tail of the dragon: worth it?

[Gunman]

The speed limit is 30 mph for a reason, people die on the dragon. Two just recently, and the driver was a regular on the road. Not only rock cliffs, drop offs, blind corners, but look thru killboy.com's weekly highlights, and you'll see many wannabe race car drivers crossing the centerline too.

Yes, it's fun. I've been there on holiday weekends when it was packed, and fall monday mornings essentially alone on the road. But it's not the holy grail that many make it out to be, there are a lot of other less traveled roads in the area. Go, because it's a bucket list destination for car guys, but respect the road, and the others on it.

http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/l...eet/369340001/

[WolfpackS2k]

It's definitely worth the trip, but you need to time it well! I went up there last August. It's about 4 1/2 hours west of Raleigh and I was making a trip to visit a friend in Louisville, KY so I made a one day detour I arrived at Deal's Gap around 10pm Thursday night and jumped on the TotD around 730am Friday - nice and early before most anyone else (except for a few bikes). The speed limit is 30 mph the entire way and almost all of the route is located within Tennessee. However it's my understanding that if you respect the double yellow and don't drive like a jackass that the cops won't bother you. After all, they are aware of how this road helps boost the local economy.

I made 4 runs (down and back twice) and probably took the road at around 7/10ths and then 8/10ths. Nothing crazy and stayed in second gear the whole way. At most on some of the short straights I topped 70 mph. And all the locals are VERY courteous about pulling over and letting you by.

Had my GoPro with me, and also bought a few photos from Killboy. After making the 4 runs I drove some other "local" roads of the area for another 200 miles or so, then made my way to Louisville.

I'll post a pic or two if I can find them later...

[Williampreza]

Second all the comments above. If you're coming in on I40, a worthy sidetrack is Devil's Triangle. It's a brilliant road that is generally wide open on weekend mornings (I know bc it's just a few miles from my home). It's worth the trip from middle tn by itself. Prepare to spend an hour as 116 is the only road through that section of mountains and there are no shortcuts to get out. http://devilstriangletn.com

P.S. although there are rarely any cops, be careful to not anger the locals. This is Appalachia...

[thomasmryan]

the dragon was part of a blount county traffic alert today with a bike down.




on 209 rolling down from hot springs, the locals dump gravel in the corners.

[Twinz]

I live in SW Florida and I have made at least one trip up there every year since 2005. (Had a 350Z back then) If you love driving, the Tail of the dragon is bucket-list material.

It's a roller-coaster with a steering wheel.....but a lot more dangerous. The Dragon is to driving, what Bourbon street is to partying. People go to both public roads to do things that they wouldn't normally do elsewhere. That being said, I recommend staying withing your lane and within your limits.

All the turns crammed into such a tight stretch of road make for a lot of fun, but each of the 318 curves allow multiple opportunities to make a mistake -and there's almost no space or time to make a correction.

Early-mornings usually have very little traffic.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118804

[nocoolname]

Originally Posted by Williampreza

Second all the comments above. If you're coming in on I40, a worthy sidetrack is Devil's Triangle. It's a brilliant road that is generally wide open on weekend mornings (I know bc it's just a few miles from my home). It's worth the trip from middle tn by itself. Prepare to spend an hour as 116 is the only road through that section of mountains and there are no shortcuts to get out. http://devilstriangletn.com

P.S. although there are rarely any cops, be careful to not anger the locals. This is Appalachia...

I drove the Devil's Triangle about 6ish years ago and some of the roads were rough, it was a day or two after a storm and there was quite a bit of debris in the road as well as running water over a few parts. Is it still like that?

[bhmax]

I lived 25min from the Dragon for several years. Love the road. Plenty of runs on bikes and in cars. I don't treat it like a racetrack. As others said: weekdays are best. Do 28 and the Cherohala Skyway (NC side repaved last year and is amazing) for sure. Devil's Triangle on the weekends if you want to avoid other busier roads.

[Williampreza]

Originally Posted by nocoolname

I drove the Devil's Triangle about 6ish years ago and some of the roads were rough, it was a day or two after a storm and there was quite a bit of debris in the road as well as running water over a few parts. Is it still like that?

