Tail of the Dragon Trip 2024

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by FrankMstein

You didn't do the Cherohala Skyway?? IMO it'a a much better road. Less traffic, more and bigger scenic pull-offs, no cops, faster turns.

We did... we did quite a few of the other roads in the area including the skyway. I wouldn't say the Cherohala Skyway is "better", just different. It's faster, longer sweeping corners as opposed to the highly technical and tight hairpin corners on the Dragon. So just depends on what you're looking for.

[cbpip]

Cherohala, Moonshiner rt 28 to Helen, GA, Foothills Pkwy all better roads than the Dragon. Run the Dragon both ways, get your photo op done and then find much better roads in almost any direction.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by cbpip

Cherohala, Moonshiner rt 28 to Helen, GA, Foothills Pkwy all better roads than the Dragon. Run the Dragon both ways, get your photo op done and then find much better roads in almost any direction.

I don't know when the last time you went is, but I'd have to disagree. Yes Cherohala is a faster road and less tight corners, but the Dragon which has recently been repaved is a totally different animal. We did all of the surrounding roads in the area, nothing quite compares to what the Dragon offers.

[MMM.PWR]

Foothills Parkway better than the dragon? Maybe if you're riding a Harley. GTFO

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by FrankMstein

You didn't do the Cherohala Skyway?? IMO it'a a much better road. Less traffic, more and bigger scenic pull-offs, no cops, faster turns.

Oddly enough this is what I was just looking at on google maps, seems a good road to traverse the area.

[cbpip]

Ride a K16 as well as drive an e86 modified coupe, spring this year in the coupe. Run Cherohala, Rt 28 and Foothills at near triple digits on many portions not going to do that on the Dragon. Dragon serves it's purpose to drag pegs and photo op. Been running these roads for years.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Oddly enough this is what I was just looking at on google maps, seems a good road to traverse the area.

Cherohala is great for a more relaxed drive and stopping for the sights at the scenic overlooks. But you drive it for a totally different reason than the Dragon. The Dragon is basically a race track in the mountains - you don't have time to soak in any views, you're focused on nailing the next hairpin corner and not losing your shit. I loved driving on all the roads in the surrounding areas, but for different reasons.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by cbpip

Ride a K16 as well as drive an e86 modified coupe, spring this year in the coupe. Run Cherohala, Rt 28 and Foothills at near triple digits on many portions not going to do that on the Dragon. Dragon serves it's purpose to drag pegs and photo op. Been running these roads for years.

We did foothills multiple times because that was our main road to take between our cabin and the dragon. It's not really comparable to the dragon. One's a mostly straight road with very few corners, mostly long and sweeping ones, and one's a highly technical road with tight hairpins. Obviously you're not doing triple digits on the dragon, unless you're in an F1 car you're flying off the edge of the cliff. To say one is "better" than the other just makes no sense. That's like saying Nascar is better than F1 because the stock cars are able to sustain higher speeds throughout. They're simply 2 very different things that offer thrills in different ways.

Best bet is to just drive all the surrounding area roads and enjoy each one for what it is. Some people will prefer the straighter roads with higher sustained speeds and more scenic views, and some people prefer a technical road with lower speeds but more cornering Gs. One thing is for sure - there's something for everyone in that area. So just enjoy what that area has to offer.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by MMM.PWR

Some more photos

Ugh. I "grew up" in that area, foothills of NC. Moved there at 25, and it totally changed my life in every possible way. It's a beautiful area, and I miss it all the time. The wife would be thrilled to move back there, it always felt like home for us.

Next time you should check out some of the roads in NC. Less commercialized than the dragon and much less busy. A lot of them get pretty decent amounts of local traffic still too

[MMM.PWR]

I'd rather go 45 on the dragon than 90 on foothills parkway. Also, I would say you're being reckless going that fast on foothills as that road is full of non-enthusiasts enjoying the overlooks.

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Ugh. I "grew up" in that area, foothills of NC. Moved there at 25, and it totally changed my life in every possible way. It's a beautiful area, and I miss it all the time. The wife would be thrilled to move back there, it always felt like home for us.

Next time you should check out some of the roads in NC. Less commercialized than the dragon and much less busy. A lot of them get pretty decent amounts of local traffic still too

We spent the majority of the time driving local roads that were not the dragon.

