Tail Of The Dragon

[oldguyinTX]

Having never seen it, much less ridden it, I am really glad I saw this. Makes me want to leave now for the Blue Ridge Mountains.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/12/the-list-0011-drive-the-tail-of-the-dragon/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl33%7Csec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D489947

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: Can I join you??
We're just going to have to figure out a way for a Caravan of us Northeasteners to make the trip! :2thumbs:

[oldguyinTX]

:shocked: Can I join you??
We're just going to have to figure out a way for a Caravan of us Northeasteners to make the trip! :2thumbs:

Bob, I have not shown this to my wife and neither should you. Soon as they see bikes crashing & semi trucks forcing people off of the road neither one of us will EVER ride it!:(:(

[Bob Denman]

:agree: We just keep our traps shut; and start planning! :thumbup:

[sddinnh]

I was down there last year on a BMW, but I ended up running it in the rain :gaah:

[ARCTIC]

I went to the killboy website and was amazed how many spyders went through on the most recent posted day. :2thumbs:

[Bob Denman]

I was down there last year on a BMW, but I ended up running it in the rain :gaah:
In that case; you'll have to be our Tour Guide! :2thumbs: :D

[sddinnh]

It's a really nice trip if you throw in Gettysburg, Skyline Drive, and the Blueridge Parkway. They're all right on the way, so you might just as well do them too.

[Bob Denman]

It would hardly be worth the effort, if you leave them out! :D :2thumbs:

[sddinnh]

It was a nice trip. I'm game as long as my health holds up.:pray:

[Oldmanzues]

Made several trips down the Dragon. ST1100 Sport/tourer was great. 08 GS was great or greater, RT not so much. Not because the RT was not fun or willing, but my body was not up to it.
the sayings is Run the Dragon which I did on the ST and the GS. I kind of trotted the it on the RT.
All kinds of great roads down there, some mentioned, plus RT 209, which I thich they are calling the Rattle" now, 431 (Snake ?). Senic highway is the Cherohala Skyway ( go to GrahamCountytravel.com), great fun, great view, no gas or food. You can spend days riding around or just playing on the Dragon.
another group held Spyder in the Smokies down there for a couple years which I went to.
Lessons: the Police do give tickets. Is it possible to get one for 61 as in the vid, depends on you. Lots of good advice in the vid. Kilboy pics are great when you ride it.

Big and stand alone lesson: Do not let your butt override your brain. It is very easy to do. That person (guy or gal) is older then me/ I have a faster bike/I am more experienced the them and so on. The tree of Shame is real and the ride in a medic unit with the lights off is even worse. I have seen and helped at the scene of more then one accident down there.

but it sure is fun
Oldmanzues

[Bob Denman]

It's only 820 miles from Grahamsville, NY; to Robbinsville, NC...
That's one long day, and then a short hop for the commute! :thumbup:

635 miles, from here to Bristol, TN...
That leaves only a touch over three hours to get there on the second day...

[bscrive]

We did it in 2007 and it was a great ride. If you are going to do the Dragon just make sure that you do it on a weekday. We rode it on a Tuesday and it was not busy. The weekends are nuts. We also did Gettysburg, Skyline Drive, and the Blueridge Parkway. We happen to get to Gettysburg on the weekend of their recreation of the battle in July. Quite awesome. We were at the hotel across from the museum where the officer's camps were set up. We are going to do the Dragon again sometime.

[Chupaca]

great link with awesome video for us that are too far away to ryde it. Maybe some day...:2thumbs::ohyea:

[Pennyrick]

Everyone has to do the Dragon once.

When we lived in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee we ran the Dragon often for afternoon outings. It was the first trip I took in the mid-70's when I got my brand new Z-28, then my Harley, then my GS 1000 Suzuki and finally on my Gold Wing Aspencade just before we got transferred across country.

As previous posters have mentioned there are some great roads in the area where you can enjoy a lot of scenery and have a good time. The Rattler (highway 209) is like a trip back in time from Waynesville, NC to Hot Springs, a 40 mile stretch of joy.

Highway 68 is called The Sidewinder and runs 31 miles with over 200 curves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6TT_FGGIEk
It runs out of Tellico Plains, TN where the Cherohala Parkway terminates.

Our favorite doesn't seem to have a name but it is Georgia Highway 60 runnning out of Dahlonega, Georgia north, through Suches to Blue Ridge, Georgia. It is 48 miles of mountain roads, with lots of curves. Not quite as dangerous as the Dragon although some of the curves are just as dicey. It doesn't get the traffic that the Dragon does and it is a lot prettier country to ride in.

[Bob Denman]

:shocked::bowdown:
Boys; how are we gonna break the news to our Better-Halves? :yikes:

[sddinnh]

:shocked::bowdown:
Boys; how are we gonna break the news to our Better-Halves? :yikes:

Not a problem :shocked:

[ARtraveler]

If anyone comes to Alaska, I can direct you to two different "Dragonlike" rydes. The upside, very high mountains, scenery to blow your socks off, and no semis or crazy other bikers to dodge.

One is 10 miles of curves and twisties, and the other is 13 miles of curves and twisties. I get to ride both several times a month.

[bruiser]

I did the dragon a few years back. Fun. But 209 is better. The Rattler. Runs out of Maggie Valley to Hot Springs NC.

On the Dragon, if you see an opposing rider tapping the top of his helmet it means a cop is up ahead.

[Bob Denman]

Not a problem :shocked:
:opps: Sorry...
I can't even begin to imagine how much you long for this type of problem... nojoke

I'm trying to figure out how to take the minimum amount of time out of the office for this...
It almost looks possible...
Travel on Saturday and Sunday...
Run the Dragon, and start home on Monday...
Home on Tuesday!
Back at my desk on Wednesday... :shocked:

[bruiser]

Anyone going to Gettysburg, I can refer you to a private guide.

