Topic: Tail or the Dragon 2012 - Bucket List - Building a shipping crate!

[FunJimmy]

Now that a half century has flashed by, it’s time to start checking off the must do’s on my “Bucket List”, and very near the top it the “Tail of the Dragon”.

I have a couple of friends in the Greater Toronto area that do this trip every couple years and I’m considering joining along for 2012. My options include shipping my bike from Vancouver to Toronto and either riding to the Tail, or trailering with others, or shipping to the Tail and do a Fly & Ride.

My preference is to ship the bike from Vancouver to Toronto as I can (hopefully) have it shipped to one of my company’s suppliers, leave the crate in their warehouse until I return and have them ship it back to my work with our regular shipments. That leaves the two options of getting from Toronto to the Tail.

I’m sure there are tons of great roads in the Appalachian Mountains, but there are probably equally as many from Toronto to Knoxville TN. I hope!

I’m planning on getting the most sporting experience I can on this trip so unfortunately my CB550F Café Interceptor will be sitting this one out. .

Any route suggestions would be most appreciated.

Cheers
FJ

[tweakin]

That one is on my list as well Jim, wish it was closer.  Once the kids are a bit older I will be planning a vacation around the tail.  You planning on riding the 999?

[BAchvytrk]

great ride, i would highly recommend it.

[FunJimmy]

You planning on riding the 999?

Owning a 999R was the first item on the bucket list.
I think it's only fair to include her on the second too. 

[Timmer]

Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Dragon from the North Carolina side.  There are
Actually better roads to ride in the same vicinity.  Typing from a handheld today.
Will write more later when I have my laptop.

[bwaller]

Jim, just quit your job and get it over with.

That way you can take all the time you want to ride there & back. As a matter of fact I'll do the same and tag along.    Oh man don't get me started.

[Trav-i]

The tail is still on my list of must rides too.  Maybe next year, it only takes a few hours to get there for me.   I actually had a friend get badly injured near the tail this year, another rider crossed the double yellow and hit him right in the left ankle.  Destroyed his Harley, and messed him up pretty good but last I saw him last month he was almost fully recovered.

[scrapvalue]

If you make the trip to the Dragon, I highly recommend staying at the Kickstand Lodge.
It is just 20 miles south and Mo will treat you great.
Great food, great people, great roads.
I was just there about 2 weeks ago. Got invited to go along to a good old mountain party.
They had a chilly contest with 22 entries,(there were only about 80 people). Mo took third place. She is a fabulous cook,(and likes to).
Cherries soaked in moonshine, apple pie moonshine and of course, straight moonshine.
Pretty sure I had a good time.

[brandEn]

I would love to ride the Dragon too. Maybe someday. Its just way to far.

[FunJimmy]

Its just way to far.

It really is, but the way I put things off, it might be now or never.
The question still remains.......will I be a single man if I go for 2 weeks or do I need to get this done in one? 

[Duke McDukiedook]

I'll take the dragon, you can keep the tail.

[verslagen1]

Personally, I flew and borrowed a bike.  But here's a quote from someone who drove/rode from NH... "Skyline drive runs for 100 miles starting in Front Royal Va. and running south to Waynesboro. The entire lenth of Skyline Drive is located in Shenendoah National Park. At the southern end of Skyline Drive is the beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I would take the BRP all the way to the dragon from there but at 35 mph it would take me a week."

As to troopers, yet, they are there.  As my group started down we pasted a trooper and he pulled in behind us.  Thankfully, we were stuck behind a couple of harleys before we got to him   

[kerryb]

We trailered our bikes from Buffalo to NC, rode the Blue Ridge for three days and then the Tail.
Highly recommend both, but personally prefer the roads around the "Tail" to the tail itself.  They are higher speed potential, smoother radius tight turns, and no cops at all!  We got up early and rode the Tail before breakfast, so there were only a few other riders, and no cops on the tail either.  New York and Pa. roads suffer from frost heaves and winter beatings,  Trailer the bike to south of Pa. and spend more time riding the beautiful roads down there.  I can't wait to go again for another week.

[BeSeeingYou]

Not to rain on anyones parade, I want to go too. I read there are cops sitting almost every mile some weekends and they can't afford to keep the ambulance on standby there anymore. Check YouTube, there are some video's.

And a 30 mph speed limit from what I saw.  Sure you can go faster but it's mostly a low speed run.  About as exciting as a ride at Disneyland given the crowd.   Give me the Chief Joseph Highway, the Beartooth, Going to the Sun, US 12 Lewis and Clark Highway, US-1 north of San Fran, 199 out of Crescent City, Oregon 242, several routes between Tahoe and Yosemite, just pulling these out of my memory but there's more.  I would put any of these above The Dragon on your list.

[faux fiddy]

I would put any of these above The Dragon on your list.

Head south from i-40 west of Flagstaff through Ash Fork and beyond- towards Wikenburg. It's as twistie as any road I've ever seen.

