NEED SUGGESTIONS! Deals Gap area

[nilez]

Myself and 3 of my buddies are taking special liberty on Memorial Day weekend to head up to the Gap and ride. We're trailering the bikes up from Milton, FL, staying at a campground in Townsend, TN and riding 2 days. Two of my buddies have never seen the tail of the dragon, so we're definitely going to ride that, but I need some suggestions from you veterans of the area on other roads within a day's ride that we can hit up. This will be my 3rd time to the gap, but have never branched out to any of the other local spots that I keep hearing about. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

[mycirus]

Have you been to Tailofthedragon.com . Lots of info there with routes.

[sdog30]

28 is pretty fun (the road that lead up to the gap)

Blue Ridge

Charahalla (sp?)

Blood mountain

I went last year and stayed at Fontana Damn, so I would shoot up to the dragon first thing in the morning, hit that and then go on a longer ride during the day, then hit the dragon again before heading back to the resort. Rt 28 goes from the Fontana Village resort up to the CROT and is pretty fun to ride. The part of 28 that heads away from the resort is nice too. Most of the crashes I saw during that week were on 28.

They have a campground at Fontana Village, so might want to look in to camping there. Then your right in the center of it all.
http://www.fontanavillage.com/accomm...ampground.html

[Half Squid]

I have a list of roads/loops I will have to dig out! There are a few others on here that can give you some idea's also.

I need to plan a trip for this september!!!! Bruce, Sam, Clayton, KB is the list so far! Don't even say no! Come on, ready??? Who else?

Off the top of my head. Wolf pen Gap in GA.
Cherohala Skyway ( Other end of 129 = Looong sweepers!!) Great scenic road
Blue Ridge parkway ( Careful, high speeding tickets issued by Rangers cn = up to $500 on the spot and or mandatory court apperance....)
Rt 28 south from the Gap all the way into the Highlands. Very nice!
Wayah road. Take rt 129 south to 174/19 North First right is Wayah rd

The other end of Cherohala Heading North, take a right on Rt 360 (nice road!), then boring rt to 441 east back to the north side and back onto 129S to the Dragon is a nise short 200 mile loop from the Dragon and back.

[nilez]

Thanks guys! Half squid, if you can dig up that list you have and PM me that'd be kickass! The past times I've gone to the gap we did nearly the same route: took 441 through the mountains, to 174/19, south to 28, then the dragon. Still planning on doing a similar route this trip, but like I said, looking to get 2 days of riding in so I'd like to do something different on the second day. Cherohala Skyway sounds like fun, I've heard of it several times from different people. Is there a bike shop up that way called "Wheelers" if my memory serves me correctly?

[TheIglu]

I need to plan a trip for this september!!!! Bruce, Sam, Clayton, KB is the list so far! Don't even say no! Come on, ready??? Who else?

I'm game. Shoot me a date ASAP.

[sdog30]

Thanks guys! Half squid, if you can dig up that list you have and PM me that'd be kickass! The past times I've gone to the gap we did nearly the same route: took 441 through the mountains, to 174/19, south to 28, then the dragon. Still planning on doing a similar route this trip, but like I said, looking to get 2 days of riding in so I'd like to do something different on the second day. Cherohala Skyway sounds like fun, I've heard of it several times from different people. Is there a bike shop up that way called "Wheelers" if my memory serves me correctly?

Wheelers is on 129. Several miles after the CROT if you are heading on 129 from Tenn to NC. Good guy.

Just a fun fact: If you get a speeding ticket in Tennesee and you are from outside the state, it's a fix-it ticket for your first one. You pay like a $50 fee and no points.

[NobodySpecific]

I don't remember how far "The Snake" is from the gap, but I thought it was more fun than the gap, mainly because we were all alone on the road and there wasn't a cop for miles. The Gap had 2 cops at all times, and they changed locations seemingly every 15 or 30 minutes, so they had moved between the time we went up and back. I assume that the one end that was closed is open again?

[bbhzx10]

This fall Mike? Ok, no trailers though.

[markbvt]

The Dragon is overrated. It's fun, but there are much better roads in the area. The Dragon reminded me of what you'd get if you told a 12-year-old to design a good motorcycle road -- lots of tight corners but very little variety. It draws too much traffic from people who session it and never bother to explore other roads in the area, and therefore it's heavily patrolled by cops (they hide around corners and move around regularly), so keep your speed down. Definitely go check it out, if for no other reason than to say you've ridden it, but then go enjoy the less crowded roads in the area.

Definitely check out the southernmost 60 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway (awesome scenery and fun sweepers); the Cherohala Skyway (awesome scenery and everything from tight corners to long sweepers with plenty of elevation changes); Rt 441 through Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and the Snake (TN Rt 421 between Mountain City and Bristol -- awesome road with lots of tight corners and elevation changes and a lot less traffic than the Dragon). If you have the time, also check out Rt 58 in southern VA between Damascus and Grayson Highlands State Park, and Rt 16 between Marion and Tazewell, VA.

--mark

[Half Squid]

This fall Mike? Ok, no trailers though.

Fine I'll load my bike in the bed of my truck.... I still don't have a bike worthy of that much distance without killing my back and wrists... Meet you down there.

