and deserve plenty of respect. <<

  Respect they get.  Great Smokies National Park is the top visited
national park in the USA.  http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm

  And don't get me started on the majesty of The Blue Ridge Parkway
http://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm

George/ATL