[sddinnh]

Anyone going to Gettysburg, I can refer you to a private guide.

I used one when I did the battlefield. He was well worth what he charged.

[sddinnh]

:opps: Sorry...
I can't even begin to imagine how much you long for this type of problem... nojoke

I'm trying to figure out how to take the minimum amount of time out of the office for this...
It almost looks possible...
Travel on Saturday and Sunday...
Run the Dragon, and start home on Monday...
Home on Tuesday!
Back at my desk on Wednesday... :shocked:


No need to be sorry about it Bob. It is what it is, but thanks for the thought. Someday I'll tell you whole story over a big glass of single malt Islay scotch :shocked:

That's cutting it close. To get back to NH from down there (and I was pushing it) took me 3 days. Some of that was in the rain (we ran into tropical storm Andrea) so I might have cut a couple hours off that and you're about 4 hours farther South, so maybe 2 days if you really push.

[Bob Denman]

I'm just gonna have to figure out how to bring this up... :yikes:

[PrairieSpyder]

I rode the dragon's tale and the Rattler last year at the OE in Maggie Valley. We took the Rattler on the way to Lamont's for the BBQ. Ya'll could tie it in with the 2015 OE!

[Pandy]

9024390245

Patrick

[sddinnh]

I rode the dragon's tale and the Rattler last year at the OE in Maggie Valley. We took the Rattler on the way to Lamont's for the BBQ. Ya'll could tie it in with the 2015 OE!

:agree: This is a good Idea. Will the 2015 OE be back in Maggie Valley :dontknow:

[Vidman]

It's a really nice trip if you throw in Gettysburg, Skyline Drive, and the Blueridge Parkway. They're all right on the way, so you might just as well do them too.

I'm up for that.

[Vidman]

:shocked::bowdown:
Boys; how are we gonna break the news to our Better-Halves? :yikes:

"Babe, Bob made us do it."

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: Throw me under the bus... AGAIN?? :D

I've been playing with some mapping...
If we could all meet up around Harrisburg, Pa on a Friday evening, (I could get there after work; less than four hours for me), we could leave from there early on a Saturday, and lay on some miles....
Bristol is only a short hop; 430 miles or so... I'd suspect that we could cover that distance and more... still leaving room for some of the more "interesting" detours along the way...

[Iamjoey]

Here is the way to get your better half(The wife) to come to the Dragon. http://www.smokymountainspyderrally.com Tell her you want to go to the Spyder in the Smokies.

[Bob Denman]

Thanks! :thumbup:

[bigsmoke]

I just did the top of Mt. Washington in NH this week, boy that was scary,
would be interested in doing a group ride though to do this.

[Bob Denman]

UPDATE: The Missus has graciously granted me permission to go tackle the Dragon...
Is anybody up for a ride? :D

I've got some pretty serious limitations as far as available weekends:
July 12th & 13th
July 19th & 20th
August 2nd & 3rd
August 30th & 31st

But at least it's a start! :2thumbs:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I did the dragon a few years back. Fun. But 209 is better. The Rattler. Runs out of Maggie Valley to Hot Springs NC.

On the Dragon, if you see an opposing rider tapping the top of his helmet it means a cop is up ahead.

:yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:....I was waiting to see if someone was going to bring this up.......I've done both .....The " Dragon " is more famous ............The " Rattler " is more FUN :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:....JMHO .....Mike :2excited::2excited::2excited::2excited::thumbup:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

:gaah:....Love to go with you guys .............but a weekend ...........................I'll stay for a week or so .........Mike :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: :yes::yes::yes::yes:....NOT KIDDING

[Bob Denman]

:opps: Time considerations make that impossible for me... :gaah:
I'm thinking about leaving up here on a Friday afternoon, and geting back to home late on the following Tuesday...

I took a look at this run about a year ago; it definitely holds some possibility! :2thumbs:
And it's even less of a trip to get there! :D

[mtbear]

No tail of the dragon here in Colorado but we do have a lot of curvy high altitude roads to ride on.
Hope to see some of you in Durango.
mtbear:clap:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

No tail of the dragon here in Colorado but we do have a lot of curvy high altitude roads to ride on.
Hope to see some of you in Durango.
mtbear:clap:

:gaah:....And you are only.............................................. .................................................. ........................2200 miles away Mikeguyver,.. but thanks anywho :thumbup: :clap: :yes::yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

:opps: Time considerations make that impossible for me... :gaah:
I'm thinking about leaving up here on a Friday afternoon, and geting back to home late on the following Tuesday...

I took a look at this run about a year ago; it definitely holds some possibility! :2thumbs:
And it's even less of a trip to get there! :D

Bob I'm a big boy now and allowed to travel home by myself if need be :gaah: :dontknow: :shemademe_smilie: :roflblack: :roflblack: :roflblack: ...I'm in , let's keep an eye on the weather .............................:yes::yes::yes::yes:. ....Mikeguyver :thumbup:

[Bob Denman]

...Approaching 50 years as a Type-I diabetic; she prefers that we "err on the side of caution"... :D

I'll start working on the dates, and try to pare the list down a bit... :thumbup:

[stallion143]

The wife & I rode The Dragon last Wednesday (June 18th)...if you go to Killboy & look @ the 10:50 time stamp, you will see us on our Titanium Spyder RT....Had a blast...Rode 884 miles in three days...Rained on us every day, no rain on the Dragon, but did rain once we got to Cherokee, NC....GREAT RYDE!!!