The Tail of the Dragon Rd Course

[kornflake]

The Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap, with 318 curves in 11 miles, is America ’s number one motorcycle and sports car road. The nearby Cherohala Skyway is quickly becoming number two with its remote 60 miles of scenic mountain highway.


A few people from my car club FLNECO are attending once a year we go and its really fun . This might be something some of you would be intrested in just have a look .


http://www.tailofthedragon.com/index.html

[mofugga]

it's not really a road course ;)

[kornflake]

it's not really a road course ;)


And ? its fun to drive . And its a big anuall event for some .

[Alizarin]

t3h Dragon > *. I'm a little behind on my usual 4 trips per year... had to miss out on the March trip.

Have fun up there, but stay on the right side of the double yellows. ;)

[jblaine]

Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Makes me wish I lived in N GA.

12hrs + 12hrs is too much of a hike for even a 3-day weekend, IMO.

[Alizarin]

Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Makes me wish I lived in N GA.

12hrs + 12hrs is too much of a hike for even a 3-day weekend, IMO.
The parts of US129 in N Ga are awesome also... 2 lanes on the downhill so you can actually pass people, and they're twisty yet you can carry some good speed.

[Presidential_Detail]

Sounds like a awesome place to go, a 3 day trip would be worth the 12 hour drive depending on if my car doesnt break and how many times i can go down this road. I dont understand why this website is so happy this road is in all these magaziens and articles though, cops will be all over it no time.

[Loren]

The local cops recognize that Deal's Gap is an attraction for bikers and sports car enthusiasts. They DO come out in force on holidays and sometimes when there are large planned events. Otherwise, I think they turn a blind eye most of the time. If you're going to go, go mid-week on a non-holiday. You'll have a lot more unobstructed road to enjoy.

Personally, while the Gap IS a blast to drive, it's far from the only road you can enjoy in the mountains. Anywhere there are mountains, there are curvy roads. You just have to seek them out. While many of the roads won't be as perfectly curved, banked and paved as the Gap, an awful lot of them will have less traffic and thus be more enjoyable to drive.

Be creative. Plan a road trip that includes a lot of interesting back roads to get TO your destination (be it the Gap or elsewhere) rather than driving a boring interstate for 16 hours to get there just to drive one road with way too many other people. Online mapping is your friend. (GPS can come in handy, too!)

[Alizarin]

The cops are more of a "have your fun, but do it safely" type. As long as there are no major crashes or people crossing the yellow lines, they pretty much are chill. They will usually be out in force the day or weekend following any fatality, though.

And in response to Loren, taking US129 all the way from its beginning in FL to the Gap is pretty cool. I've read there are some stretches in GA where the speed limit is 85! :-o I've only taken it as far as Atlanta (starting in Robbinsville).

Usually when I make a trip, I leave on Thursday, drive to Kennesaw (GA), and stay overnight. That way its a 9 hour drive on one day, and a short(er) 3-4 hour drive on Friday. That way, I can have some time on Friday to make some scouting runs on the Dragon, and the gravel roads that run near the Cherahola.

[Presidential_Detail]

I wanna go so bad! wish I had the money to just make a road trip just to drive on some road...lol.

[TampaMCS]

See Signature.

There are about 500 MINIs going to be up there the first weekend in May. This is def. not a road course, you push your luck, that road is not forgiving (at least most sections). And yes the local popo knows.

[Presidential_Detail]

Well, its obviously not going to be forgiving, cuz it is a road not made for what we are using it for. I figure its basically like a long ass patterson road, that I want to drive on :) Do you ever go out to patterson tamparsx? maybe we could ride sometime.

[Loren]

Actually, the Deal's Gap section of US Hwy 129 (that should put it into perspective for you... it's NOT a road course, it's a federally funded 2-lane highway) is extremely well-engineered. All of the curves are appropriately banked and the whole thing has a wonderful "flow" to it.

Patterson road does not deserve to be in this conversation. Patterson's 10 turns in 5 miles does not compare to Deal's Gap's 318 turns in 11 miles.

