Tail of the Dragon

[RagingPanda]

Have any of you guy heard orbeen on that road? It's in NC with over 300 sharp turns and lasts for 11 miles. I'm pretty sure you guys heard of it since it's so famous that people think of it as an attraction site. Next to it is another awesome road that has an average of 30 accidents in a yr.

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/maps/DRAGONmap.gif Notice at the beginning of the course there's something called "Beginner's End"....da doesn't sound so good..hahah. I think that's where I'm gonna die.

[89240sx]

yep heard of it.... Deals gap... I was going to take my ninja up there but switched jobs and got distracted but I'd still like to go soon.

[Slippery S14]

Yeah, i always hear of a lot of accidents on that road and lots of cops now too :/

Ive thought about going up there on my bike too but, honestly, i dont trust other people on the road enough to do it right(take corners fast) so the bike prolly isnt the way to go(for me).

-Slip

[RagingPanda]

Other drivers is what i'm afraid of. I don't really care about the police b/c I know for sure I won't go that fast b/c I still wanna keep both my car and my life. I can still the great driver but it's the other careless drivers that will kill me instead of me killing myself.

[LiU]

lol other drivers aka me! I'll probably be the one that kills you panda...lol jk, let's go somtimes early next year, since it will be magical by then

[ride4lame]

can you drift that place? or is it not real good for that?

[nolaws4evr]

i plan on heading over that way in both my 240 and the 600rr I plan on getting soon enough. ill let you guys know how it turns out...

[Supafly]

can you drift that place? or is it not real good for that?

if you're overly confident then yes, if you don't like smashing into other cars/walls/off cliffs then no

[RagingPanda]

lol other drivers aka me! I'll probably be the one that kills you panda...lol jk, let's go somtimes early next year, since it will be magical by then

Hahahah..I finally know ur name on NICO. Maigical...can u help me be magical too? hahah...like gimme $$ for that suspension upgrade. I refuse to die before u. U can drift if u want if u dun mind dying...

[prigo]

If I ever go to the east coast, I'm so stopping by there!

[Hawkrider]

I've ridden 129 countless times while I lived in NC and still hit it a few times a year when I head down there to ride . It's getting too crowded and has attracted too much LEO presence to be safe / fun on a weekend . Hit it on a weekday and you'll have a blast . As far as drifitng it , hmmm I'd suggest you not - there is NO runoff and lots of _steep_ drops and rock faces - not to mention quite a bit of oncoming traffic that wouldn't think too highly of you . If you were caught by a TN deputy or Trooper , I'd venture to say that you're going to have a bad day .

Anyway , there are MUCH better and far less crowded roads not very far away . eg , The Cherohala Skyway is lots of fun and far less crowded - lots and lots of fast sweepers .

If you're from Atlanta and have never been up there do yourself a favor and go take 400 North to Dahlonega then : go North on 60 - if you've got time to make a ~ 30 mile detour over the best roads in GA , well best riding roads in the whole country as far as I'm concerned ! , make a right on to 19 at the rockpile , when you're there you'll know what I mean , follow to the end at Turner's Corner and make a left onto 129 ( not to be confuses with Deals Gap , GA129 has hella elevation changes with some outrageously twisty 4 lane sections that are just mental ) Just after you get into Vogel State Park , look to your left for 180 aka Wolf Pen Gap . 180 ROCKS - something like 125 turns in 11 miles - it's all megatight hairpins and is very challenging . At the end of 180 , you'll have a BP station on your right and you'll be back at 60 . Make a right and go North on it to Tellico Plains, TN ( the number changes from 60 to 68 in TN ) - it's about an hr-hr15 minutes from that point . When you're in Tellico , just go East on the Cherohala (143) and have a great time . You'll want to make sure you've got fuel as there's jack on the way there but it'll take you to Deal's . Hope that made sense if you look at it on a map but trust me , if you take that route it'll be the best drive of your life . Quick math in muh head says it's something close to ~ 425 + miles round trip from ATL but it's :ylsuper and WELL worth it !

[jdmfreak]

Damn Id like to go down there next summer.

[[Zero-S]]

I think I'll be making a trip to NC sometime soon;)

[RagingPanda]

Hawkriderthanks for the general directions and hints. I will definitely go there but wat is that "best road in GA" u were talking about? I'm saving up my money fot the trip:countless gallons of gas, new brakes afterward, new tires. I'm goin to be in serious debt after this trip.hahahha. Oh well.

[Supafly]

[begin hijacking] for any georgia folks interested, we will be having a mountain run on december 6th and it should be a lot of fun. we will be having a cookout at vogel state park as well during the day and touring all of the fun roads (129/180/60/52 and maybe 75 over to helen). anyone interested can email me for more details [end hijacking}

yeah, 129 over blood mountain is a fuggin blast on a bike. the last few times i've been up there i've been on the trusty F4. the beauty of it is even the higher powered bikes don't have much of an advantage up there, but when the road opens up they sure pull away

[Agencymotorsports]

i go up their every year because my friend has a house in that area, we always see ambulences going across the bridge to get their

[Hawkrider]

