KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- From high atop the Sunsphere, Knoxville's architectural wonder that was the symbol of the 1982 World's Fair, I dizzyingly walk around the circular observation deck of the hexagonal tower, taking in the 360-degree view without getting too close to the reflective glass panes that enclose the disco ball-like structure. I don't like tall buildings, but with the gold dust-layered Sunsphere, I've made an exception just for the panoramic scenery. From the pinnacle, I look out over downtown Knoxville, the winding turns of the Tennessee River, the towering red brick campus of the University of Tennessee, and then farthest away, the mist-cloaked peaks of the Smoky Mountains.