Dragon Closed Until July 31st.

[KarlS]

Read this today on the Sickshooter Motorcycle web site.

 

 

Popular motorcycle attraction, Dragon's Tail possibly closed for months

Friday, 26 March 2010 | Written by Shaggy | Print | E-mail

 

If you notice some motorcycle enthusiasts with a lost and worried look on their face, it may just be performance anxiety.

 

The anxiety has nothing to do with any personal issues, but losing the opportunity to flex the motorcycle performance muscle as Mother Nature closes the king of all 'twisties', the legendary Dragon's Tail.

 

20Located primarily in Deals Gap, North Carolina the mountainside eleven mile stretch of road boasts a mind-blowing and constantly leaning 318 curves attracting bikers and drivers alike from all over the world. A rock slide has blocked the road with authorities expecting the route to remain closed until July 31st while crews cleanup.

 

The rock slide, occurred on March 14th just as traffic by motorcyclists and thrill-seekers was about to pick up. The clean up process is expected to start on April 1st.

 

The southbound lane was reopened briefly after the slide but was closed again because of safety concerns.

 

The Dragon's Tail runs through both North Carolina and Tennessee, the rock slide has closed the road from near Chilhowee Lake to the North Carolina line. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will be responsible for awarding the contract to clean up Mother Nature's mess, but its the amount of time the job could take that has local businesses relying on tourism worried.

 

"There's a possibility that we could lose the business," Jody Montgomery told Knox News discussing the Punkin Center Motorcycle Resort, located near the Dragon's Tail, "No one realized what impact it (the road closure) would have on this community until now."

 

Authorities say the time is needed for contractors experienced in rock slide clearance and stabilization to transport the specialized equipment needed for such a job.

[papaw Len]

I have to add my tears to this post as I am an avid fan to this road. I live only an hour from the tail and cannot wait for the reopening.

papaw Len.

[Iowawegian]

Well .................shoot. The hubby and I are taking the boys on a bike trip to Kentucky in June and the only request Gary had was to make sure and go to the Dragon as long as we were so close.

Thanks for the info, though!!!

[royalstarjac]

July 31 is optimistic IMO. We shall see...

[tufftom4]

I had planed to go to Ashville May 7-13th camp out and do that ride, now I am totally bummed out.

[Squidley]

As much as it is a bummer for the businesses about the dragon being closed down, there are so many great riding road within 100 miles of the dragon nobody has to do without the twisties. I did the dragon once, with a trailer behind me on a 1st gen. It's a fun road, but there are too many aholes on it that have zero regard for anyone else. I have no want to go back to 129

[Skid]

Riding the Dragon is OK and it's nice to be able to say "been there, done that" but there are a lot of others beautiful roads all over that territory that you will enjoy just as much. And you don't have to worry about the other idiots trying to break records on the Dragon.....

[mini-muffin]

I had planed to go to Ashville May 7-13th camp out and do that ride, now I am totally bummed out.

If you're gonna be there in May get in touch with 1rooster he lives near there and can tell you some really great roads to take that are way better then the dragon. Here's his profile page to get in touch with him.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/member.php?u=1759

Margaret

[Solodadof2]

Went to the deals gap website not to dispair there has been a huge bonus offered for an early completion, to reopen the dragon. they have to start by April 5th but can start earlier. Cross your fingers that the weather out there is good and there are no more set backs. Me personally I was headed out that direction this July, but would rather plan it for another time when it is safe than for them to rush and do a half )(* job.

[Venturous Randy]

I had planed to go to Ashville May 7-13th camp out and do that ride, now I am totally bummed out.

 

Not familar with the Asheville may 7-13 campout. Is this bike related? Or is this even Asheville, NC?

RandyA

[tufftom4]

I have that week off and my dad will be back up north so I am going to trailer my bike up there with my 2 dogs camp and ride the BRP. I did Skyline Dr and the BRP to Ashville now I want to ride the rest of it and the Smokey Mnts.