Tail of the Dragon next week

[dparm]

Headed to Tail of the Dragon next week with some friends. It seems there are a LOT of nearby roads worth checking out. Tailofthedragonmaps.com has a lot...almost too many.

I'm not sure if anyone has any experience with the area, but these are the routes we are deciding between:

1. Great Smoky Mountains Loop

2. Cherohala Skyway and Tail of the Dragon Loop

If anyone wants to share their experiences and opinions with these routes, we'll gladly listen. It will be me, a BMW 128i, a Ferrari 360 Modena, and I believe a Porsche Cayman S traveling together.

 

[wemay]

dparm...

I could have sworn you were alluding to Game Of Thrones next Sunday.

But, that looks like a LOT of fun.

 

[mrsilv04]

Yep. Been down there many time, rode them all... multiple times.

Just try 'em all, then ride the ones you like a second time.

 

[Chris142]

ive always wanted to do that road in a long nose pete and a set of short doubles. lots easier than those 53 footers crashed on a corner i see pics of.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Tail of the Dragon is very popular among the hardcore drivers. We don't have exactly the same but Highway 1 or PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) from LA to San Francisco is a very good drive too.

 

[montero1]

Look up the "Rattler", Cherohala Skyway, "Hellbender", "The Gauntlet", Wayah Road, and after running the Tail of The Dragon, stay on 129 south all the way to Ga. I may head there next week, weather depending.

 

[rjundi]

Enjoy!!!! I grew near roads like that except narrower and my Subaru XT was a blast even with anemic 90HP.

 

[spasm3]

BE CAREFUL lots of bikers, and the real worry is the crotch rockets, some go through there dragging knees.

 

[sciphi]

Enjoy! Just watch out for the police down there. They love to fine folks with out of state tags...

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Tail of the Dragon is very popular among the hardcore drivers. We don't have exactly the same but Highway 1 or PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) from LA to San Francisco is a very good drive too.


Hwy 1 was intense..my neck was sore after keeping up with a couple guys..one had a bmw..i had a corolla rental..i think i destroyed the brakes on that rental car..lol..

Dparm please report back with pics, it looks fun!

 

[OVERKILL]

Awesome!!! Looking forward to some pics!

 

[Mykl]

I've been there quite a few times, a couple of tips....

You will be faster than the motorcycles, and they will probably annoy you. Be patient, be strict about staying on your side of the yellow line, and hope they let you past.

If you go at any time during the late morning or afternoon it will not be a fun experience, it will be a traffic jam.

Get there as the sun is coming up and you can treat it like your own personal race course.

Get out a map and explore the surrounding roads, there are a lot of fantastic stretches of pavement with no traffic headaches. I'd highly recommend the Cherohala Skyway, great road.

 

[gofast182]

A group of my S2000 buddies just got back from a week there. I've never been but it's one of those bucket list things (although part of me prefers the safety of the track where I can drive as fast as I want without trees and ditches 10 feet away). Just respect the double-yellows and tire/road temperatures and you'll be good. Enjoy!

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
A group of my S2000 buddies just got back from a week there. I've never been but it's one of those bucket list things (although part of me prefers the safety of the track where I can drive as fast as I want without trees and ditches 10 feet away). Just respect the double-yellows and tire/road temperatures and you'll be good. Enjoy!


The road itself is fairly safe. Always clean, excellent quality pavement (on the Tennessee side, NC side isn't bad though), and wide with enough shoulder room so you don't feel like one tiny slip will send you through a tree (unlike a few other roads in the area). The road itself is almost entirely shaded, and despite the non stop cornering I've never actually managed to get too much heat in the tires.

The main point of emphasis is to respect the yellow line. You have to keep in the habit of not even letting your tires touch the yellow.

 

[Vikas]

Are you the one who would be driving the Ferrari?

 

[Win]

If you are ever passing through this way, you can give the Pig Trail, aka the Arkansas Dragon, a whirl.

http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/pigtrail.html

Lots of 15 mph hairpins, minimal shoulders, cliffs, drop offs, always in shade except for winter, etc. I occasionally still take it as a back way to our second house. Always a great drive.

The Boston Mountains down here are great for driving and scenery.

 

[jayg]

The skyway is great and if going through GA, Sixgap is fantastic. I prefer it to the dragon and it's closer (to me).

But go ahead and get that Killboy photo.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Mykl

The main point of emphasis is to respect the yellow line. You have to keep in the habit of not even letting your tires touch the yellow.

+1 Especially in those cars, if you use too much of the road it becomes way too easy to carry enough speed for something bad to happen.
I had a ball in our 92 sentra down there before the speed limit was dropped, it was actually a real challenge to get over 45 for alot of it.
It sounds like you are going mid week, which is a great idea, maybe if you go early in the morning you can post a lookout at each end and really get on it. I don't think there are any sideroads or houses at all. I'd think if you keep a low profile around the populated areas then the odds of the police showing up will be minimal.

 

[bluesubie]

I still haven't been to the Dragon and should make the trip one of these days. Looks like you'll just miss Quattro De Mayo but I guess you'd no longer hang out with those guys anyway.

-Dennis

 

[CBR.worm]

I have done thousands of miles on those roads and have three tickets as reminders. on 129 past the overlook going away from NC, police patrol regularly. especially when you get down near the lake.

I like the loop ( triangle) from the base of the dragon 129&28 down 28 past fontana, across 143 into Robbinsville and back up to the crossroads of time (formerly Pete's place).

the Cherohala skyway is nice, but low speed limits and spotty police enforcement temper the fun - very scenic.

I recommend weekdays - much less traffic. weekends seem to have more police as well.

in the dragon, I have been run off the road multiple times, sometimes by SAI semi's once by a fedex truck doing a three point turn mid corner.


one time a car carrier was running through there when I40 was closed and lost a car midway through.

that being said, I have worn through a set of Michelin PS/2's in a couple days of just staying in the dragon.

in the Dragon and the surrounding areas, Killboy and a couple others will take pitures of you and post them on a website that you can purchase from.


129 through blood mountain is a trip, the road from 129 to vogel state park and down to suches and back to 129 on 60 is fun, just watch out for bicyclists on vogel state park road.


441 from Dillsboro to pigeon forge is cool if you are there during a low traffic time. watch out for cars dumping tranny fluid on the uphill parts.

60 from Blueridge to Dahlonega is nice, kind or relaxing.

note, if you get stopped on TVA property, you will get a notice to appear instead of a ticket.