Deals gap and the Dragon

[Stiggy]

I now live an hour and a half away from the Dragon.

If you really want to enjoy riding here, bring your bikes on the back of a truck. Double team the driving and you can get here in 17-18 hours. Double team driving a truck down here will make the trip pleasant and you have a great chance to rest when you arrive. You will be fresh and rested when you get up the next day and really get a good chance to enjoy the scenery and road quality in TN, SC and northern GA.

Go to bed, DO NOT RIDE IMMEDIATELY when you get here, lots of people crash riding these roads when they are tired.

I recommend trucking it down cause you you bring all your m/c gear for all weather conditions, your coolers for drinks (Dragon is dry counties for the most part), if a bike breaks down or you do leave the road, you got a way to bring it back. Bring some food and a small hibachi for evenings. What you will save will pay for the cost in fuel. There are some nice campgrounds that are cheap if you don't mind tenting.

Like many said here ... AVOID GATLINBURG AT ALL COSTS! Don't even drive through the town. It is the worst tourist trap I have ever experienced. If you take Old Orchard Beach and combine it with Coney Island and Atlantic City during peak tourist season you will only begin to appreciate how incredibly selfish these money hungry locals are that screw with you. A bloody hemmoroid covered in veneral warts does not even begin to give that description justice.

If anyone here has ever been to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands ... Gatlinburg is worse than that cesspool. That is saying alot.

Trailoring is definitely NOT an option.
But good advice on the tired riding, I will take note of that.



Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback. Lots of useful links I can come back to when we actually start mapping and planning.

[Half Squid]

I now live an hour and a half away from the Dragon.

If you really want to enjoy riding here, bring your bikes on the back of a truck. Double team the driving and you can get here in 17-18 hours. Double team driving a truck down here will make the trip pleasant and you have a great chance to rest when you arrive. You will be fresh and rested when you get up the next day and really get a good chance to enjoy the scenery and road quality in TN, SC and northern GA.

Riding down would be interesting and could be fun if the weather was perfect the entire way. I have made 7 rips to The Smokies and we trailered every single time. I would rather have 5-6 solid days enjoying the roads down there, that is including TN, GA, NC & some SC. I would say the N/W area of GA are my favorites. but highly enjoy rt 28,360, 73, & Wayah roads the most in the TN, NC area. Looking to go back the first week of Sept this year with the new RC51!!! I will be driving directly from VA after a week of vaction on the Outter Banks.

[Currently]

My point exactly. Put the bikes on a trailer or on the back of a pickup truck, doubleteam drive down in a one shot ... go to sleep and wake up fresh for one of the most enjoyable riding east of the Mississippi.

You ride down, your tires get a flat spot down the center and you get here tired and sore.

Screw that.

Plus you can bring a cooler or two and all the gear you need for all kinds of weather, tools and whatever.

The riding done in this area is of high quality, any road with GAP in the name is a nice ride. Been here a year and haven't even done a hundreth of what I want to do.

Getting to know the western part of Chattanooga pretty good, nice rides there also. It is gorgeous country and for the most part, people are really nice down here.

[RandyO]

As someone who has trucked it down, ridden straight thru, and taken 3-4 days , I can say that those who have never taken the 3-4 days trip have missed a lot of good riding and countryside in between. you will never see it if you don't take the time

I highly recommend taking the time, sure there's a lot of good riding once you get there, there's much more in between

300 miles or so/day on secondary roads does not equate to being tired when you get there or a flat strip down the center of your tires

sport touring is what it is, taking your time, seeing the countryside, not riding 1000 miles in a truck down, then 1000 miles in a truck back home

if your goal is to get to squid heaven as fast as you can, by all means load up a trailer and drive, if your destination is the ride, take your time and do it right

[jc r6]

I used to live 10 mins from the Snake in TN and i've made many trips from MA to TN on the bike and trailering the bike. I noticed the trip was quite a bit shorter trailering the bike cause i didn't have to stop for gas as often and could eat while driving. +1 on avoiding Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge...in the summer you will sit for hours in traffic trying to get to the Gap.

I would also try to give yourself a little more than a week or drive straight through. You will want to stay longer once your down there.

Oh and make sure you check out The Snake (US 421) ....it's much less congested and less THP than the Gap ...and the riding is just as good...oh and it's 2 hrs closer...you have to drive right by it to get to the Gap

[TimmyB]

+1, Pigeon Forge is NOT what it sounds like. lesson learned!

