Back of the Dragon

[etcswjoe]

A friend of mine pointed this out to me, I am not to thrilled about the name but being one of the roads I grew up riding it is a nice ride.

 

 

http://backofthedragon.com/

[TheKid]

Looks like a great road to ride and I will have to make it up there in a day ride from charlotte. I agree with you, I am not a fan of the name either.

 

Ride Safe and enjoy the great roads we have across the country.

 

TheKid

[AKRefugee]

My Sweetie and I did that ride a few weeks ago, didn't know it had a name.

it is a ride that is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced. You climb up

and over 3 ridges that take you as high as about 3100 ft to the valleys at

about 1100 to 1200 ft. Corners are 15 to 20 mph. You had better know

how to use your engine as a brake or you will boil your brake fluids. Met

a couple of Harley riders that were pulled over letting their brakes cool.

 

I was told the scenery was spectacular by my rider but I was so focused

on the road I did not get to see much of it. Of course i didn't mind because

I love riding tight twisties.

 

If you have ever ridden in SoCal around Julian it is similar to the Banner Grade

but not as wide and some of the corners are a bit tighter.

[Venturous Randy]

Been through there before and it is a nice ride. Don't like the Dragon name, but we also have "The Snake" locally also.

RandyA

[guns_usn_20]

I rode the Back of the Dragon Last weekend. I loved it. Be careful there are Log and coal trucks running the road. They will cross the yellow line in the corners.

[Skid]

Been there - rode that. I took off one day from home and went to Fancy Gap to hit the Parkway. I went about 50 miles and headed back north to cross I-81 and up the Back of the Dragon. Nice ride.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/19/b01c98b2dc51122e05deeeae524458c1.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/19/1a41251c0f3146ad50929c500596709a.jpg

Edited October 20, 2015 by Skid

[cowpuc]

I wonder if this is anywhere near a small town that the mainstreet is also the Tennessee/Georgia border (TN on one side, GA on the other).. Years ago my daughter and I rode thru a town like that and ended up shortly after on some of the tightest switchbacks I have ever ridden - the kind that absolutely no way would a semi truck EVER be able to make the corners,, I doubt even a dump truck could make em.. Sound familiar to anyone? Would LOVE to find that place again!!

[etcswjoe]

We did a M&E last year at my brothers house and Road the Back of the Dragon, might have to do it again next year.

 

[Max]

Ran the Back last summer. Had to slow right down to a crawl on most of the twisties because of loose gravel on a few inside switchback lanes.

Looked as if the longer trucks pulled gravel off the inside shoulders on really tight corners. Sort of took away from what should have

been a good ride. It was bad timing that day . This is one of our favorite areas to ride and have made it an annual.

 

 

[Edbo]

I wonder if this is anywhere near a small town that the mainstreet is also the Tennessee/Georgia border (TN on one side, GA on the other).. Years ago my daughter and I rode thru a town like that and ended up shortly after on some of the tightest switchbacks I have ever ridden - the kind that absolutely no way would a semi truck EVER be able to make the corners,, I doubt even a dump truck could make em.. Sound familiar to anyone? Would LOVE to find that place again!!

 

 

Could it have been the town of mcCaysville GA, and copper hill TN. And then you would have gotten on the road going down to a little cross roads called Suches GA? That is some good riding also if you've never been there.

[cowpuc]

Could it have been the town of mcCaysville GA, and copper hill TN. And then you would have gotten on the road going down to a little cross roads called Suches GA? That is some good riding also if you've never been there.

 

Not sure @Edbo,, will have to get on mapquest and see if that looks at all familiar,, hope you hit it cause it was a LONG time ago (think my daughter was 12ish when we were there - she is 34ish now) and I would LOVE to ride thru there again..

More on it,, we came in from the Georgia side and on the eastern end of the town,, rode the "state line" road that divides the towns in an westerly direction.. I would guesstimate that we were no more than 8 or 10 miles out of town, leaving westerly and I believe now in Tennessee, going sharply down hill and came to some switchbacks that literally hugged the mountain making a "U" around the edge of the mountain itself.. Really tight but WAYYYY COOL!!

 

Thanks for the info whether it is the spot or not!! Will let you know if it looks familiar on a map..

[Mike G in SC]

We had a Southeast "STAR" BQ in Kingsport, 5/14. In 3 days they had 3 rides available each day. For the "technical ride" I think they combined US 58 and then south on the Back of the Dragon and returned on 81 as about a 150 mile ride.

Yeah, that is an awesome ride for sure. As four of us rode the Tail of the Dragon Monday (this week) our talk went back to THAT RIDE on Back of the Dragon. ,,,, yep.

[ToyOdie]

The wife and I are looking at retiring in a couple of years and moving around Greenville, SC. I can't wait to get the bike (and our 79" Spitfire) out in the hills.

[Mike G in SC]

The wife and I are looking at retiring in a couple of years and moving around Greenville, SC. I can't wait to get the bike (and our 79" Spitfire) out in the hills.

 

Awesome, someone in FL retiring and moving NORTH,,, to SOUTH Carolina.

You are picking a great area. It is the starting point for most rides that get you to the mountains.

Here in Columbia area, takes us two hours to get to that point.

 

I met a couple with the Greenville STAR group who told me they moved there because of a conversation I had with them at a STAR thing in Branson a few years ago.

They were thinking Charleston, low country. I explained sand fleas and humidity from when I grew up in Beaufort SC. They moved to Greenville and love it.

[flynvy5]

Yes i remember that ride. Not crazy about the name but it was a challenge (mike we won't talk about the ride to get there before lunch or the facebook post).

[Edbo]

Not sure @Edbo,, will have to get on mapquest and see if that looks at all familiar,, hope you hit it cause it was a LONG time ago (think my daughter was 12ish when we were there - she is 34ish now) and I would LOVE to ride thru there again..

More on it,, we came in from the Georgia side and on the eastern end of the town,, rode the "state line" road that divides the towns in an westerly direction.. I would guesstimate that we were no more than 8 or 10 miles out of town, leaving westerly and I believe now in Tennessee, going sharply down hill and came to some switchbacks that literally hugged the mountain making a "U" around the edge of the mountain itself.. Really tight but WAYYYY COOL!!

 

Thanks for the info whether it is the spot or not!! Will let you know if it looks familiar on a map..

 

 

When you said you was going in a westward direction then you could have came thru the towns I listed and about 8 to 10 miles out of town you could have been on what's called now hiway 64, it follows a river called the Ocoee river around thru the mountains and it does have some curves that the rocks overhang the road in some areas. These two towns are the only ones I know of that has the state line drawn on the road. Some others that live up that way may know some other towns that meet that discription. You know that was 22 years ago and roads have changed since then.