It's pretty hard to NOT be on a good road in North GA and Western NC ! I have to say my favorite little route is the ~ 40 mile 19/129/180/60 loop but really there's so much good riding I'd have to say it depends what I'm on as to what I like better . I have a Mille R that's fast but a big pig in twisties that good fun on the Cherohala and 129 but when it comes to the ultra twisty roads like 180 and Deals , my little 70hp Hawk GT or 60hp Skorpion will toast it . I LOVE the roads that big bikes and cars can't get away from you on - they're also roads that suit the 240 well : great handling without the need for big power

Couple bits of advice if you've never been up there : it's going to tire your arms and legs out like you wouldn't believe if you drive pretty hard - it's like hours on end of auto-x'ing but they keep moving the cones Don't try to chase locals or it'll end in a bad way ; don't smoke your brakes and take the time to enjoy the scenery but most importantly just have fun and remember that even though they seem like God's gift to sporty riding/driving enthusiasts that they're still public roads ! Every road up there has some sneaky corners or something odd about it ( there's one road that a creek flows over , the GA DOT built a culvert but the locals dammed it so they'd still have their creek over the road for example ) but just be sane and you'll have a great time .

I'd SO love to go along on that 240 meet up - too bad it's 24 hours down there - I can swing it a couple times a year but not on short notice

[EnzoRWD]

maybe a summer meet? start planning it now, for all the NICO guys?? <iare cars are better, but we'll grace them with our presence gcoupe aint got nothin on me!>I;m in WI but it would be a hell of a meet and would be a killer road trip.... i have a friend in VA i could visit, too....-Enzo

[r34 gtr]

sounds fun to me! lemme just rob fort knox so i can get the money for gas. might be up for it if its at the right time. ive seen some pictures of wicked accidents down that road, its not to be taken lightly.

- tim

[EnzoRWD]

we'll just let the fwd boys lead, that way the pace will be leisurely....jk:D-Enzo

[jdmfreak]

Hey hey hey. Wait a minute. That comment was unnecessary my friend. My Maxima is no slouch.

[Agencymotorsports]

last time i was their we saw a bunch of s200's

[RagingPanda]

I hpe that won't be my skid marks...hahhaa. If so atleast off to a nice filed of some grass instead of that rocky wall.

[RagingPanda]

[Camel]

If you're from Atlanta and have never been up there do yourself a favor and go take 400 North to Dahlonega then : go North on 60 - if you've got time to make a ~ 30 mile detour over the best roads in GA , well best riding roads in the whole country as far as I'm concerned ! , make a right on to 19 at the rockpile , when you're there you'll know what I mean , follow to the end at Turner's Corner and make a left onto 129 ( not to be confuses with Deals Gap , GA129 has hella elevation changes with some outrageously twisty 4 lane sections that are just mental ) Just after you get into Vogel State Park , look to your left for 180 aka Wolf Pen Gap . 180 ROCKS - something like 125 turns in 11 miles - it's all megatight hairpins and is very challenging . At the end of 180 , you'll have a BP station on your right and you'll be back at 60 . Make a right and go North on it to Tellico Plains, TN ( the number changes from 60 to 68 in TN ) - it's about an hr-hr15 minutes from that point . When you're in Tellico , just go East on the Cherohala (143) and have a great time . You'll want to make sure you've got fuel as there's jack on the way there but it'll take you to Deal's . Hope that made sense if you look at it on a map but trust me , if you take that route it'll be the best drive of your life . Quick math in muh head says it's something close to ~ 425 + miles round trip from ATL but it's :ylsuper and WELL worth it !

This sounds like the loop around Suches that we plan to do at the Gwinnett Owner's Gathering. Chaeck the NICO Meets Section. I am working on the details today.

[Camel]

[begin hijacking] for any georgia folks interested, we will be having a mountain run on december 6th and it should be a lot of fun. we will be having a cookout at vogel state park as well during the day and touring all of the fun roads (129/180/60/52 and maybe 75 over to helen). anyone interested can email me for more details [end hijacking}

yeah, 129 over blood mountain is a fuggin blast on a bike. the last few times i've been up there i've been on the trusty F4. the beauty of it is even the higher powered bikes don't have much of an advantage up there, but when the road opens up they sure pull away

MAybe we should talk out of band about combining the two meets since the time and activities coincide so well. PM me if you want to chat about it. And check the thread in NICO Meets.

C

[krazy skwerel]

I tell you whats scary. A 15 passenger van on the dragons tail. Damn that is freaky. Especially when your not driving and you have bikes whizzing past you. Beautiful area though.

[Dattebayo]

You know i always live too far from these places... thats why i drive locally. Here near the nation's capital i like skyline drive. (yes its skyline drive) Its a little road through beautiful country in the mountains of central virginia, i forget the route number though. Great smooth macadam surface roads and lots of staightaways and hairpin turns. Other than that in Gaithersburg MD, there is a road called Blunt Road that will kill you. Greatest drive EVER. Something like the dragons tail but only like 6 miles long and no mountains.

[Camel]

Actually if you are near VA, there is a road called 619 that runs along the back side of Quantico that is a friggin rollercoaster.

[Dattebayo]

Really? I gotta try that route... Sounds risky cause bases usually attract MP's to their surrounding roads, i think they even have jurisdiction there. Happened to me 3 times near Ft. AP Hill. And those guys never give you a fair shot.