[Alizarin]

Actually, the Deal's Gap section of US Hwy 129 (that should put it into perspective for you... it's NOT a road course, it's a federally funded 2-lane highway) is extremely well-engineered. All of the curves are appropriately banked and the whole thing has a wonderful "flow" to it.

Patterson road does not deserve to be in this conversation. Patterson's 10 turns in 5 miles does not compare to Deal's Gap's 318 turns in 11 miles.
Some of the corners are off-camber. I think 3 of them. But those are part of some S's.

Since we're talking about the Dragon, I guess I could chip in a few vids I shot from the Harnessbar Cam(tm) in October 2005.



Sat Dragon run #1 (http://mystic-lights.net/kmgardner/video/2005-10-08_Dragon_run_1.wmv) (approx 66mb)
Sat Dragon run #2 (http://mystic-lights.net/kmgardner/video/2005-10-08_Dragon_run_2.wmv) (approx 55mb, may contain one f-bomb)
Cherahola Skyway run (http://mystic-lights.net/kmgardner/video/2005-10-08_Cherahola.wmv) (various parts due to slow traffic, approx 75mb)
In the rain, NC to TN side (http://mystic-lights.net/kmgardner/video/2005-10-07_Dragon_wet_1.wmv) (approx 75mb)
In the rain, TN to NC side (http://mystic-lights.net/kmgardner/video/2005-10-07_Dragon_wet_1.wmv) (approx 72mb)
I edited out all the slow moving stuff when we were stuck behind other, slow moving vehicles.

[mofugga]

yeah, patterson does not belong in this thread at all!

[Presidential_Detail]

Hey its the best thing Ive found in the Tampa area, along with newburger(think thats what its called) if anyone has any better places in the area let me know??

[TampaMCS]

try boyette out near fishhawk...couple of nice turns out there...

[Presidential_Detail]

Could you pm me directions or a link to a map, so I can go check it out. Is this in Tampa or close by?

[jlude90]

around here (http://www.google.com/local?num=50&hl=en&hs=DcV&lr=&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=fishhawk+mcdonalds&near=Riverview,+FL&sa=X&oi=local&ct=title), its in riverview past brandon, take75 and get off at gibsinton or whatever, and its down there, you can see from the map, but its a big wide road, i hate to tell you, florida kinda sucks for curvy roads, i just take some big empty intersections fast as shit(not too fast for me thought:D)

if you want, you can meet me somewhere by the interstate and i can take you out there, i'm right in brandon,

[Presidential_Detail]

Would it even be worth me driving 40 minutes to go down it(not being an ass, just asking) It just loks like it only has like 4 corners. We should all block off patterson one late night and have a few competetive runs:)

[jlude90]

yeah, i don't think it would be worth it, if you were over there already than maybe,but like i said above, we don't have mountain roads, and therefore no need for squiggly fun roads, these corners ar long and the road is wide, for a balls out run, if you line it out its about damn straight, i'd say stick with a coned course, more fun and safer, no worries of cops

[Presidential_Detail]

we still have some nice scenic roads here in fl. nothing like the tail of the dragon. I was looking on the map near the patterson area, and I found a few roads Im gonna have to check out, they look fun:)

[Loren]

Yeah, there are some entertaining roads in FL if you look hard enough. If you're up for a little field trip, look up "Green Pond, FL", there are some neat roads out there. The closest thing to a "Deal's Gap" road I've seen in FL is the road out to "Ozello, FL".

Ya gotta drive a bit to get to these places... but getting there is half the fun, and though none of it compares to a good mountain road... you don't have to drive 12 hours to get there, either.

PS: There's a neat little restaurant near the end of Ozello Rd, a public park with a picnic area, too. Not much of anything out in the Green Pond area, but it's a nice diversion along the way to the Clermont area.

[Presidential_Detail]

Think we could set up a TR run or something to one of these places? That would be awesome! What do you think?

