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Showing results for tags 'dragon'.
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Hello Everyone! Just got back from an amazing trip south. Road the Skyline and the Blueridge all the way down to Gatlinburgh and back. While I was down that far I decided to ride the Dragon. What ride,318 turns in 11 miles. I have to say the Venture did very well on the whole trip. What an amazing bike! Not even a hit of trouble and handled great! Been wanting to do this for awhile now so I can scratch this off my bucket list!
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Well, we made it back Saturday afternoon. Ran the Dragon, Moonshiner 28 down into Georgia and the Cherohala Skyway. Went to Clingmans Dome, almost had a heart attack walking up, but worth it once you see the view. Beautiful scenery. Thare aren't any roads like that here in Michigan. Personally, I think the Moonshiner 28 is an under rated road. That thing was very technical. Every bit as much as the dragon. Especially with the trailer on the back! I will definately go back and ride them again.
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Yea I know over rated, to busy etc. I have done it once entering from the north up by the Fontana Dam I think it is. In October the wife and I have a trip planned to Franklin Nc for a week. I was thinking about mostly shorter day trip maybe 2hr to somewhere shop etc then maybe an hour over to some other littel town and hour or so there working our way back. I was thinking of up 28 across the Cherola to Teleco up to the Dam area and then down the Dragon. If your riding the Dragon do you prefer making the trip from the north side or the south?
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Did 400+ miles in 14 hours yesterday in just picture perfect weather, and hit some of the best GA-NC-TN roads you'll ever ride in a day. Starting from the 'burbs in Marietta, we did back roads to Dahlonega, northeast up over Blood Mountain to Brasstown Bald, up to Hawassee, then lunch in Murphy NC. Shopped a little at Cherokee Cycle, then up to Rt. 28 (Hellbender 28) along the Nantahala River to Deals Gap. A little more shopping, then rode The Dragon up and back again, then down to Robbinsville, then west on the Cherohala Skyway to Tellico Plains, south on Rt. 68 to Blue Ridge, and then home. What a great day, but I'm feeling it a little today. The RSV did awesome in the thousands of twisties we hit all day. I never even had to get out of 2nd gear on the Dragon, and it just glided in and out of the 318 turns it throws at you in 11 miles. This is where you really appreciate the leveling link mod the most. And the Cherohala is just a fabulous ride all by itself. Gonna do that one again next month. Worth the trip from anywhere.
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I am thinking of going to ride the Dragon next week. I really know nothing of it. Does anyone have an address of something in the area that I could Plug into my gps to get me there? Thanks
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Hey didn't see this asked or ans. anywhere. Need a few opinions. Wife and I are in Asheville rode the Parkway here yesterday and my rear brake overheated. It's an 09 RSV and this has never happened to me before. We had planned to ride the Tail of the Dragon today and I was wanting to know what others thought. Would it be safe? Does them overheating once make it easier to do again? I think once they have colled they should be fine but I'm not 100% sure. Need thoughts
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After reading the post about the recent death on the Dragon I am going to confess. I had much rather ride roads where I can view the scenery than fight a bunch of curves. My style of riding is cruising and being able to see in the distance. When I ride curves such as the Dragon I don't enjoy it and get nothing out of it. I know it seems most riders like the curves and that is their world of motorcycling but it is not mine. Am I the oddball or are their others? Give me a straight road and a few sweeping curves are ok and elevation where I can see out and I am one happy rider. Leave the switchbacks to someone else. My2c. Bill
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I rode the tail of the dragon yesterday and it was crazy. Way too many idiots with no regard for human life yours or theirs. The tn leo's had 2 units with hand held radar guns working and it didn't faze the speed demons. Wolfie and I pass through today in the pu and saw 1 tn leo with radar two others with a wreck they had the rider lying out on his/her back beside the road. I think that is damn good place to stay away from.
