Tail of the Dragon late Sept

[DragonRider]

Phillips Motel and Cabins is located in Robbinsville, NC, a 20-30 minute ride to the Dragon, Cabins are great and the rates are good too. I have stayed there a couple of times and throughly enjoyed it. It is also very very close to the Skyway.

http://phillipsmotelonline.com/

[jburrell]

Just one more week before I leave. Sure be glad to get away for awhile. My job is easy but high stress and I need to get away from that stress plus the stress of having my home remodeled. I'm heading out about noon next friday and headed to Biloxi. Spending 3 days minimun in the Robbinsville/Asheville area and then heading back via unknown route at this time. I am just gonna turn around at some point and head home route undetermined at this time. Favoring AshevilleNC/louivilleTN/NashvilleTN/MemphisTN/pine Bluff AR/Shreveport/Houston route so far.that allows me to ride in 9 states coming and going. Still Open to company along way. Will post daily where I am headed etc.

 

Later

[rentalguy1]

I would come out and ride the home track with ya while you're here, but the wife is ready to download a new tricycle motor any day now. I was supposed to ride with a group of HD Sportsters over the Dragon last weekend, but I had to bail at the last minute because we thought it was time. If you make it over to Bristol, give me a shout.

[jburrell]

Well first let me say that I am sorry that I did not meet any of the Venture riders out there on this trip, but I seemed to always be running behind and the computer refused to work after the 2nd day. With that said, I made it back from the ride last night after being on the road for 7 days and 6 hours covering 2650 miles of this great country.

Day 1.

I left Houston to ride to Biloxi and I played some poker there and thankfully the players there feld like contributing very genoursly to my trip fund. As a matter of fact I had the best Poker day of my life and made enough for about 3 trips. Getting to Biloxi was an adventure in itself. Outside Lafayett La I ended up on a bridge over the swamp sitting in the road for one and a half hours due to a wreck ahead. Those things happen but less than an hour later I was stopped again and the traffic was bocked for about 15 miles due to an accident and scheduled road closure. Thankfully I had a Garmin with me and it gave me a Detour after I waited 30 minutes on the road and I used it for the detour which may have been longer but at least I wasnt sitting on the road again for several hours.

 

Day 2 was all Poker all day except for a ride down the beach. I got knocked out of the tournament I wanted to play early but the cash tables were very very genourous to me.

 

Day 3

I headed from Biloxi Miss to Robbinsville NC via Chatanooga and the Cherokola Parkway.

I hit road work again and spend 30 minutes outside of Chatanooga sitting on the roadway. Finally getting past that, I rolled into Tellico Plains NC late in the day and after eating headed across the Cherokola Parkway. This is a very beatuiful ride. Take it if you get a chance. I dont have any pictures of it and there are 2 reasons for that with the first being that I was exhaused by the time I got here and the second was that rain and fog moved in at about the midpoint across. It is only about 60 miles from Tellico Plains to Robbinsville NC my destionation but by the time I started across this road I had ridden for 11 hours and had about 2 hours to go to get to my room. I Completed this ride in 13 hours stopping only for gas and food and I was going 85 across most of the state of Alabama. By the way it was 85 Degrees when I left and today it was 35 in the AM with 56 for a high. It stayed this way for the next 6 days.

 

Day 4. Well I stayed at a place called "Steel Horse Stables" This is a new place in Robbinsville and is really just some converted Garage apts at a nice a ladys house. Price is good and the rooms nice and clean but it s not like the others that are established for MC riders and campers. Today I ride "The Dragon" . I rode out about 8:30 am and had some breakfast in DT Robbinsville. This is not a big town and there is not much here except the Dragon but if you want to eat then Eat at Lynns Restraunt on Main St. Service was excellent and the Steak was great. After breakfast I headed out for the Dragon..its easy to find from here. I rode the Dragon north to the Tennesse side and turned around and rode back. On the way back I had stopped and saw a flock of turkeys not ten feet away. Had a great time on the Dragon and on the southern end is "Deals Gap Motorcyle Resort". I met lots of riders there and in fact met a guy that does pinstriping and attaches patches to coats and vest. This was Dennis and he rode a Venture. Dennis noticed my bike as I got gas next to his tent awning he has setup and noticed that my back tire was worn. Yep, here I was almost 1100 miles from home and suddenly there was no tread left on the center of my rear tire. However, Dennis had a spare he needed to sell and he not only gave me a decent price he installed it to for $30, How could I say no. After spending about 3 hours getting the tire to Deals Gap and getting it installed I rode the " Dragon" again and the headed back to Robbinsville via "Moonshiner 28" and in my opinion this is just as good a ride as the "Dragon" and its speed limit is better.

Day 4

I spent going to Cherokee NC this is where the Blue Ridge Parkway starts and guess what. I found a Casino there. I spent some time there and didn't do well. I headed to my room and guess what. This town in the mountains with only 2 roads in and out decided to have a parade during the 5pm traffic. I went 1.7 miles to my Hotel in only 45 minutes. Ain't I lucky. The ride to Cherokee from Robbinsville was very nice.