[XTR]

Lived in Oak Ridge since '95. Ditto the advice to avoid Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Tourist traps and heinous traffic, nothing there you want to see.


Try to ride the gap during the week, in fact making runs early in the AM is a good plan. The posted speed limit on the TN side is 35 and there has been increased enforcement for the last couple of yrs, especially on weekends.

STAY IN YOUR LANE! Take a couple of runs before you try to wick it up. There are some tight combinations that the locals give names like "catch all" for a reason. Did I mention stay in your lane? It is a fantastic piece of asphalt, there is no reason to straighten it out. (that and every time someone wrecks the papers and the TV run a story and the LEOs get more pressure to enforce)

If you have a tidy tail and your plate is not horizontal at the back of the bike there is about an 80% or better chance that you will get a $150 ticket for improper display. Bet on it.

There is a lot of good riding in the area.

There Cherohala Skyway is a great ride, it is really big sweepers be careful you can really go fast, and there again there are a couple of corners that are sneaky (there is the story of the head in the helmet at 10 mile curve), not to mention there is more likely to be LEOs on the cherrycola than about any place else up there.

The Blue Ridge Pky is a great ride, be aware that it is on National Parks land, if you collect any coupons there they are Federal and very expensive.

Drop down toward Helen and Dahlonega GA, more great riding all over the place there.

have fun, some of the best motorcycle riding in the world in the area.

[teddy]

One of my favorite trips...it took us 10 days there and back from Portsmouth. We rode skyline to the BRP, hit the dragon then the Cherohala skyway. The deer are out till about 10am on the BRP and come back out at 4pm...they're cute...but not when they jump out in front!! On all of our rides we try to avoid highways at all cost...that's why the 10 days...and we just like to ride...There is gas in most of the towns just off the BRP and we never have any trouble from the locals...but when it comes to fuel it is more scarce there...We spent a few days in Maggie Valley exploring the area...loads of fun!!!

[Mustang]

I don't agree that it's more likely that LEOs will be on Cherrycola vs the Dragon, nor that it's 80% likely you'll get a ticket with a near-horizontal plate. I rode up there for a year, past many LEOs, with my plate at about a 40* angle from horizontal under the tail with no problems. And I'd say I saw cops on 129 much more often than on the Skyway... Anyway, YMMV.

[RandyO]

I don't agree that it's more likely that LEOs will be on Cherrycola vs the Dragon, nor that it's 80% likely you'll get a ticket with a near-horizontal plate. I rode up there for a year, past many LEOs, with my plate at about a 40* angle from horizontal under the tail with no problems. And I'd say I saw cops on 129 much more often than on the Skyway... Anyway, YMMV.

on 129, you will only see state police and county mounties for the most part

on the cherohala you don't always see them lurking, they partol for speeders by air sometimes. also have to be on the lookout, for the feds and cherokee tribal, beware they can surprise you from out of nowhere

[markbvt]

I'm planning a trip down to the Dragon in May. More accurately, I'm planning a trip down the BRP and mountains of WV, and as long as I'm down there I'll spend a day riding the Dragon and the other roads down there before heading north again.

Reading that the deer are out on the BRP till 10am does not make me happy. I'm usually on the road by 6:30 or 7 when touring. Guess I'll have to force myself to sleep in or spend a long time at breakfast.

--mark

[Hoss]

As someone who has trucked it down, ridden straight thru, and taken 3-4 days , I can say that those who have never taken the 3-4 days trip have missed a lot of good riding and countryside in between. you will never see it if you don't take the time

I highly recommend taking the time, sure there's a lot of good riding once you get there, there's much more in between

300 miles or so/day on secondary roads does not equate to being tired when you get there or a flat strip down the center of your tires

sport touring is what it is, taking your time, seeing the countryside, not riding 1000 miles in a truck down, then 1000 miles in a truck back home

if your goal is to get to squid heaven as fast as you can, by all means load up a trailer and drive, if your destination is the ride, take your time and do it right

+1
If the Dragon and other local roads are all your looking for, then trailer.

But to me regardless of what roads are down there, it is the trip that is the attraction. The local roads, people, scenery along the way, gas stations, weather, random food stops...all a big part of the fun.

Whatever flips your twinkie though..

[jc r6]

on 129, you will only see state police and county mounties for the most part

+1 ...mostly THP on 129....and they are the worst!

[TheIglu]

You best learn how to properly use the word "DANG!"

[XTR]

Actually on 129 you will also see Blount Co Sheriffs Deputys too.