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My wife and I spent a week in Tennessee and had a great time. Left the bike at home but ended up on the Tail of the Dragon. We were at Cades Cove and took a secondary road out of the park and ended up on the Tail of The Dragon as got off the secondary road. I came around a corner and they were taking pictures. So, here's proof that I made it but it wasn't how I visioned it in my dreams!! Maybe next time it will be on a cycle!!!!
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Boomer and I are fixing to be heading out shortly for Blairsville, Ga. We'll be riding the Dragon tomorow, looks like it's gonna be a little chilly. Oh well, ready for the adventure.
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The following is a cut and paste from a local article on the Dragon. I thought some might be interested in the article. RandyA Dragon's toll: 17 in 6 years By JOEL DAVIS The Daily Times (Maryville, Tenn.) Advertisement http://oascentral.hosted.ap.org/RealMedia/ads/adstream_lx.ads/hosted.ap.org/bottom/APress/winstar_pop_2011/Tracking_WinStar/1? http://analytics.apnewsregistry.com/analytics/v2/image.svc/AP/RWS/hosted.ap.org/MAI/tn0832-2011-10-23T0100Z/E/prod/AT/A MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- They had names. Call up the Tennessee Department of Safety, and they'll tell you that 17 motorcycle fatalities have occurred on "The Dragon," the storied stretch of U.S. 129 from Tabcat Creek to the North Carolina state line, during the past six years. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. They were people, after all. They had faces. They had friends. They are missed. Dwight R. Woodard, Michael Andrew Mercer, Tamara Fuller, Albert Green, Carlos Suarez, Kevin Austin Crigger, Kelly Brown, Stevie Ferrell are a few of those who drove willingly into The Dragon's maw and never went home again. Woodard, a 45-year-old Christiana man, was the latest casualty. On Aug. 3, the veteran rider was traveling The Dragon southbound. Unbeknownst to him, a northbound tractor-trailer had crossed into his lane as it negotiated the curve. He struck the left side of the empty flatbed trailer being pulled behind it. Lifestar was called to fly the severely injured man to University of Tennessee Medical Center, but Woodard did not survive. Touring the highways and byways on his Triumph Triple Speed motorcycle meant a great deal to Woodard, who had been looking forward to the August trip to Deal's Gap for months. In a video posted to YouTube in February, he talked about planning the trip for his motorcycle club. "It's an awesome ride experience. You can't get much better roads anywhere in the country than right there. It's very beautiful. The touring is good. The scenery is nice, and the people, too." Woodard died a year and a day after his friend, Michael J. "AmBush" Cupp, was killed in a single motorcycle accident at Deal's Gap on Aug. 2, 2010. The day before his death, Woodard and his friends held a memorial ride for Cupp. Timothy Moore, a member of Woodard's motorcycle club, said that "Ike," as Woodard's friends called him, was something special. "Ike was one of those people that once you came in contact with him, you knew that you'd never forget him," Moore said. "... He was just one of those people, if there were more out there like him, you know the world would be the better." A loving father, Woodward was also a very caring man, Moore said. "He was very compassionate. He was just one of those all-around good people who never did anything bad to anybody. He was always soft-spoken and had great demeanor." As soon as the story detailing Woodard's death hit The Daily Times website, expressions of grief and condolences began pouring in from friends and fellow riders. "You will never be forgotten, Dwight `Ike' Woodard," wrote Ashleigh Hill-Owen of Nashville in Facebook comments. "You touched so many lives and we will continue to carry those memories of happiness with us each and everyday. You were taken from us too soon and will be missed. One love! And our hearts go out to your family." --- Single truck fatality Although this has been the only motorcycle fatality involving