| The Dragon | Rate Topic |
| Moderators: redbaron, MDKramer, Flyone, AZgl1500 | Page:   1 2 3 |
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| Posted: Fri Feb 3rd, 2012 07:11 am | 41st Post |
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Moot point, in fact, the latest on this is: It is now illegal for trucks longer than 30 feet to operate on US 129 anywhere from US 19/74 all the way to the NC/TN State Line. They are also banned on NC 28 from NC 143 all the way to US 129. Also on the ban list is the entire Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina.
____________________  Michigan-Illinois-Texas We provide a PickUp and Delivery Service |
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| Posted: Fri Feb 3rd, 2012 12:09 pm | 42nd Post |
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Rode the dragon one time, last spring with my son. Deal's Gap is a cool place to hang out and watch people. As is often the case with a group, there is a percent of the folks determined to impress others with their abilities or machines. If the dragon is ridden for one's own enjoyment, within ones own ability and you don't run head-into someone riding stupid, it can be an enjoyable experience. Personally, I think it is marketing geanious on the part of the people who earn a good living off of it- kudow to them!
____________________ Tired of people pulling out in front of you? Get a white helmet! |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 06:41 am | 43rd Post |
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I have been on it a couple times, not because it was "the Dragon", but because it took me to the other end and I needed it. Nice drive / ride, but certainly nothing worth going out of one's way to ride. The Cherohalla Parkway, BRP, Rt 219 in West Va., Rt 33 H-Burg, Va to Ohio state line, Rt 30 in Pa., Rt 58 in SW Va. & Skyline Drive are all much better drives / rides. 
____________________ '97 GL-1500 SE / Lehman GTL Trike ...( Candy Spectra Red w/ Candy Garnet Red insert ) '85 GL-1200 Aspencade ...( Pearl Vintage Red w/ Rose insert ) '74 Triumph T-150V Trident ...( it's a Triple ) "Make Courtesy Your Code of the Road" . |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 07:00 am | 44th Post |
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OK lads ,I have asked this question before and never get a good answer ,, why does everybody rate this road ??? I have ridden the tail of the dragon and to be honest I was so disappointed with it that we now call it the tail of the mouse ,You guys need to get to Europe and you will see that the tail of the dragon is not a challange at all , I know some of you have done the passo del stelvio in Italy and some of the passes in Austria and Switzerland and indeed even here in Ireland we have regular roads that would put the dragon to shame , I have been on lots of roads in the USA that are much more of a challenge that the tail of the dragon could ever be ..I think it is an over rated bikers road and is hyped up by the people who gain financially from it ,ie cafes , souvenir shops etc , IMHO
____________________ http://www.shinywing.com ...An Irish based online Goldwing shop .. worldwide shipping RUDY NEEDS OUR HELP CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW .. http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum3/129204.html CIARAN (pronounced Keeron)  |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 11:27 am | 45th Post |
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I guess it's because I haven't had a chance to ride some of those great European roads ???
____________________ _____________________________ Scott Greenville, SC Clearwater, Fl 1990 Honda Pacific Coast 1996 Goldwing Aspencade 2001 Honda S2000 |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 11:43 am | 46th Post |
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wexy wrote: OK lads ,I have asked this question before and never get a good answer ,, why does everybody rate this road ??? I have ridden the tail of the dragon and to be honest I was so disappointed with it that we now call it the tail of the mouse ,You guys need to get to Europe and you will see that the tail of the dragon is not a challange at all , I know some of you have done the passo del stelvio in Italy and some of the passes in Austria and Switzerland and indeed even here in Ireland we have regular roads that would put the dragon to shame , I have been on lots of roads in the USA that are much more of a challenge that the tail of the dragon could ever be ..I think it is an over rated bikers road and is hyped up by the people who gain financially from it ,ie cafes , souvenir shops etc , IMHO Wow, it must be nice to be able to afford such expeditions! Do all those places have 'life flight' as well? LOL!! Most Goldwingers that I know are not in it for the danger or challenge, but for the enjoyment of road... (guess I'm just not squidly here... ;-)) Would love to ride the Irish biways though...  Attachment: NoSquids.jpg (Downloaded 43 times)
____________________ SSGW Forums, "where particular people congregate" 1998 GL1500 SE, Candy Spectre Red/Candy Garnet Red |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 03:45 pm | 47th Post |
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jnel57 wrote: Kimswang wrote:I have never rode that stretch but has it as my next adventure. I plan to go as soon as I am done with this phase of work. Anybode ever stayed here? In 2009 I flew across from the UK expressly to ride the Dragon with some of the guys from NGW. Due to the weather that year we didn't actually make it into the mountains, so I came back in 2010 and, using a '75 loaned by the webmaster of NGW, rode with another member across Virginia and North Carolina to Maggie Valley to meet up with the Father of the Dragon, Doug Snavely (http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_history_story.html). We stayed a night at Deals Gap but at that time they had still not cleared the rock fall so the place was very quiet. Great place to stay though; clean cabins, excellent no-frills restaurant and shop. Doug and I came back later in the trip, by which time it was cleared, and we rode it a few times. No. I don't think it's as scary as some make out, although someone managed to get killed the first day it was re-opened. More scary were some of the sport bike riders whose riding could make riding a straight road dangerous! I much preferred the Cherohala Skyway, it being more suited to both my old-aged riding style and the vintage type of bike I was riding. But all the roads and the scenery in that area were well worth the long trip over. I'll be back! If anyone is interested, pictures of both these trips can be found here: http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/Scabbyrat/American%20trip%202009/ http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/Scabbyrat/American%20%20Trip%202010/ Attachment: dragon pic 1 (Medium).jpg (Downloaded 35 times)
____________________ 1976 GL1000 'The Swan' - from an ugly ducking.. 1979 GL1000 'Black Bess'- original. wingformation on http://www.wingovations.com  |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 04:38 pm | 48th Post |
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"I much preferred the Cherohala Skyway, it being more suited to both my old-aged riding style and the vintage type of bike I was riding. But all the roads and the scenery in that area were well worth the long trip over. I'll be back!" Totally agree with that. The Dragon, for me, was one of those do-it-once trips. Had a good time, but same could be said for other roads in the area. The Cherohalla was my pick. Great road condition, scenery, and a nice leisurely pace so you could actually sight-see. Planning on being back in May, so may just give it another shot.
