Whenever I ride around the Adirondacks the odds of finding a cop cruiser at any town limits is high. Ride accordingly, just assume that there will be one not far from where you see the town name sign. Actually seeing a cruiser cruising though was rare.
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Tail of the Dragon
- Thread starter C109Knight
- Start date
Whenever I ride around the Adirondacks the odds of finding a cop cruiser at any town limits is high. Ride accordingly, just assume that there will be one not far from where you see the town name sign. Actually seeing a cruiser cruising though was rare.
We stayed there last year up a crazy single road called "Eagles Nest Rd" or something similar.
Butler makes good motorcycle maps. They've got one for the Southern Appalachians, covers all the good roads around Deals Gap in TN, SC, GA (and other nearby states):
Southern Appalachia G1 Series Map
This map highlights the best paved roads in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. Roads like 'The Tail of the Dragon' and 'Cherohala Skyway' are just the tip of the iceberg. The Butler Maps team rode over 30,000 miles into every nook and cranny of the region in search...
www.butlermaps.com
You could try these:
Dragon and area links: MINIs On The Dragon - Maps
Blue Ridge Parkway: Maps - Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service)
Skyline Drive: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/whole_park.jpg
I'm heading down in a couple of weeks and here's those Google Map routes if you want to use any of these:
Smoky Mountains - 8 days
I'm looking for a different place to stay than places I've been to in the past while down there. I've already stayed at Ironhorse, Blue Ridge Motoycycle Campground, Dragons Rest Cabins and a few other lesser known places.
Anyone ever stay at Simple Life Mountain Retreat?
Simple Life Mountain Retreat – Mountain Cabin Vacation Rentals ~ Robbinsville, NC ~ Tail of the Dragon ~ Cherohala Skyway ~ Lake Santeetlah
$32 for a solo cabin sounds pretty sweet.
Anyone ever stay at Simple Life Mountain Retreat?
Simple Life Mountain Retreat – Mountain Cabin Vacation Rentals ~ Robbinsville, NC ~ Tail of the Dragon ~ Cherohala Skyway ~ Lake Santeetlah
$32 for a solo cabin sounds pretty sweet.
C109Knight
Well-known member
We used WAZE all the way. It was really helpful and gave us many opportunities to enjoy. But Waze is not very popular in the Smoky Mountain Area.... So be careful there..
I've only been going down since 2010 and never had a problem with the speed limits. Keep it respectful in the smaller towns and everything else seems pretty good.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Only had a problem once, my throttle got stuck. Ended up in front of a judge who thought $500 or a parking infraction was a fair plea for a charge of 110mph in a 60 zone.
My only ticket in 20 years.
I also got one ticket down there between NC226A and NC80 (The Diamondback and The Devils Whip). I was passing through the town called Marion, NC and forgot to slow down because I was giddy with excitement and the kanuck killer was waiting for me. He must have thought I was pretty strange because I said thanks, I needed a break and would use the opportunity to eat some food and wipe my visor and windshield down while he wrote up the ticket.
I looked over to this massive dark cloud above a mountain and said, 'is that the top of NC80?' He tells me it is and there is a wicked storm brewing over there and I best stay on the low lying areas. So I told him if he was all done now I was going to ride up there and check it out.
I'll be back there tomorrow!
I looked over to this massive dark cloud above a mountain and said, 'is that the top of NC80?' He tells me it is and there is a wicked storm brewing over there and I best stay on the low lying areas. So I told him if he was all done now I was going to ride up there and check it out.
I'll be back there tomorrow!
It's been a mixed bag on our trip down here. One small town they had dozens of patrol cars pulling people doing 80+ in a 70 over, another spot had photo radar, and still another, you were being pushed if you weren't doing 80 in a 55. That's from the Dragon area down towards the Barber museum. Here's a rare pic of me without the sun visor down:
C109Knight
Well-known member
I am already planning to go back in May 2020. So far, we are planning to leave on 16th May weather permitting. It will be a 7 day trip, 3 going, 2 there and 2 back. This time we will be try to cover all the popular roads. Last trip it was 15 of us. In 2020, it looks like there will be atleast 20 of us.
I am already planning the routes. Please suggest which is the best time of the year to go, so far, checking the weather maps, it seems last weeks of May to early June, the rain is reasonable.
I am already planning the routes. Please suggest which is the best time of the year to go, so far, checking the weather maps, it seems last weeks of May to early June, the rain is reasonable.
ScorpionT16
Well-known member
woah, 20! How do manage riding with so many people, from breaks to fuel? Alone, I'm more than I can handle ?
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
Only way I can see that working is by breaking it down into groups no larger than 5-6.
Otherwise, it's WAIT! I have to pee! Or I'm not done eating yet, WAIT! I don't know what I want to order, WAIT!
We go down with a group of 6. That's it. And they're all good riders with track experience so we're not waiting around for the group to catch up on our rides.
Make sure groups are all similar skill level to reduce chance of being split up or people riding above their own skill level.
Haha, it's tough to find people that go at your pace and rhythm *AND* that you get along with.
If I want to hang out with friends that don't ride at my pace or dawdle at the restaurant or gas station, I either have to accept that it's not going to be *that* kind of ride and or just meet them at the Timmies after the ride and hang out there admiring our motorcycles in the parking lot.
Nothing wrong with that if you're in the right company.
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
We have a pretty serious "vetting" before taking anyone along... track experience is key. Only 1 guy doesn't ride track, but he does 25000+ km per year and is a seriously skilled rider. He keeps up pretty darn well indeed.
Any time we take a new guy along, everyone has to meet each other and see about a fit.
Worst situation we had was 2 guys who didn't see eye to eye, but were civil and still had fun. If the trip was another week longer, it would have gotten ugly. But for a week, all was good.
One other thing -- arrange similarly minded people in rental houses etc. We also do a "food rotation". Instead of having 6 guys trying to fight over the kitchen at supper time, 1 guy cooks each night for everyone. Make up an email/whatsapp/bbm group to sort out who is cooking what on what night. Nothign worse than 5 days of pasta or burgers in a row.
The Dragon is actually a great place for riding with friends. It's a pretty self-contained region with lots of roads that everyone can ride at their own pace and still meet up in a central place at the end of the day to bench race.
ScorpionT16
Well-known member
I only rode in a group twice, for no more than 4 hours, once on a 2 day trip met up with 5 guys, was a fun few hours, though some of them had to stop for gas every hour, then get beer for the night, groceries etc... I was outta there. Then during the M test course, shouldn't really count.
I'm yet to find anyone that I can ride with as fun as it would be, I love street & dirt, I get off the beaten path. sometimes ride at night if needed, am okay doing snacks, and just 1 decent meal a day, plus the CBX can go 450km+ without gas, so i don't plan rides for fuel, the stations just pop up along the way. I also love Photography, so frequently stop for shots, enjoy the scenery etc... I figure I'll prob be a lone wolf for life
Oh and I also ride pretty slow, the quicker one goes, the quicker the journey ends I guess.
I'm yet to find anyone that I can ride with as fun as it would be, I love street & dirt, I get off the beaten path. sometimes ride at night if needed, am okay doing snacks, and just 1 decent meal a day, plus the CBX can go 450km+ without gas, so i don't plan rides for fuel, the stations just pop up along the way. I also love Photography, so frequently stop for shots, enjoy the scenery etc... I figure I'll prob be a lone wolf for life
Oh and I also ride pretty slow, the quicker one goes, the quicker the journey ends I guess.|
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