Tennis Anyone

So, what did a middle-aged travel writer from Georgia say in a series of articles about Northeast Tennessee?

Well, that’s just what I wanted to know after recently meeting the writer, Christine Tibbetts, in Blowing Rock, N.C.

Tibbetts, originally from New Jersey, writes for The Tifton Gazette in Georgia. She mailed me her three full-page features, showcasing places like Rogersville, Erwin and the Appalachian Trail.

"Greeneville has big plans to expand its downtown so go soon to enjoy it now, and then later," Tibbetts writes. "You can bed and breakfast here, pick a river or mountain cabin or stay where we did in the elegant four-story General Morgan Inn on Main Street, built in 1884 and named for Confederate General John Hunt Morgan."

Tibbetts tours around Greeneville, my mom’s hometown, and she fills up three paragraphs about Andrew Johnson, a local tailor who became mayor and, ultimately, the president of the United States after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

In another installment, Tibbetts talks to town leaders, like Jimmy Neil Smith in Jonesborough – a town with "Stories to Tell," according to a newspaper headline.

"Fact is, this town is an engaging place," Tibbetts writes. "Jonesborough and its neighbors are definitely a sociable discovery."

Tibbetts says something similar about Bays Mountain Park in Kingsport and how she appreciated "its beauty and simplicity."

And then she comes to Bristol – a place with "Fast cars, loads of music, beautiful outdoors," according to another headline.

Tibbetts makes mention of downtown eateries like the State Line and Borderline Billiards – and how "you can find a great guitarist or blues singer in a cafe."

Along the way, she tells about country music pioneers with ties to the town – from Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family and Tennessee Ernie Ford to the urban legend attached to Hank Williams and the Burger Bar.

The travel writer also turns to Bristol Motor Speedway and tells how she got a chance to drive on the track "at a dinky 70 miles per hour."

"The world’s fasted half-mile," Tibbetts writes, "is a fun place even for a slowpoke."

JOE TENNIS is a features writer for the Herald Courier. He may be reached at (276) 791-0704 or