North out of Vernal UT to Flaming Gorge and around that area is pretty darn good stuff, too. Manilla is about as far as you want to go west there, and it is worth a peek, then turn and go back around the other way to Rock Springs.

[brandEn]

Beartooth Highway, Montana. This is a ride that was voted the #1 ride by the AMA. We could actually pull this one off Jim and only be gone 2-3 nights.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beartooth_Highway
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/top-15-motorcycling-roads-ama/

[Retro Rocket]

Beartooth Highway looks awesome, beautiful long twisties....

[FunJimmy]

Beartooth Highway, Montana. This is a ride that was voted the #1 ride by the AMA. We could actually pull this one off Jim and only be gone 2-3 nights.

Branden

I like the way you think.
When can we squeeze this one in?

[brandEn]

After the snow melts.... July/August would be great timing I imagine.

[MCRider]

Its always easy to take pot shots at the king. The Dragon is more than a road, its a legend. So sure other roads may come and go in popularity contests as being "better". But as a bucket list item, the Dragon has its place...at the top. You ride a motorcycle, you have to go.

As one who was there before it got popular, I have to admit I miss the days back before it ... was popular. If you want the riding experience, you gotta plan to be there mid-week to avoid the crowds. Miss the crowds, it will be like the good old days.  If you're there on a Saturday, get up early before others.

And there are plenty of other roads near there to enhance the experience.

Anybody ever there when an 18wheeler is making its way thru, dragging its trailer across both lanes and completely blocking any chance of getting thru? Scary. But that's part of it. Gotta see the "Tree of Shame" as well. Some sad stories to tell.  Its a very dark humor. Many have fallen and given parts to the tree. Many others have died, and that doesn't get talked about so much. It's not to be taken lightly.  Weird.

http://www.dealsgap.com/tree.htm

Even if you get stuck behind a slow mover, you got to see the Dragon. And put a dragon decal on your bike.

I'm sure many of you have more stories to tell than I, but i stayed at the motel before it had AC or TV. You were there to ride.

I camped in the campground in October and it was really cold.

Threw the ashes of a motorcycle buddy into the air just as he wanted, at the Dragon.

Can't wait to take Phaedrus there.

[BeSeeingYou]

After the snow melts.... July/August would be great timing I imagine.

I have always been there in August or September and had good luck.  July would be fine but maybe more people.  After Sept. 15 it can be iffy. 

[MCRider]

Here's a compressed vid. This guy did the entire 11 miles with no one in front of them. Read the comments for more info.

Tail Of The Dragon - 318 Curves 7 Cops 11 Miles - Deal's Gap - Time Lapse Hi Def - Gatlinburg

He did in 9 minutes what would normally be about 50 minutes.  Though i think the record is about 9 minutes or so.

You can make it what you want. A spiritual experience, or a mad senseless accident.

People routinely get hurt and die there. So be careful.

Lots of good video at YouTube.

[BeSeeingYou]

They compressed it to 9 minutes by speeding it up  so they did not actually do it in 9 minutes.  I think they would have been busted a few times by the cops they passed otherwise.

Forgive me but I just don't see the appeal.  Maybe back in the day yeah, but it's just a bunch of slow speed turns over and over again in the woods.  I prefer epic scenery, wide vistas, twisties with stretches were you can crack open the throttle buts that's just me.

Chief Joseph Highway and Sunlight Basin


Beartooth Pass...near but not at the top


Beginning the climb up the western side of the Bighorns.  The Beartooth range just visible far in the distance in the middle, Absaroka range to the left, and the Prior range on the right.


Back in the day... on top at 10,500+ feet.

[faux fiddy]

They compressed it to 9 minutes by speeding it up  so they did not actually do it in 9 minutes.  I think they would have been busted a few times by the cops they passed otherwise.

Forgive me but I just don't see the appeal.  Maybe back in the day yeah, but it's just a bunch of slow speed turns over and over again in the woods.  I prefer epic scenery, wide vistas, twisties with stretches were you can crack open the throttle buts that's just me.


Chief Joseph


Beartooth


Beginning the climb up the western side of the Bighorns.  The Beartooth range just visible far in the distance.


Back in the day...

That first pic reminds me of riding down into Vernal from Flaming Gorge. One time I decided I would ride Bicycle on that route, and back. After the climb, I could not make up the time by the downhills, It was just too scary  twisty for 700c skinnies. Not much traffic passed though.  I was in heck climbing back out of Vernal, I think I had straight block gears and only two front chainrings.



Second pic looks like the Green River below Flaming Gorge.  You might get a Mountain Bike down the riverside trails for a while or maybe even a smal motorbike, but who knows if that risk is even allowed by public lands or your own gumption.

Lots of friendly Mormon people around there BTW.  Don't ask them if they want a shot of rum and coke around the campsite though.

[MrGardman]

Beautiful scenery "srust". That looks like a place I would like to travel.