a tractor-trailer in the past six years, the circumstances of Woodard's death have inspired a drive to ban commercial vehicles from The Dragon. It's a change that other members of the motorcycle community, such as Ron and Nancy Johnson, owners and webmasters of (http://Tailofthedragon.com ) , have been pushing for years. "Since we stared in 2000, we've been pushing to get trucks off," Ron Johnson said. "... You don't have much time to react when you see a truck on a curve. It's pretty hairy if you're caught just at the right moment." With its 318 curves in only 11.1 miles, The Dragon does not offer the most hospitable environment for a tractor-trailer. It physically impossible for them to travel The Dragon without crossing the lines on just about every single curve, said Lt. Randy Ailey of the Blount County Sheriff's Office. "There is no way to keep semi-trucks off of the road because of its federal designation, but we can write them (truck drivers) a ticket every time they cross the yellow line." Veteran motorcyclist Harold "Monk" Hood, 71, who has ridden The Dragon at least 100 times, said that the curves simply aren't designed to accommodate vehicles that large. "By rights, the cops could stay at one end of The Dragon and then give the trucks 318 tickets," he said. Under the circumstances, Woodward would not have had any real opportunity to avoid the accident, Ron Johnson said. "I went out and looked at where it happened. That motorcycle rider didn't have much of a chance. He saw the truck way too late and tried to put on the brakes and lay it down, but didn't get it done." --- Other roads worse While the Tennessee Department of Transportation has the authority to bar commercial traffic from that stretch of roadway, TDOT Chief Engineer Paul Degges said that an analysis of traffic accidents on The Dragon does not justify taking that step. "While any one fatality is bad, the data does not show that." Despite the publicity surrounding the various motorcycle fatalities that have occurred on The Dragon over the years, it remains far safer than the numbers might indicate, Johnson said. "There are more motorcyclists killed on other roads in Blount County than on The Dragon. Motorcycling is not a super safe way to get around. For the hundreds of thousands of motorcycles that ride it, I think we have a pretty good safety record."
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http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y262/venturerider/Vogel%202011%20RandyR%20Day3%20The%20Dragon/ More Pics. Day 3 Vogel to Dragon via Cherahola Skyway and back via US 129.
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Here it is,final copy, offical schedule of events for Vogel V .........There will be copies available at the registration table. TAIL OF THE DRAGON V @ VOGEL Schedule for 8/17-8/21, 2011 WED. 8/17/2011 Registration will be open at 12:00 pm. We will be manning the registration table till 5:00 pm. 6:00 pm we will assemble in the main parking lot of the park and depart at 6:15 for our dinner ride to Blairsville, which is an 11 mile ride. We will be dining at Fatz in Blairsville. Dress is casual comfortable. Thur. 8/18/2011 I will be in the main parking lot around 8:00 am to register anyone who is arriving . Starting at aprox 9:00 am, we will have 3 different rides departing at staggered times. These are a ride to Bryson City, NC to raft the Natahala River, a ride to Helen, Ga. for lunch, tubing and shopping, and for those who haven’t sampled the food at the world famous Dillard House a ride there for lunch. There will be sign up sheets available at the registration tables to sign up for one of the three rides. If you would be interested in leading the Dillard House ride or the ride to Helen, please let me know when you register. Thurs. evening starting at 7:00 pm we will have a social get together at shelter # 3 across from the lake, bring your beverage we will have snacks and water available for small donations. This will have to end by 10:00 pm per park rules. Fri. 8/19/2011 Today will be the title ride of the event. We will be riding to Deals Gap via the Cherahola Skyway with a reststop midway before continuing on