 

Day 5 I started outside to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway at 8:30 and it was 35 outside and my bike gave me a heck of time getting it started and I was just about to give up and it decided it would run. My guess is, the the PO turned off the Carb heaters. I left hotel and headed out the Blue Ridge Parkway and its a very nice road with great views which would probably be better above 60 degrees. Anyway, I had a great ride on the BRP and I rode about 160 miles of it and finally decided I was tired of the cold and decided to get off the BRP and head west for Nashville Tennesse. My first mistake was believing I could take any road west and get back to a major road and decent speed limit in a resonable time. My second mistake was exiting at a little town named Little Switzerland NC. Supposedly a great place to eat, but not a place you ever want to take the seconday road out of. Without a doubt in my mind, hwy 26a west from Little Switzerland is the road that no motorcycle should ever be allowed to travel. This road is most likely the most dangerous motorcyle road ever concieved. If I had to rate the Dragon and this 26a the the Dragon would get a 5 of 10 and 26a would get a 20. DONT GO THERE!!! You've been warned. This road has deadly curves that surpass 180 degrees with inclines and the road is not banked properly. The road at points had severe dropoffs and none of the curves are marked. You find out about the curve as you go around it. About 2 hours into this harrowing ride at 20 miles an hour and less I come across....you guessed it "road work" The good old flagman waves his flag and I sit on a road again for about 15 minutes 3 different times before I get to another major road way. Once I get to a real highway I head for Nashville Tennessee. I dont get there today as I fall short about 85 miles after another 13 hour days ride. I had planned on spending a day in Nashville but now I just want to get out of this %^& cold weather. I'll hit the road fresh tomorrow.

Day 6

Today I am heading more westerly knowing that I am heading home with my next stop planned for Shreveport La. I head out interstate 40 heading west trusting my Garmin to get me home. Well, its a long way from Nashville Tennesse to Shreveport La and according to my Garmin you have to cross all of Tennesse and all of Arkansas before you head south to Shreveport La. I left my hotel at 5:50 am in 38degree weather and by the time I got to Arkansas it was 85. As I rode along the Interstate at 85 mph I realised how hot it was getting and had to stop several times to take off the weather layers I was wearing. At Littlerock Ark you finally head south towards Shreveport and turn south on road that must be fairly new. I was gong to Gas up at the exit south from 40 as I was sitting on about 140 miles on this tank of gas. Guess what? There is no gas or anything on that exit or anywhere on the new road south or any road that crosses it. Nearing the end of this new road I was really getting concerned about gas but when I saw the sign that this road ends in 2 miles I though Great now I will get some gas. NOPE! Nothing here either. I headed south on 251 thinking, well there will be a town around the next corner of hill. Finally at 190 miles from my last fillup, I spotted a country store that had gas. It was now about 3:30 and Garmin was telling me I would get to my hotel about 6:30 but as it turns out I was less that 30 miles from Shreveport. I stayed at the Horseshoe hotel mainly because I wanted the Luxury it provided. If you ever stay here you will love the beds here. I treated my self to a very long hot bath in an oversided tub and rested for about 2 hours befor hitting the buffet of seafood that was great. Obviously, if I am at a hotel/casino I am going to play some poker and here for the first time in 3 visits I give them back some of their money. Oh well, still got a good amout left over from Biloxi.

Day 7

I get up late and check the bike out and decide to hit the poker table for a short while befor heading home and I should have headed home in the AM and I get very unlucky a few times. See la vee. I take off about 2pm heading south on Hwy 59 and finally get home at 7pm on the 7th day of my ride.

 

Would I do it again. Not without 2 or 3 weeks to enjoy the trip. Travel time was always longer and harder than anticipated . The weather didnt cooperate but I must admit the Venture has to be one of the best handling best riding bikes out there. My bike held up beautifully with no issues and flew down those interstates at 85 for hour after hour with not a single problem. Would I go somewhere else like Colorado or perhaps Palo Duro Canyon in West Texas? Maybe next year.

I have a number of Videos that I took from my ride but the stabilization makes them less that stellar and the size makes them hard to post but here are some of the pics I took along the way including how my bike was set up to hold the clothes for this trip. Yes the box drug the ground on some of the really sharp curves but suffered little for it.

 

If you get a change to go to the "Tail of the Dragon", Blue Ridge Parkway or the Cherokola Parkway by all means go and enjoy them as this is a beautiful country that should be enjoyed.

Without this site and the support from its members I would never have tried this type of trip so to all of you a Big Thanks

Sorry this was some long.

Now to get some much needed rest!

[Kregerdoodle]

Sounds like ya had a great time, even with all the road const. Great pics too, thanks for sharing.

 

K

[Squidley]

We were thinking about you yesterday Jim, good to hear your trip was a good one. We have done the dragon before and it's a good ride, some of the country's best riding is right in that area. That area in Tennessee was almost our new home before we pulled the trigger for Texas.

[pktexas]

Jim, glad your trip was fun and safe.. Liked the pics. See at the next meet and looking to some good stories. Welcome home.

[Ponch]

Welcome back James. Thanks for the pics.

[Sleeperhawk]

 

 

Day 5. Anyway, I had a great ride on the BRP and I rode about 160 miles of it and finally decided I was tired of the cold and decided to get off the BRP and head west for Nashville Tennesse. My first mistake was believing I could take any road west and get back to a major road and decent speed limit in a resonable time. My second mistake was exiting at a little town named Little Switzerland NC. Supposedly a great place to eat, but not a place you ever want to take the seconday road out of. Without a doubt in my mind, hwy 26a west from Little Switzerland is the road that no motorcycle should ever be allowed to travel. This road is most likely the most dangerous motorcyle road ever concieved. If I had to rate the Dragon and this 26a the the Dragon would get a 5 of 10 and 26a would get a 20. DONT GO THERE!!! You've been warned. This road has deadly curves that surpass 180 degrees with inclines and the road is not banked properly. The road at points had severe dropoffs and none of the curves are marked. You find out about the curve as you go around it. About 2 hours into this harrowing ride at 20 miles an hour and less I come across...

 

 

Oh hell, now I have to ride that 26a. :cool10:

[naturbar]

wife and i rode part of the BRP yesterday - unfortunately we had to get back home to attend a friends 80th b-day party...what an outstanding day to run....crystal blue skies and the temp was just right..we stopped in Boone at Mountain House restaurant for breakfast then headed out for BRP.... looks like you had a wonderful trip !