I will probably get another fun ride in tomorrow but then head west to find clear skies. But it is forecasted to thunder and lightening for 10 straight days. Note the sign in the back that says “motorcycles: high crash area next 11 miles.” This part of the country is so beautiful. The picture of me standing in front of my bike on the road is after I did the ride one time (I did it twice). But never in my wildest dreams did I think five years later I would not only know how to ride a bike but also have my own and successfully do Dragon’s Tail with it. I was here five years ago on the back of a bike and loved it. The thing that was so cool is that it not only curved left and right but also up and down and sideways. It was forecasted to rain with thunder and lightening but there was a break in the weather so I went for it - with soggy gloves and socks. □ Today I was fortunate enough to ride Dragon’s Tail - over 300 curves in 11 miles. Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort is located at 17548 Tapoco Rd (aka US 129), Robbinsville, NC, (800) 889-5550.Woohoo! I slayed the dragon. The hairpins, decreasing radius, and blind curves can prove costly to the imprudent rider. Deals Gap Motorcycle ResortĪs most every motorcyclist knows, the Tail of the Dragon has 318 curves with no intersecting roads or driveways along its 11-mile route. The 225-foot-high-dam gained everlasting fame after it was featured in the 1993 film The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford. Cheoah DamĬompleted in 1919, Cheoah Dam has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004. Enjoy panoramic vistas across a progression of Appalachian Mountains ridges (near mile marker 7 on SR 143). The highest point along the Cherohala Skyway is at Santeetlah Overlook, which has an elevation of 5,390 feet. The 90- to 100-foot-high falls are readily visible from Tellico River Road and can be found near the confluence of Bald River and Tellico River at Forest Service Road 210, Tellico Plains, TN. This is an important first stop to find out about weather, road conditions, and things to see along the Skyway. If you’re not pleasantly exhausted after this ride, and still want more, a career in MotoGP might be worth a try. SR 300 charts a sinuous path through the lush environs of the Cherokee National Forest before arriving back in Tellico Plains. After completing the miles of twisty road heaven, follow US 129 deeper into Tennessee the highway traces a couple of river impoundments that created Chilhowee and Tellico lakes. The best time to ride the Dragon is on weekdays, when there’s less traffic. You can access Bald River Falls from the side of the road, making it an excellent photo opportunity. This resort, on the North Carolina and Tennessee state line, has a restaurant, lodging, and a souvenir shop featuring a plenitude of “Dragon” memorabilia and decals.īefore riding the Dragon, motorcyclists should thoughtfully consider the “Tree of Shame,” with its Christmastree- like ornaments of motorcycle parts recovered from riders who tempted the Dragon and paid the price. After crossing over the Cheoah River at the base of the Cheoah (aka Fugitive) Dam, it’s a relatively short ride to the start of the Dragon’s curves at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort. The curves on the section of US 129 leading up to the Dragon, however, are less intense and allow moments for side glances of the verdant countryside. Next up is the famous (some might say infamous) Tail of the Dragon, an 11-mile section of US 129 that’s known for its 318 curves. Big Junction Overlook is one of the higher overlook points along the Cherohala Skyway. This National Scenic Byway, which was completed in 1996, is named after the surrounding Cherokee and Nantahala national forests. At around the halfway point of the 43-mile-long Skyway, riders enter North Carolina, where the road becomes SR 143. From there the road rapidly gains altitude on SR 165. The full 138-mile route starts and ends in Tellico Plains, TN, at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center. These two classic roads, taken together, offer motorcyclists one of the most challenging days of mountain riding available anywhere.
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