[cbpip]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

We did foothills multiple times because that was our main road to take between our cabin and the dragon. It's not really comparable to the dragon. One's a mostly straight road with very few corners, mostly long and sweeping ones, and one's a highly technical road with tight hairpins. Obviously you're not doing triple digits on the dragon, unless you're in an F1 car you're flying off the edge of the cliff. To say one is "better" than the other just makes no sense. That's like saying Nascar is better than F1 because the stock cars are able to sustain higher speeds throughout. They're simply 2 very different things that offer thrills in different ways.

Best bet is to just drive all the surrounding area roads and enjoy each one for what it is. Some people will prefer the straighter roads with higher sustained speeds and more scenic views, and some people prefer a technical road with lower speeds but more cornering Gs. One thing is for sure - there's something for everyone in that area. So just enjoy what that area has to offer.

Obviously not triple digits on the Dragon. But at a pace that's got the adrenaline flowing. It becomes boring after several runs and too much traffic with noobs who won't pull over to let faster pace riders by. Other roads less traveled much lighter traffic. Don't need a hairpin on every corner.

[cbpip]

Originally Posted by MMM.PWR

I'd rather go 45 on the dragon than 90 on foothills parkway. Also, I would say you're being reckless going that fast on foothills as that road is full of non-enthusiasts enjoying the overlooks.



We spent the majority of the time driving local roads that were not the dragon.

Very aware of my surroundings when I ride and drive at speed. Speeds are slowed when around less than optimal conditions . You skills and level of same may be different than others . We all have our own level of risk vs reward.

[Raudiace4]

Originally Posted by cbpip

Ride a K16 as well as drive an e86 modified coupe, spring this year in the coupe. Run Cherohala, Rt 28 and Foothills at near triple digits on many portions not going to do that on the Dragon. Dragon serves it's purpose to drag pegs and photo op. Been running these roads for years.

We did the dragon early in the day where there was no traffic to slow us down at all. It was a great experience. We did those other roads too, and they were awesome for different reasons. Minimizing someone who experienced the dragon the first time and enjoyed it is pathetic.

Nobody cares how fast you think you drive in that slow car. Maybe just stfu next time and move on to the next thread.

[Alfisti]

The whole area seems to have crazy good roads looking at google maps. God i hate Toronto reads, ARROW straight, find 3 corners in a row and you wet your pants.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

The whole area seems to have crazy good roads looking at google maps. God i hate Toronto reads, ARROW straight, find 3 corners in a row and you wet your pants.

I know exactly how you feel - I live in Chicagoland.

[ppointer]

Originally Posted by Jack White

Awesome! Do you drive the tail each way? Is there are preferred direction, if so? I was curious how many of those turns (or what %) would you find to be closing radius, generally speaking? Those roads look like a lot of fun, in any regard. I went to Asheville and also Gatlinburg, last year, but rode around in a minivan. I’ll want to drive there sometime but it’s a hell of a drive from the convenience of the Rocky Mountains. Still, I should take a road trip one of these years. Fun thread, thanks for sharing!

I have done at least two dozen trips to the Dragon. Mostly riding, a few times driving. I tend to hit it early in the morning, going over and back multiple times, especially when there is little traffic. More so on a bike it can get physical, so I will head elsewhere when I get tired, like the Cherohala Skyway, which is more relaxing.

I agree with someone else's answer that the decreasing radius turns number less than 10%. It is not like a racetrack where they're trying to trick you. Yes, roughly half of the turns are blind because you're in mountainous terrain, but I find the place to have consistency to it. For the most part you can take a set into a blind turn and the radius will be consistent all of the way through. Enough so that you can definitely build a rhythm to the Dragon as you get more experience. I love it.

I gather they just repaved it earlier this year, and I didn't think the old asphalt was all that bad. Looking forward to getting there sometime next spring.

[FrankMstein]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

We did... we did quite a few of the other roads in the area including the skyway. I wouldn't say the Cherohala Skyway is "better", just different. It's faster, longer sweeping corners as opposed to the highly technical and tight hairpin corners on the Dragon. So just depends on what you're looking for.

I scrape too much on the dragon. I have destroyed a lip on the dip...

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by FrankMstein

I scrape too much on the dragon. I have destroyed a lip on the dip...

Have you been there since they've repaved it? I'm lowered and have a pretty aggressive lip but didn't experience any scraping, and we drove like hell through it. I'd imagine you'd have to be pretty slammed if you're scraping on it now.

[FrankMstein]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Have you been there since they've repaved it? I'm lowered and have a pretty aggressive lip but didn't experience any scraping, and we drove like hell through it. I'd imagine you'd have to be pretty slammed if you're scraping on it now.

Not in the M3. I was there when they did it in the Mini.