____________________ Zach "To be old and wise, you first have to have been young and stupid" "Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right." http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p10/election76/ http://www.youtube.com/user/election76?feature=mhee |
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| Posted: Sat Feb 4th, 2012 05:30 pm | 49th Post |
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jnel57 wrote:Kimswang wrote:I have never rode that stretch but has it as my next adventure. I plan to go as soon as I am done with this phase of work. Anybody ever stayed here? Well, not "everyone".  But .... did anyone here recognize it in the closing scenes of "Two Lane Blacktop" with Dennis Wilson (the mechanic) and James Taylor (the driver) and Warren Oats (GeeTeeOh) and Laurie Byrd (the girl) and the '55 Chevy also seen in "American Graffitti"? Back in about 1999 / 2000, the Wife Unit and I took the GL1200 through that area and saw the Deal's gap "resort" and thought maybe it'ld be fun to stay there a night. What a mistake that was? I saw the parts in the Tree of Shame, a testament to mostly idiots themselves wanting to race on a public roadway. The wife had had some serious health problems over the prior years, operations to remove 2/3 stomache and some intestine, adheasions, gall bladder, and etc (cancer was suspected, but we got lucky, no cancer .... just abscessed). and occasional bouts with panchriatitus. This was her first "trip" ride in several years and she was really tired, but enjoying it just the same. It was near day's end, we were going to ride more in the area the next day, so I went in and registered and paid and pulled the bike up to the room and the wife took the key and went in while I started pulling stuff out / off the bike. I walked in with my first hands full and she was at the foot of the bed, in tears almost. The room was "rank" to say the least. It just stunk. You could tell the room had been wet and the bed had not been changed in lord only knows how long and carried the evidence of ..... well, you get it. I loaded back up, pulled back down to the office, walked in and asked to see another room, and it stank just as bad, but different and the toilet was a mess. I asked for my money back and found then that the idiot behind the counter didn't know how to refund taxes. I finally said to just give me my $40 back and keep the damn taxes, he figured that out OK (I bet he pocketed the taxes for his cigs?) .... and the wife and I rode on out down to Robbinsville, NC and stayed in The SanRan Motel (named after the owners kids, Sandra and Randle). The SanRan Motel was absolutely spotless, it was June as I recall and the Rhodadendrons were in full bloom and there was this one very pink, gorgeous huge one right in front. Had a great night sleep, met some nice Virginia folk, and next morning we rode over to Telico Plains, Tenn for breakfast, then came back and rode the other roads working our way back towards Cherokee and Maggie Valley where we spent a night. We did not ride the "Dragon that trip, but we had been on it before (came through there in the car since then, same road as always, just more dangerous riders and trucks on it). Yep .... that moldy mildewy stinking hole they called a "resort" at Dealsgap spoiled their one first impression bigtime. I'm 58 now and I have traveled all over the USA (mostly on my dime, some work) , have stayed in $150 a night rooms and $25 a night rooms, but usually between ... and that is the one and only time I was so disappointed or saw my Wife so disappointed. I did learn a lesson though .... if in doubt, look at the rooms first ... before paying / unpacking ... and still I've never smelled a room as bad (well, except for a couple crime or suicide scenes, but I wasn't paying to stay there). Y'all enjoy your stay .... (and I do hope it's changed hands since that day) .... but you can count me out.  Last edited on Sat Feb 4th, 2012 05:39 pm by CrystalPistol ____________________ '97 GL-1500 SE / Lehman GTL Trike ...( Candy Spectra Red w/ Candy Garnet Red insert ) '85 GL-1200 Aspencade ...( Pearl Vintage Red w/ Rose insert ) '74 Triumph T-150V Trident ...( it's a Triple ) "Make Courtesy Your Code of the Road" . |
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