Deals Gap closed?

[Country Spyder]

So I was planning a trip to Tenn/NC this spring and I read that deals gap is closed??? Does anyone have any information. Lamonster you are from that neck of the woods correct?

Thanks for the help!

CS

[j45p3r]

Looks to be the case: http://www.clutchandchrome.com/news/news/dragons-tail-possibly-closed-for-months

Possibly until July 31.

[spyryder]

:yikes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUXhjPkGBtU

[Firefly]

WOW... watching that 2nd rockslide was amazing....

[YPILOT]

The power of mother nature is awesome. Too bad for us but at least no one has been injured by these slides. As fast as that slide happened no one could have escaped unharmed had they been in the path.

[bodymanpainter]

I will be changing my June plans now, was planning a trip to the Dragon.
Guess I can make it later.:yikes:

[DynamoBT]

Good thing no one was inured. That second slide was something!

[RTGENE]

Firefly
This is what it looked like the day we drove by.
smile time

[patches]

I would still go, even if the dragon is closed, there are plenty of great riding to be found off the beaten path. The dragon is nice but can get full of traffic and lots of crazy stupid people on that road.

[Dukester]

I'm heading down there the first week of August. I hope it's open then, if not there are plenty of great roads down there to ride.

[ThreeWheels]

I'm heading down there April 17th.
We will definitely do the other roads in the area.

[YPILOT]

This is not Deals Gap. Listen to the audio at the beginning.


:yikes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUXhjPkGBtU

[WackyDan]

OY!!!

So I'm here in Florida with Forest at his house and was planning to be up on the Dragon next week.

So I'm sensing... I should just head home after my Atlanta area stops.

[SpyderWolf]

I would still go, even if the dragon is closed, there are plenty of great riding to be found off the beaten path. The dragon is nice but can get full of traffic and lots of crazy stupid people on that road.

:agree: There are all kinds of great roads to ryde in that area, just most of them don't have the hype The Dragon does. I also wonder what financial impact this is going to have on the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort and The Tail of The Dragon vendors?

[YPILOT]

Deals Gap will be closed for a while but if you come this way I'll show you the Snake across 421 into Shady Valley, TN. Plenty of twisties around. Dennis


OY!!!

So I'm here in Florida with Forest at his house and was planning to be up on the Dragon next week.

So I'm sensing... I should just head home after my Atlanta area stops.

[spyryder]

This is not Deals Gap. Listen to the audio at the beginning.
You're right!:opps: I got that from the Tail of the Dragon website. It seems like there are a lot of slides in the area, and figured that was the one.

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

[redspyderlady]

Yes YPILOT the "snake" is a good alternative. We enjoy that ride very much.

[Bootie]

I will be changing my June plans now, was planning a trip to the Dragon.
Guess I can make it later.:yikes:
Shoot, I was planning on doing The Dragon in May. I guess the Cherohala Skyway is OK, eh?
bt

[rnet]

It's better. I was told there is a falls just off the main rood about 5 miles that is a must see. Forgot the name, also missed the turn off for it. I'll catch it next time.

[GeminiJane]

Shoot, I was planning on doing The Dragon in May. I guess the Cherohala Skyway is OK, eh?
bt

If I remember correctly, there is a posted speed limit of 45 or maybe 50 for the Cherohala but it certainly wasn't enforced to the extent that the Dragon's lower speed limits were. I've ridden the Cherohala several times and really like it better than the Dragon....it's more "rideable" in that the curves are more open and sweeping and you get more open views much of the time. The Dragon is intense, hard turns on a narrow pavement whereas the Cherohala is less technical and a wider road, as I remember it, but still a great ride.

If you haven't ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway you should consider it, too. It's a beautiful ride from start to finish with plenty of tight turns and sharp curves to make you feel like you've given yourself a challenge - although I have to say I'm more comfortable riding it on a two wheeler (same with Dragon) than the Spyder just because I don't take up so much pavement and have a little more breathing room when rounding a corner and finding someone "sharing" my lane!