Clay, I will PM you and a few PPL the week I can go. Same week as when you KB, Jenn & I went pretty much!

[nilez]

The Dragon is overrated. It's fun, but there are much better roads in the area. The Dragon reminded me of what you'd get if you told a 12-year-old to design a good motorcycle road -- lots of tight corners but very little variety. It draws too much traffic from people who session it and never bother to explore other roads in the area, and therefore it's heavily patrolled by cops (they hide around corners and move around regularly), so keep your speed down. Definitely go check it out, if for no other reason than to say you've ridden it, but then go enjoy the less crowded roads in the area.

Definitely check out the southernmost 60 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway (awesome scenery and fun sweepers); the Cherohala Skyway (awesome scenery and everything from tight corners to long sweepers with plenty of elevation changes); Rt 441 through Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and the Snake (TN Rt 421 between Mountain City and Bristol -- awesome road with lots of tight corners and elevation changes and a lot less traffic than the Dragon). If you have the time, also check out Rt 58 in southern VA between Damascus and Grayson Highlands State Park, and Rt 16 between Marion and Tazewell, VA.

--mark

Sweet! Thanks for the suggestions! The reasons you gave for finding other roads and branching out away from the dragon are exactly why I started this thread. I think we're going to figure out a route to hit up the Cherohala Skyway for sure.

[sdog30]

The Dragon is overrated. It's fun, but there are much better roads in the area. The Dragon reminded me of what you'd get if you told a 12-year-old to design a good motorcycle road -- lots of tight corners but very little variety. It draws too much traffic from people who session it and never bother to explore other roads in the area, and therefore it's heavily patrolled by cops (they hide around corners and move around regularly), so keep your speed down. Definitely go check it out, if for no other reason than to say you've ridden it, but then go enjoy the less crowded roads in the area.

Definitely check out the southernmost 60 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway (awesome scenery and fun sweepers); the Cherohala Skyway (awesome scenery and everything from tight corners to long sweepers with plenty of elevation changes); Rt 441 through Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and the Snake (TN Rt 421 between Mountain City and Bristol -- awesome road with lots of tight corners and elevation changes and a lot less traffic than the Dragon). If you have the time, also check out Rt 58 in southern VA between Damascus and Grayson Highlands State Park, and Rt 16 between Marion and Tazewell, VA.

--mark

Over-rated for someone on a harley or sport tourer but real fun on a motard or sport bike. IMO

I do agree that I would never spend all day hitting the dragon and there are alot of really nice roads in that area.

[markbvt]

Over-rated for someone on a harley or sport tourer but real fun on a motard or sport bike. IMO

I never said it wasn't a fun road, just that there are a number of others nearby that are more fun.

--mark

[RandyO]

Rt 28 south to Wahala,SC
Chatooga Road (S37) & rt to Clayton, GA
76, 197 & 356 to Helen, GA
348 & 180 to Suches, GA
60 & 68 to Telleco Plains, TN
Cherohala back to Robbinsville or take 360/441 & 129 route Half Squid outlined

long day 400+ miles

I might be up for a trip to the Dragon this fall if I don't go to Arizona

[jtryz]

Hey bro, i just moved up from Ga this year and ride Blood MT, Deals Gap, moonshine 28 and hellbender prob about 2 times a month till mid Nov.

PM me if you need more help where to stay or rides. There are some really great roads south in NC that the tourists don't go to. We typically put about 300+ miles in a days ride so if thats your thing let me know. Good luck, I have attached the best place to stay (my opinion) if you camp? They also have cabins, a 24 hour lodge to watch big screens, bonfires at night and sell beer (you ask for popcorn) so its great. Also a google map for ya, have fun....

http://www.ironhorsenc.com/

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...6&ie=UTF8&z=10

[KB]

Mike you're such a nice guy and all....................but WTF ok you talked me into it. Eff it I am in. As long as it's not the weekend that MotoGP is in Indy cuz I will be there!

KB

[Half Squid]

PM's Sent...

Mike you're such a nice guy and all....................but WTF ok you talked me into it. Eff it I am in. As long as it's not the weekend that MotoGP is in Indy cuz I will be there!

KB

[jtryz]

Myself and 3 of my buddies are taking special liberty on Memorial Day weekend to head up to the Gap and ride. We're trailering the bikes up from Milton, FL, staying at a campground in Townsend, TN and riding 2 days. Two of my buddies have never seen the tail of the dragon, so we're definitely going to ride that, but I need some suggestions from you veterans of the area on other roads within a day's ride that we can hit up. This will be my 3rd time to the gap, but have never branched out to any of the other local spots that I keep hearing about. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

o ya, IMO.
Memorial weekend is full with cruisers and every squid in a 500 mile radius. Also the troopers there play NO games at all over these weekends. Speed limit says 30-35 on the gap. It means 32-37, trust me. Also be very aware of the families in mini vans that do not stay in their lanes while coming at you. They all thing that the short cut is to go right in your lane . Be safe, be smart , have fun.....

Allot of folks think 129 is a short cut to thier family runions and camping and so on, they have no idea its covered with 100's of motorcycles. THEY ARE ALL CLUELESS!!!