Ran The Dragon!!

[Jpquinn]

I've rode the dragons tail a few times and it's fun. Just don't become part of the tree of shame. But if you're going through North Carolina IMO try the devil's staircase aka devil's whip. NC-80 It's a beautiful ride a lot less traffic more curves then the dragons tail more elevation changes. Also a really great ride is called the snake that's US-421 in Carolina 33miles long 489 curves and not to much traffic.

 

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

I've rode the dragons tail a few times and it's fun. Just don't become part of the tree of shame. But if you're going through North Carolina IMO try the devil's staircase aka devil's whip. NC-80 It's a beautiful ride a lot less traffic more curves then the dragons tail more elevation changes. Also a really great ride is called the snake that's US-421 in Carolina 33miles long 489 curves and not to much traffic.

I have ridden the Devils Whip twice so far and then over to Diamondback. Do those a couple of times and they are great rides. Next time I will get some video.

 

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

I have a full 4 days in the area and plan on hitting as many of the roads as possible. Most of them I have done multiple times, but they never get old. I will be doing Mooneshiner 28 down into S.C., the Dragon, Cherohola Skyway, The Rattler, BRP up to Little Switzerland and do the Diamondback, hwy 80, possibly the Devil's Triangle, and any interesting roads in between. My only fear is that the weather doesn't hold out. Any place that I miss this time, I will be back to do near the end of September.
Then I will be back for the spyder rally in October from 10/5-9. But this time I will have the wife with me, so I will need to behave myself.

I had Pebbles with me, but I left her sleeping in the motel from a long night of gambling. She knows that I like to kill the twisty roads, and she knows that we will take a nice slow ride through some scenic areas after I get back. Best of both worlds.

 

[Rockwall]

Sounds cool.:doorag:

 

[dndfindley]

After doing the Dragon last year. It was a let down. Very tame compared to the road we rode the day before. Local rider led our group onto a road that made the Dragon look pedestrian. Don't remember the number that road was. But it was wicked. Will be back in September again. :thumbup: Tom :spyder:

Opinions are subjective of course but I beg to differ on the Dragon being pedestrian. I live 30 minutes from the Dragon and do it at least twice a month. There are some very good roads in East Tennessee and western North Carolina and some are pretty twisty but none have the reputation of the Dragon and there's a reason for that. More people have accidents and more people die on the Dragon than on the other roads. The Dragon will lull the first timer or low time rider into thinking it is just another road. It's not. Your attitude will get you hurt or killed on the Dragon.

 

[dndfindley]

Living there I ride the Dragon more that I want to. Early morning being the best time. There are A LOT better rides in the area.

Now about the speed limit, a friend of mine was hammered by a Camaro that was speeding and drifted into his lane Sunday.

Tony has a shattered shoulder & had 6 bones in his ankle sticking out his boot.

Better rides? Yes indeed. More dangerous rides? No. Now about the Camaro incident - I live in Maryville and ride the Dragon a lot and I heard a Camaro took out some motorcyclists but there were no details. How about the full story if you don't mind.

 

[pwm]

Better rides? Yes indeed. More dangerous rides? No. Now about the Camaro incident - I live in Maryville and ride the Dragon a lot and I heard a Camaro took out some motorcyclists but there were no details. How about the full story if you don't mind.

I wasn't there so I really do not have much to add that would be accurate. Tony is the K9 officer that patrols the dragon. He rides with us every now and then and is a great guy.

 

[asp125]

There are better faster roads in the area. The dragon's reputation is worse than its bite. The danger isn't the road, it's the riders and drivers who blow corners and hit you, and the ones riding over their heads.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

 

[Utah Geezer]

Utah

Drove out to the Dragon from Utah back in early May. Spent 4 days riding the area. So many rides and so little time. Did the skyway, the rattler, the dragon, war woman, and many more. Then headed over to Eureka Springs Arkansas for a few days of riding. That was a really nice area as well. Did all of this before the SpyderFest.

 

[dndfindley]

There are better faster roads in the area. The dragon's reputation is worse than its bite. The danger isn't the road, it's the riders and drivers who blow corners and hit you, and the ones riding over their heads.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

Faster roads? Well, yeah - duh! An interstate is faster. How fast is a road that is 11 miles in length with 318 curves? Think those curves all together might slow you down a bit? The Dragon's reputation is well earned and the danger is the road AND riders and drivers such as yourself who think the Dragon's reputation is worse than it's bite.

 

[Bfromla]

Ran the Dragon Saturday morning. Got there about 7am. Did 4 runs. First one was sorta slow so I could look for cops. The video I linked was my second run. Tn. To Deals Gap. 71 was my top speed with a slow speed of 25 in the hairpin turns. Generally going 40 to 45 in most turns but if I could see some road ahead of me, I would up it to 55 or 60. Had a ball. Cameras do not do the sharpness of the turns or how fast your speed is any justice. If the sunlight blinds you while watching the video, it was blinding my ass as well.

https://youtu.be/YvzLErHVak8

Thanks for sharing & glad you had good safe time. :thumbup: By the way your camera needs the date set:lecturef_smilie::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

 

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

Thanks for sharing & glad you had good safe time. :thumbup: By the way your camera needs the date set:lecturef_smilie::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

Yeah, I know. But if you look at the description on the video on Youtube, I mentioned that. Not an excuse, but I just hit record and hope it looks good. Too lazy to go into settings to fix that. LOL

 

[blacklightning]

Well, I will be heading to the Dragon and Cherohola Skyway tomorrow, along with Moonshiner 28 down to the Dry Falls area.
Today we took the BRP from Maggie Valley up to Little Switzerland. After eating lunch there, we jumped on "the Diamondback" (226A) and took that down to 221. After fueling up, we jumped on the "Devil's Whip" (80) back to the BRP. Had a Bobcat shoot across in front of one of the guys just before the end. Then we took the BRP back down to Mt. Mitchel and then back down to Asheville. Had to make a stop, as a black bear had a stare off with me just before getting into Asheville. Some of the guys were tired, so instead of continuing on the BRP, we got off on I-40 and eventually got back into Maggie Valley. In all, it was a nice 250 mile day. Tomorrow, the rest of my M109 brotherin will be in town, so it will be an exciting day to say the least.