Ride Reports

Howdy all,

I made my first trip to the Smokey Mountains in 91′, and have tried to
make a return pilgrimage every other year.

Usually, my girlfriend and I make a long weekend out of it from
Pittsburgh. We would normally pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway around
Boone, NC, and ride to Asheville, and then shoot to Cherokee. From
there it’s up and over to Gatlinburg, TN, and then meander up through
Kentucky, and Ohio, back to the Burgh.

Well we just got back last night. This year, it seems the planets
aligned. As we were planning, I asked a few friends, who usually
can’t take 4 days because of Businesses, kids, dog, cat, whatever.
But this time everyone was able to join us. We had 6 bikes, and 11
people. We left early Friday morning, in the rain, and rode for 13
hours in the rain. We hit to Blue Ridge Parkway to find it very
Foggy. As we continued down the BRP, the Fog became heavier and
constant. It didn’t much for me to realize that we couldn’t continue
this route. So I ducked off onto US-221 to get away from the ridge as
it was going to get dark. It had been a long day, and I could only
picture big trouble with 11 tired, wet, and hungry riders in the fog &
dark. So we rolled into Asheville on I-40 and stopped for the night.

This year, we had already decided we were going to try the lower part
of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then down US-19 to NC28 to US-129. For
years, while talking with the locals of Waynesville, Maggie Valley,
and Cherokee, they had always talked about this great piece of road.
They always say “you have ta try US-129!” Well this year we decided to
check it out. I must say that I am glad we did.

We got up the next morning in Asheville, and could hardly see the
bikes in the parking lot. Damn that fog! So we had a sit down
breakfast, as opposed to our normal continental. By the time we
finished our breakfast, the sun was burning off any fog that was left,
and it was shaping up to be a great day. We loaded up and jumped onto
the Southern part of the Blue Ridge Parkway to discover that I had
been missing this great part of the BRP all these years. What a great
ride. Lots of twisties, hairpins, and vistas. We cruised the BRP up
to US 19 and headed into Cherokee. After a pit stop at one to the
villages, we turned north on 441 to cruise up the “HUMP” to “Newfound
Gap". I have been over the “HUMP” many times, but the rest of the
riders with us, were Smokey Mountain first-timers. So I lead them up
to the top for a photo-op. The traffic was pretty light for the
season. I think the early morning FOG keep some people away. After a
short stop at the top, it was back down to Cherokee and continued
onto US-19 south down across NC-28 to US-129 and Deals Gap. This is
where we found the mother of all roads.

I started checking the web this morning to find out more on this piece
of highway. Well, like always, I should have check before the trip
!!! This road, for 11 miles, starting at Deals Gap, is called “The
Dragons Tail". There are 318 curves in this 11 miles section. Now I
didn’t count them, but I did turn them. This is the most workout I’ve
had in quite awhile. turn-after-turn-after-turn. My head was snapping
from left turn, to right turn, to left again. At one point, I thought
I was dizzy! The turns were so close together, that you didn’t come
back to rest at center. I was going from a max-lean-right, with an
immediate snap to max-lean-left. I only dragged a footboard once. I
was snapping the Ultra over so quick, my girlfriend claimed it was
better then the new roller coaster at KennyWood! Fortunately, the
traffic was light. It is reported that the traffic is mostly
motorcycles on this stretch, being that it is very remote. After a
couple hundred turns, I started thinking that there could not be any
more turns, but they just kept coming, and coming. I found myself
laughing as the turns kept coming. Man, what a rush. The adrenaline
was pumping, we were in a grove, and focused on the turns. I was a
little concerned about a couple of the other riders, but once in
awhile, I could take a second and do a count, and I think it was the
first time all six bikes were in the same township. (A couple of the
riders were not as seasoned, and kept dragging way behind.) As we
were approaching the 10th mile (a.k.a. “Pearly Gates” yes the curves
are named!) , we came upon a couple of bikes that slowed us down. But
at that point, I was kind of glad they were there, I was getting tired
! As we rolled passed the 11th mile at Tabcat Creek, the road
straightens out as it runs along Tellico Lake. At this point, we all
stopped to try and pry the grins off our faces. Actually, I just
wanted to see the looks on everyone’s faces. I thought a couple
passengers might be in a panic, but it turned out everyone was
pumped!

Surely, a road we will talk about every time we get together.

At the lake, we turned onto the Foothills Parkway. Yet more beautiful
highway. We made our way into Pigeon Forge were we spent the night.
The next day we continued north through Tennessee on TN-33 to US-25 on
into London, KY. Then west on the Daniel Boone Parkway to Hazzard,
where we headed north to Morehead,KY for the night. The next day
(Monday, the last day), was raining, as we scooted up through Ohio on
OH-93 to Zanesville, and then US-22 to Western PA.

Truly, some beautiful country side.

So two days of rain for two days of Great Riding. Got to pay our dues
I guess. If I have another road that beats this new found route,
it is US-212 from Red Lodge, MT that runs over the Bear Tooth
Mountains into Yellowstone. But it might be a tie, or at least a
different category.

If interested, you can check out US-129 Tail of the Dragon at
http://www.tailofthedragon.com

If you’re still with me here, you must be as thirsty as I. What’ll
you have ?

I hope you enjoyed my tale…

Cheers,
Brent
a.k.a- Rainmaker
99′ Ultra