Mustang when were you there? In the last 2 yrs enforcement has been stepped up, a lot, though 2008 was much more sane than 2007.

I don't know what will happen this summer. Summer of 2007 THP was putting as many as 14 units up there on the weekend and ticketing anything you can imagine, and some things you could not. (guys got tickets for standing up on the pegs)

Since then they have backed it off to a more 'reasonable' level but there are certain things that they seem to have latched onto, and placement of plates on sport bikes is one of them. If your plate is near horizontal and at the back you may be OK. If you have it tucked up under the tail, well, it's your money. Last summer the guys from thespeedtriple.com went down there and several of them were issued tickets for display of plates. As always YMMV, that's why I gave you the 20% chance of not getting cited.

Anyone who does go you'll enjoy the trip.

[XTR]

Here is a really good series showing why regulars on the hill constantly complain about lane crossers. Bad PR for all of us.

http://jalopnik.com/5168730/stop+mot...-of-the-dragon

[oldwheels]

Did you do this trip?

I would like to go down. Would be interested in trailering down. CAmping is fine with me.

[Dangerz0ne]

Nate and I hit the Shady Valley, TN area when we went down. It's about 2 hours from the gap? The mountain roads were endless with so few vehicles it was crazy. We rode around for hours without cars, police, etc. Also, the few locals we did meet were so super friendly. They led us around on some roads. We did trailer down to TN. I couldn't imagine riding the bikes. After a day out on those roads, you just collapse. The twists take a toll. It was one of the best trips I have taken. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much in the crowds, traffic, tourist traps, etc. Have fun!

[Dangerz0ne]

one other thing, always be on the lookout for the big rigs. I don't know why they find it amusing to attempt to navigate on these tight winding roads. We saw one while we were out one day. Basically I came face to face with it around a corner. I was shaking for like an hour after that. scared the shit out of me for real.

[Stiggy]

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead. We didn't go last year because we decided to do the New England Rally. We wanted to do the rally this year, but the cost went up to $800/team, so now we are back to planning a Dragon trip.

I don't know if I want to slab down, BRP on the way back, or BRP down and slab back.

The BRP is hella long, are there any boring portions we could slab around to save some time?

[teamcubco]

You should check out some of the chatter about it being closed for some time due to rock slides.

[NashuaMatt]

Hey guys,

I went down solo last year (trailered) and stayed at the Tuskegee Motel at the beginning of the Hell Bender. Only problems I found were this dry county BS (I had to ask what a dry county was because what it sounded like didn't seem possible...it was) and there was zero nightlife. I drove all the way to Bryson City and even further out to some other "city".

Anyway, I'm headed down within the next month or two and was wondering if anyone has ideas for where to stay that is close to all the fun roads and nightlife (if any). I see that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are not popular on the boards but Gatlinburg seems to be close to all the roads and densley populated enough to go out and have some drinks and fun at night...maybe even meet a couple southern bells haha.

Any info would be hugely appreciated!

[Currently]

Fontana Village when you stay there usually has a night life especially if you are in a rally.

Legends are made there ... no, I am not kidding.

Two Wheel Inn has clean rooms and a fire pit with quite a bit of cameraderie.
Awesome hot showers and the rooms are clean.
You even get your own mini garage to store or fix your bike.

[nerijusj]

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead. We didn't go last year because we decided to do the New England Rally. We wanted to do the rally this year, but the cost went up to $800/team, so now we are back to planning a Dragon trip.

I don't know if I want to slab down, BRP on the way back, or BRP down and slab back.

The BRP is hella long, are there any boring portions we could slab around to save some time?

Yeah, Gap is closed right now due to rockslides. But they should clean it up soon, if I'm not mistaken. I'd suggest trailering bikes down there, as you gonna be tired and it won't be that good of a ride once there. Approx better part of a day to get there. We stayed in Maryville (?), TN last time I went. About 20 min ride from there to US 129. Motels are cheap in that area. Few places to eat, and chicks were hot @ Hooters Not so much for a night life tho, except getting drunk at the chain restaurant bar.

[Stiggy]

No we are going to ride down. No trucks or trailers.

The plan for us is Skyline/Blueridge Parkway most of the way.

Unless there are sucky parts of the blue ridge we can avoid and take the slab to make it a little quicker?

We figure 2 days to get down there, a day or 2 to play around, then slab the 16 hrs back in a day/night. We have no definite plan, just an idea right now.