There are many other roads around the Tail of the Dragon area that are great rides, too.

[NewRider]

Drat...I was planning to go the Dragon's Tail, in June...:( It was going to be my 68th Birthday present to myself...:cus:

[SpyderWolf]

If you check out www.tailofthedragon.com (http://www.tailofthedragon.com) they have a list of alternate roads you can ryde on that are really great rides as well. If you plan it properly, you can hit many of them in a large loop and have a great, albeit long, day of riding.

[bnlrobinson]

Just returned from riding the Dragon if you start at North Carolina you can ride down and then turn around and come back. It was awsome. The Tennessee State Trooper was quite impressed with the Spyder. Route 16 from WV through Virgina was a great ride. Some of the best days I've spent on the bike. I can't wait to do it again next year:2thumbs:

[WackyDan]

Now, and I mean NOW is the best time to ride the Dragon and that time is getting short. I ran it a few weeks ago. They have the north end closed just south of the Foothills Parkway... Effectively closing the dragon to all trucks, boat towers and RV'ers.

Showed up at 8am when they opened the southern end at Rt 28. ( It is only open 8am to 8pm during the blockage ).

I have to say, there were not many bikes on that Tuesday, and only saw one car. Two Sheriffs were still there. Had a great ride up it and back down it.... Probably the best it is ever going to be until the next rock slide. Hate to say that, given that the slide is having a negative impact on local businesses.

If you live close enough.... go soon!

[Toys42]

Now, and I mean NOW is the best time to ride the Dragon and that time is getting short. I ran it a few weeks ago. They have the north end closed just south of the Foothills Parkway... Effectively closing the dragon to all trucks, boat towers and RV'ers.

Showed up at 8am when they opened the southern end at Rt 28. ( It is only open 8am to 8pm during the blockage ).

I have to say, there were not many bikes on that Tuesday, and only saw one car. Two Sheriffs were still there. Had a great ride up it and back down it.... Probably the best it is ever going to be until the next rock slide. Hate to say that, given that the slide is having a negative impact on local businesses.

If you live close enough.... go soon!

:agree:

Went there for my first time on Saturday afternoon around 4:00 PM. Not crowded at all other than a pair of friendly law enforcement officers. I am not sure when the road is scheduled to open but if you can come in on the NC side, you won't miss a thing.

Cherohala Skyway was more enjoyable in my opinion without the 30 MPH enforced speed limit.

[rnet]

:agree:

Went there for my first time on Saturday afternoon around 4:00 PM. Not crowded at all other than a pair of friendly law enforcement officers. I am not sure when the road is scheduled to open but if you can come in on the NC side, you won't miss a thing.

Cherohala Skyway was more enjoyable in my opinion without the 30 MPH enforced speed limit. Just talked to a father of a friend of mine that lives there, and he said that they are talking about posting a speed limit on Cherohala. To many deaths.

[WackyDan]

Just talked to a father of a friend of mine that lives there, and he said that they are talking about posting a speed limit on Cherohala. To many deaths.

There is indeed a speed limit of 40 on the skyway. Most turns are posted at 20 or 25 mph but can be run at 40-45.... There is one gotcha turn that should be posted lower... You get lulled into every turn being consistently marked at 20-25 and behaving the same... and then you hit that one that should have have a more serious speed marker ( Like " We REALLY mean it this time!!!).

My first time on the skyway, I was running it a bit fast... 50-55 and 40-45 in the turns. The Spyder is a different beast for me in the long sweepers versus the Dragon, and I almost prefer the dragon more. 50 miles of near constant long sweepers at speed is tiring. The next day we rode it and just chugged along start to finish... Never really exceeded 40mph. Brother asked me what was wrong as I was lagging behind, but I was just enjoying the scenery and rise in elevation that time.

Oh, and if you run the skyway after some rain, watch for the gravel from the wash coursing over the road. There was a lot of gravel mainly in the straights the other week after it rained. There was one entry to a turn that had some I couldn't avoid and the rear of the spyder skated out a bit on me - which at 40 MPH isn't fun at all.