Going to the Dragon next week!

Well, I have a little lull between projects and have decided to go up and ride the gap for the first time. I think we are going to camp when we get up there to save some money and enjoy the cool weather while it last.

I know this is a busy road, but some advice, or whatever would be recommended.
Thanks,
David

 

Check in the store for the official timing and scoring befor any hot laps. Hate for them to miss your hot lap.

 

Don't forget your camera crew as well, and some good beats to go along with it as well.

 

A new Gap record....perhaps..?

 

Umbrella girl on CL?

 

Should be a good time of year to go. I went a couple years ago in October and it was after the summer crowds. Was a great trip. I have been on some great roads but never anything like that. It really is worth going. I just can't believe they built a road like that.


Ride safe,
AAron

 

Make sure you video tape!!!:up:

 

watch out for the LEOs and be safe....people are going to be comming at you crossing over the yellow all the time.

dont forget to take pics of the "racers"

 

make sure to leave the race body on your bike

 

As much as people like to knock riding the Dragon, it is an awesome road, if you are into riding the public hiways. I do ride it quite a bit, but I know I am slow so I don't try to break any records. Draik is the racer in my family. Be sure to check out US129Photos.com for some great pics of your visit. They are also WERA racers. PM me some details on your visit, maybe Draik and I could swing down your way...

 

If you're gonna fit in there at least bring your laptimer and umbrella girl

 

Right now is a great time. Zero leos since last Oct, even on weekends. No leaves on the trees so one can look thru the turns alot more. And almost zero pirates clog'n up the road this time of year. Actually not many squids either,..=open fun road. Absolutely no one on it today. 81* and sunny.

And watch out for those crazy locals.

 

OK, how about a serious reply,.....if you are serious about going up on the hill. As a local, I'm very familiar with the road and the hazards of riding up there.
1. Go to enjoy the road and scenery, not to make it your "personal" trackday.
2. Plan on an unbelievable amount of traffic on the weekend (if you are there on a Sat or Sunday)
3. Not only do you want to stay in YOUR lane, stay AWAY from the center line. I can almost guarantee that you will encounter at least a few, to several cars/trucks/motorcycles/whatever, on your side of the road when you come around a corner.
4. Make sure that you are ready to give 100% of your attention to the ride. One small mistake up there and you are either over the side of the mountain or into a rock wall. Either way, it's not going to a happy ending.
5. Medical response will take approx. 45 minutes to an hour to arrive and then if you would happen to need to be airlifted, you would have another 1/2 hour minimum before that could happen, as you would have to be transported to somewhere that a chopper can land and load.
6. Paved pull offs..........use them if someone want to pass you. There are a bunch of them up there now and just because someone comes up behind you at a faster pace, doesn't mean that you have to step it up a notch.............pull off and let them pass!

Seriously, I'm not trying to discourage you from enjoying the road, but just be smart about it and allow yourself to come home in one piece. At the track there are medical personnel standing by, up there..........not so much.

Make sure that you check out N.C. 28 which is the road that is at the Deals Gap resort. It's a great road also, but beware........there are some 15 MPH corner there and several people have died in recent years because it sneaks up on them. Again, medical help is a long ways off........way beyond the golden hour of survival.

You have to do the Cherohala skyway too. It basically starts in Robbinsville, N.C. and goes all the way to Tellico Plains, TN across the mountains. Make sure that you have enough gas to go at least 50 to 60 miles, as there are NO food, water, gas, or anything else once you start across it. Same as above as far as medical attention. The skyway is absolutely beautiful and scenic, just don't try to make a race track out of it. If you make the return trip back across (from Tellico Plains to Robbinsville) watch out for a very dangerous right hand decreasing radius corner at the 10 mile marker on the North Carolina side of the mountain. Several fatalities there, as well as a bunch of wadded up bikes over the years. Oh, I almost forgot! If you like waterfalls, stop by Bald River Falls on the Tellico Plains end of the skyway. The turnoff for it is at the 5 mile marker on the Tennessee side of the mountains.

Have fun, be safe and enjoy the great roads of E. TN. Hope this helps

 

The first thing I saw in the first corner of the first day on that road was a state trooper car with lights and siren coming at me yelling and waving his hat followed by a semi trailer taking up every inch of the road. Have fun!:up:

 

On your way up the first time, don't be crazy. Enjoy the road and check for the leo's. After that open it up a bit more and enjoy. Hellbender and the Skyway are great rides too. I think I like the Skyway better than the dragon. Higher speed and less traffic.

 

Last weekend there was very little traffic. Seriously.(one could sometimes get a clean run, and on a Sat!, which is unheard of), despite awesome weather. I think the economy has hit everywhere. Its just that time of year too..meaning its too early for vacationers to go there. That won't last for long tho. But even then, after about 6pm on Sat, the road becomes almost empty.

Busiest time is always around lunch fwiw, since its a lunch destination for many.

carry on.

 

im a "local" to the gap... take your time.. youll NEVER learn the road so dont try to.. dont be stupid... leave that for me and u2b.......

pm me details of said trip and ill show ya around...

 

Keep your eyes peeled. I had a head on with a car when I went there. He was completely out of control coming out of a corner and hit me head on while on his way across my lane to the grass on the other side. It was very ugly. This could of course happen anywhere but that place has a higher ratio of ridiculousness perhaps.

 

I coming down with a group on the 31st. We'll be staying at Philips Motel in Robbinsville. We'll be heading back on April 4th. Hope to see ya down there!

 

Another "local" here. I am having the umbrella girl type this, as she is sitting in my lap and can reach the keyboard better. As stated, stay in your lane and don't let your pecker do the driving. You will get passed. You will pass. No one cares what anyone's time is. Never met anyone up there worth a damn who ever mentioned even timing a pass. Mostly folks just want to stay safe and have fun. I say this as someone who helped retrieve a wadded-up R1 up there yesterday. That fellow had a long drive back home to make what was surely an interesting call to his insurance agent.