to ride the Tail of the Dragon, we will be having lunch at Deals Gap before riding the Dragon. You may choose to ride it alone if you are familiar with it or with a group of riders who will take it easy if you are new to it. Someone can set you up with the right group to ride with. This is a very busy place so it will be hard to stay together as one large group, so we normally break up into several smaller groups to head back to the park. Once back at the park its time to relax and chill out. Here is a summary of the ride to the Dragon: 8:00 AM KSU to depart for all day ride. 1st leg of ride will take us back roads to Telico Plains where we will break for gas and refreshments at the Exxon, where we might be meeting some other riders before departing for the Cherahola Skyway. Distance-66 miles 2nd Leg will take us over the Skyway to Robbinsville, NC. Distance- 53 miles. 3rd Leg will take us to Deals Gap for lunch, before tackling the Dragon. Then we will leave Deals Gap stopping in Robbinsville for gas before heading back to Vogel with a refreshment stop in Anderson, NC. Distance 107 miles Sat. 8/20/2011 Eck Nace has selected some very nice back roads to ride if you are interested in another ride. His ride starts, (Kick Stands up), at 8am out of Vogel and he promises to have you back to the park in time for the afternoon meal which is planned to start around 3:00 pm. If you are not interested in going on a ride and just want to hang out at the park, there will be some members available to do carb tunes. We will also be set up at sheltler # 3 to register any late comers and pass a good time. The meal is being catered by Shane’s Rib Shack. The menu is: Pulled Pork & Bread. Potato Salad Brunswick Stew Tea, Sweet & Unsweet, Lemonade Deserts: Peach Cobbler, Apple Cobbler, & Banana Pudding. We will also start pulling winning numbers for the raffle, If you haven’t purchased your raffle tickets for this I am sure we can sell you a few. After all the prizes and door prizes are gone we will gather for a group photo and call it a nite. Sun..........Departure day..........Thanks for coming and supporting the Kids at St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
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Just got back from a cross-country trip of just under 5000 miles. Salt Lake City to Kansas City, to Columbus,OH, then down to Raleigh area. Met up with my nephew and went over and did about 1000 miles in and around the Dragon including Tennessee, northern Georgia and North Carolina. The Dragon was awesome, ran it 4 times. Ended up having to replace my back tire while there after only 10,000 miles, unfortunately the only tire they had was a Pirelli. Longest day was 906 miles with 105 degree temps across Wyoming & Kansas. Can't say enough about how beautiful the Appalachian Mountains were, totally different than the Rockies were I live.
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Tail of the Dragon @ Vogel V Aug. 17-21, 2011 Wed..........Registration starts at 12:00 pm. Dinner ride to Fatz in Blairsville. We ate there last year and had a great time eating great food. Thursday...... Hopefully have 3 different rides planned, you pick the one you want to do. 1. Ride to Helen for shopping, tubing, and lunch. 2. Ride to Bryson City to raft on the Natahala River. 3. Not Decided yet, open to suggestions. Friday...... The theme ride for the event. The Tail of the Dragon, always fun. Saturday.........Eck has planned a very nice ride for those who want to ride to Helen and beyond, due to be back at the park around 2-3 pm for the festivities, or take the day to lounge around the park, play mini golf, get your bike carb tuned, take a ride of your choice. Around 2-3 pm Catered meal served at shelter # 3. Then we will have drawings for door prizes, raffle drawing for prizes and cash. Thats it in a nutshell, I hope this helps some people decide and send in registrations and buy some raffle tickets. Remember all profits from this event are going to the Kids at St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tn. And there is a ride for that in October. Tail of the Dragon @ Vogel V Aug. 17-21, 2011 Vogel State Park Blairsville, Ga.