[jlude90]

i think it'd be awesome, are you talking about Peck's dockside to eat?
i can always go for some good seafood, and i got no damn clue where this is, but i'd go, i like going fast...as fast as i can, on real roads, that'd be cool though, i'd be down for a nice day trip one time, i guess i got to be in the back:( with the slow pokies:D
if we can't go to Deal's Gap, we'll go to Peck's Dock

[Presidential_Detail]

Loren your the mod for this section, you think we would have enough interest to get a daytime trip like this going, and eat at this restraunt your talking about. im always down for some seafood!

[jlude90]

if anything, we can all just roll out there for a nice TR auto-x lunch
my luck the restaurant will be closed down when we get there:lol:
but seriously i got no clue where this place is at, google seems to have left it behind, and i can't find any maps or directions online, and i have no starting point except "florida" to look at on an atlas

[Presidential_Detail]

here is ozello...
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=&city=Ozello&state=FL&zipcode=&country=US&location=%2fDh4AtVLS5Fc6Bmg09QjvlVaHN1M4kHReWxLx5K niGcfLjQP66H8iXGCWo%2fYn16aXAxEABwYhNuIKJH0Rx7jMsz ggy0J%2fDeUWmhuhDtO%2fZM%3d&ambiguity=1

Its an hour and a half away from where i live, most of the traveling is on US19, are there any backroads that people normally take to get there, cuz US19 sucks.

[Presidential_Detail]

And here is green pond, http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=&city=green+pond&state=fl&zipcode=

im down for anywhere as long as there are some nice roads that I can get some adrenaline pumping on:)

[jlude90]

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 44 minutes Total Est. Distance: 90.12 miles
1 tank of fuel, 1 day of fun, 1 seafood meal, BSin with cool dudes from TR

i think you and i are the only ones who actually know about this...:lol:

i guess all the old people are asleep;)
(i would be too, but at least 1440 words are keeping me up)
god college is hard, especially for a procrastinator

[Loren]

There are back roads to get you just about anywhere if you look hard enough. The one time I went to Ozello, I was following someone who mapped the route with GPS... there were some interesting roads. (not great roads, just interesting ones... I'm always happy to be off the big highways) He even took us through about 3 miles of dirt road because it was the only connector between two sections. If you're looking for a back-roads route up that way, start with Race Track road, Gunn Hwy and all that, take a trip on the Ehren Cutoff (that's a fun road) north of Land o Lakes, and find some other back roads up that way to get you north, then find your way back west. You can avoid almost all travel on US 19, but plan on about 3 hours to get there.



Play with MapQuest or something and map yourself a day trip. Have fun!

I'm not up for setting up a TR meet, but y'all feel free to set up something casual. But don't get too crazy out there on the streets. Autocross and real race tracks are the place to go wild at.

[jlude90]

agreed, i can handle that, i spose we can leave it up to the master plannner ;)

[Presidential_Detail]

Loren would you be interested in joining us if I were to set up something? I can set it all up, Id just like to have someone who knows somewhat of where they are going and what roads to take.

[Alizarin]

He even took us through about 3 miles of dirt road because it was the only connector between two sections.
Dirt road? Now you've got my attention :crack:

[Presidential_Detail]

Dirt road? Now you've got my attention :crack:

:lol: Im down, my car isnto TOO low.Plus well have your suby to pull us out. See us import guys have 4wd guys to pull us out of the mud too!:lol:

Whos bringing the tow strap??:lol:

[Loren]

I might go if it fits my schedule and you guys promise not to be idiots on the street. :)

Either way, I'd be happy to review any route or partial route you come up with and offer suggestions.

[Presidential_Detail]

Well, If we did this i would say keep it in the auto-x cross forums, since mosty of us in the section can drive! lol. Ill think about this a lil deeper and maybe stay in touch with you to set this thing up. Mybae in a couple months??

[jlude90]

i'm down, and honestly, i respect these guys, so i won't risk losing their respect over doing something stupid, and the Twanksta is a cool dude from the times i dealt with him, so i don't know, it'd be a blast though, and i think it'd be sweet to see that scuby tear up some dirt roads, and i don't give a shit about my bodywork, so if i'm too low whatever