The road has been repaired, but yes, after a storm, this is the last place to get cleaned up. I've been up there a couple times after bad storms and there are always limbs and debris, and the runoff you mentioned. Now I just give it a week or so after heavy rains and it's fine.

[thomasmryan]

The skyway took over ten years to complete. The reflectors make it a fabulous night run but watch for vermin. You can rent cabins from the Forrest service for cheap and the swan cabin is my favorite.

One should visit the Joyce Kikmer Memorial Forrest as the trees take 5-6 people holding hands around the circumference. There is also an overlook of Santeetla on a spur road on the back side of Horse Cove, which is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Watch for panthers if your stealthy. Thunderhead and Bluebird are also on the back side coming out of Robinsville. (Lynn's has great food in Robinsville)

On the TN side, Bald River falls is also picturesque.

[nocoolname]

Originally Posted by Williampreza

The road has been repaired, but yes, after a storm, this is the last place to get cleaned up. I've been up there a couple times after bad storms and there are always limbs and debris, and the runoff you mentioned. Now I just give it a week or so after heavy rains and it's fine.

I need to watch the weather and run it again as I think it would be fun when it's clean.

[TrackRider54]

I've ridden the Dragon dozens of times on motorcycles. I honestly don't think it would be much fun in a lower powered car where you won't be able to pass quickly on the very few places you can see far enough to pass. On a motorcycle, I can zip around slow traffic, but in a car one pack of Harley's will ruin your run.

If I wanted to do a good road in a car, there are several I'd pick over the Dragon. Someone mentioned Hwy 28, which is still pretty heavily traveled. Here are my suggestions for East TN, West NC, and North GA:

1) Road to nowhere - Hwy 32 coming out of Crosby runs along the northern border of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The road turns to gravel that's not going to be passable by a BRZ/86, so turn around and enjoy the road again.

2) Richard B. Russell highway in North Georgia between Helen and Suches

3) Run The Suches, GA loop - Highway 60, Highway 180 (Wolfpen Gap), and Hwy 129

4) Hwy 68 from Ducktown, TN to Tellico Plains, TN

5) Do Hwy 30 around Fall Creek Falls State Park

[Stephen W.]

I agree with the above mentioned roads.
The wife and I have been riding the north Georgia, NC and Tennessee mountain area each fall for nearly 20 years. Here’s a map I was given the very first year we went. It covers more of the south region.
Don’t get too upset if you get slowed down some by locals or lookers. It’s fun even at a slow pace plus, you get to use it as a reccy (reconnaissance) run. Just turn around and go back the way came.
I’ll do Richard Russell several times in both directions during our week long stays. It was newly paved from the top down to 75A two years ago. As was 180 over to 75.

[oldgunfan]

Anyone ever see any E-85 at any of the gas stations around Deals Gap??

[Capt Spaulding]

I made my first trip up to the deals gap area a couple of weeks ago. We ran the dragon on a Tuesday mid-afternoon. Before that we did the run up from Ducktown to Telico Plains to the Skyway around to 129. All were fabulous roads, none offer a lot of room for error - either on your part or on the part of a driver going the other direction. Either can complicate your day.

Personally, I drove 1600 miles to get there and it (along with the rest of the things we did) was worth the trip. I rode motorcycles for 50 years and for the last 20 Deal's Gap has been a pilgrimage I've wanted to make. I'm really glad I did. We ran it from the stores to the start and back. Advice? Drive the road at your pace. The runs are not timed and you're not going to earn points for a fast time. Watch the centerline. DON'T cross it. Give yourself all the "outs" you can in case you encounter some Joey Dunlop wannabe going the other way. On corners where the centerline represents the 'inside' of the turn, some sportbike guys will have the wheels almost kissing the paint at their apex which puts their head a foot or more into your lane. As dumb as that is on their part, don't play a part in helping them select themselves out of the gene pool.

If you take a passenger make sure they are not prone to car sickness. My wife turned an ominous shade of green about 8 miles into the out bound run. To avoid decorating the interior with her lunch, I had to ***** foot the return run watching the mirror for and using the turnouts to evade rabid apex strafers on bikes.

It is a FUN road. Avoid the teeth and enjoy it (and the other great roads in the region).