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I know it is still early, but by this time I normally have quite a few registrations for Vogel. As of right now I only have 6 registrations and the sales of the raffle tickets are very low. Raffle tickets are $10.00 ea. or 3 @ $25.00. So far we have a Dell D620 Laptop, 2 4 GB MP3/Video players, and I am hoping to add a GPS and a digital camera to that. You do not need to be at Vogel to win............... The poll is not showing very promising numbers either, so if you do plan on coming please go to the poll. Remember, all the money we raise by raffles, t-shirt, patch sales, and by any other means goes to St. Jude Children's Hospital. If you want to order a shirt or a patch just drop me a pm and I will add you to the list. The shirts should be somewhere between $18.00 to $20.00 and the patches are $5.00. If you register for Vogel each registration get a shirt and a patch. For more info and registration form go the the link below. :Venture:Tail of the Dragon V
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Hello All, I know this has been done before but thought I would ask for some suggestions on my upcoming trip. I live near Albany NY (upstate) and plan on riding to Clarkesville Ga. to see my brothers new cabin in the woods. Original plan was the wife was to ride along but she has gotten cold feet and is planning a trip to Detroit (??) to see our son. Soooo, a buddy may join me on his ElectraGlide but has not committed, I'm going solo if need be. After a long tough winter working on a new building in the Catskill Mts. I am in need of this ride! So any suggestions are welcome - thinking of the Skyline / Blue Ridge (did that 30 yrs ago on our honeymoon in a cage) and the Cherohala, Dragon, etc. Gonna make the ride enjoyable both ways as I have 10 days or so. Plan on riding with my brother from his camp after arrival on day trips. Probably do the Dragon then as it is not far from his place. One thing I am thinking of, is bringing a 2 man tent and bag to camp out a couple nights - never would have happened if the bride was along but I love it and can save a few bucks as well. Any good campgrounds on the way down or back is appreciated. Will take alternate route back so as to see as much new area as possible. Departure date is in limbo pending close out of the project but in the range of June 10 - 15. Off from work until July 5 but have plans to get back to our camp on Lake Champlain for 4th weekend or before. So fire away! I can't wait! :cool10:
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Got back from Tail of the Dragon at Deal's Gap, NC. Spent 3 days down there riding in the mountain twisties with my Kumho on the rear and Perelli MT 66 on the front. It was a 5.5 hr ride to get there and rode all day to get back. I can honestly say I had no problem with the CT at all on the trip. I don't know how it would have handled with a MC tire on the rear, but I do know I had no problems with the CT. The mountains were absolutely beautiful. I plan on making this a yearly trip. Glenn
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I hope this isn't one of our guys! He has got a Florida tag. This is a good way to become a statistic!
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Beautiful day in Virgina my nephew and I went riding on HWY 16 from Marion Va. I still think the Dragon has nothing on this road.
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Anyone still producing Venturerider DVD's .I would like to purchase if any I have the following: Potato Creek..2005 Vogel............2005 Tail of the Dragon ..2006 Eureka Springs.......2006 Eat and Ride ort Austin 2006
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Planning to ride out to the Dragon in late Sept and spend about 6 days out on the road. IF anyone is interested in riding along or meeting up please post here. Dates can be OPEN but, as of now, my vacation starts Sept 25 for a week. Now, also I would like recommendations on where to stay and what to see in the area including NC/Tenn/Va. I am interested in Riding the Dragon of course but, also want to ride the Blue Ridge and Cherolaka Hwy, as well as any other recommendations here. I dont think I want to spend all the time right down the street from the Dragon (hwy 129) as I know there are a lot of other things to see in this part of the country. I am planning on leaving really early on the 25th and want to be back within the week. I plan to do a Iron Butt ride to get as far along as I can and I think it will be about 800mi or almost there. I like Senery, twistys and good food, so what do you say! What should I see? Ride? Eat? Can't leave earlier to go to Ashville meet so this will be my chance to see the area. James
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Always heard of the Tail of the Dragon but couldn't imagine 318 curves in an 11 mile stretch of road. For those curious... here is a video I came across. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/202/1/Motorcycle-Video-Gallery/Tail-of-the-Dragon-Videos.aspx The rider is on a Yamaha R1.
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since st. jude is kinda my favorite charity, and i haven't helped much this year to get money for lewis, just thought i would help out by reminding folks that you can email donations to dragon riders paypal account. lewis will have to post his email again, i forgot it. maybe we can top last year. it is one great cause and you can visit st.jude as quite a few of us have and see your money in action. really heart warming.
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Two days until I start my week of traveling down through NC. First stop is in Nags head for 2 days. Making our way to the Iron Horse Lodge to ride the Tail of the Dragon. Finish the trip by going up through WV via Charleston. 7 days and hopefully about 2,000 miles of great riding.
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