Back of The Dragon - How's The Road?
#12
08-28-2024 | 02:50 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 133
Likes: 35
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I rode it a few months ago, loved it. To me it is different than Tail of the Dragon, it has turns but is different. I would recommend the back of the dragon over the tail to someone who doesn't like the twisties, if that helps. We had newbies on our ride and they rode at their own pace and was fine. I thought the road was in really good shape.
#13
08-28-2024 | 09:46 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 20,104
Likes: 18,482
From: North Carolina
OP,
I think you should invest in some training. I appreciate your honesty, but not being in control, being the boss of your motorcycle and being able to handle all conditions and react quickly will eventually get you hurt.
With proper training and practice you should seek the challenge and enjoy the benefits of two wheels instead of experiencing anxiety.
As for the BOtD it is fun, parts are technical and it’s a beautiful area to ride in. There is one switch Bach to the right uphill early in from the Marion area.
Best of luck to you.
I think you should invest in some training. I appreciate your honesty, but not being in control, being the boss of your motorcycle and being able to handle all conditions and react quickly will eventually get you hurt.
With proper training and practice you should seek the challenge and enjoy the benefits of two wheels instead of experiencing anxiety.
As for the BOtD it is fun, parts are technical and it’s a beautiful area to ride in. There is one switch Bach to the right uphill early in from the Marion area.
Best of luck to you.
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ngshop (08-29-2024)
#14
08-29-2024 | 08:08 AM
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 845
Likes: 177
OP,
I think you should invest in some training. I appreciate your honesty, but not being in control, being the boss of your motorcycle and being able to handle all conditions and react quickly will eventually get you hurt.
With proper training and practice you should seek the challenge and enjoy the benefits of two wheels instead of experiencing anxiety.
As for the BOtD it is fun, parts are technical and it’s a beautiful area to ride in. There is one switch Bach to the right uphill early in from the Marion area.
Best of luck to you.
I think you should invest in some training. I appreciate your honesty, but not being in control, being the boss of your motorcycle and being able to handle all conditions and react quickly will eventually get you hurt.
With proper training and practice you should seek the challenge and enjoy the benefits of two wheels instead of experiencing anxiety.
As for the BOtD it is fun, parts are technical and it’s a beautiful area to ride in. There is one switch Bach to the right uphill early in from the Marion area.
Best of luck to you.
Absolutely 150% TRUE!
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Cosmic Razorback (08-31-2024)
#16
09-09-2024 | 02:07 PM
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 572
From: Pennsylvania
Trip Report:
Yes, I made it through the trip. Thank you all for the advice! We had a great ride overall at about 1000 miles. We did about 200 miles per day and stayed at a different location each night. I made a point to do laundry on the second day in, so that allowed me to have enough clean clothes for the last few days. Reason being, on this trip we would always be carrying luggage during the day and I didn't want the large luggage on my back for every single mile. Especially on the Dragon. So I used my small luggage which worked quite well.
We hit rain a few times. Nothing crazy though. The heavy rain was luckily after we arrived at a few of the hotels. We did stop to put on rain gear once. An hour later we ended up on a "vacant highway" with thick fog. I rode tail so I felt safe in the back. Yes 4-lane highways with very little traffic are not unusual in WV. We crossed the 'Eastern Continental Divide' Less than a mile later it was hot and the run came out. Very strange.
Dragon Report:
The roads leading up to the Dragon were awesome. Many country roads with nice straightaways and nice sweeping curves. In fact going north to south some of the mountain roads right before the Dragon were fantastic. That said, as I suspected I was a not a fan of the actual Dragon. Having done it, I now have a better idea of how to take most of the curves. Honestly many of the curves are identical. So much so, I thought the mountain was actually messing with my head somehow because I had deja vu at least 5 or 6 times. The switchbacks weren't bad - at least going north to south. I took them slow and in the proper gear and saw each of them coming up on my iPhone map app. There was one, however, early on that was rough. It was open with no trees so I could see the entire switchback as I approached. I remember saying something like "mother****er!" out loud. I was literally eye-level with the road on the curve. WTF. Who could even drive a car or truck on that? I tried very much to stay in my lane just in case someone coming the opposite direction wasn't. I think there was only one who was over the yellow but I was ok on my side and had plenty of room.
The road itself was ok physically. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Some parts were great and other stretches were poor. Yes there were some potholes and few you really didn't want to hit. There was some asphalt separation. Not horrible but bad enough not to want to be in. We had some torrential rain in the area 2 days before so there was a good amount of gravel washout. Luckily vehicle tires had cleared tracks and there wasn't gravel all over the road. Just in the middle and on the lines. Like may have said, pay attention to the road not the scenery.
I didn't have anyone in my rear view for the entire Dragon so that was good. I could ride my ride. Except for the one lookout, there were no pull-offs. At least none that I can remember. "Good or bad" I had to keep moving. And honestly I was only about a minute behind my expert-rider friends.
Would I do it again? Maybe. Would I suggest we go again? Probably not. Again, the road was too much "work" and not my style. I can do those kind of roads. I just prefer not to. I get enough practice locally with that group since they are obsessed.
Next up, Ocean City Bike week. THAT'S my style
Yes, I made it through the trip. Thank you all for the advice! We had a great ride overall at about 1000 miles. We did about 200 miles per day and stayed at a different location each night. I made a point to do laundry on the second day in, so that allowed me to have enough clean clothes for the last few days. Reason being, on this trip we would always be carrying luggage during the day and I didn't want the large luggage on my back for every single mile. Especially on the Dragon. So I used my small luggage which worked quite well.
We hit rain a few times. Nothing crazy though. The heavy rain was luckily after we arrived at a few of the hotels. We did stop to put on rain gear once. An hour later we ended up on a "vacant highway" with thick fog. I rode tail so I felt safe in the back. Yes 4-lane highways with very little traffic are not unusual in WV. We crossed the 'Eastern Continental Divide' Less than a mile later it was hot and the run came out. Very strange.
Dragon Report:
The roads leading up to the Dragon were awesome. Many country roads with nice straightaways and nice sweeping curves. In fact going north to south some of the mountain roads right before the Dragon were fantastic. That said, as I suspected I was a not a fan of the actual Dragon. Having done it, I now have a better idea of how to take most of the curves. Honestly many of the curves are identical. So much so, I thought the mountain was actually messing with my head somehow because I had deja vu at least 5 or 6 times. The switchbacks weren't bad - at least going north to south. I took them slow and in the proper gear and saw each of them coming up on my iPhone map app. There was one, however, early on that was rough. It was open with no trees so I could see the entire switchback as I approached. I remember saying something like "mother****er!" out loud. I was literally eye-level with the road on the curve. WTF. Who could even drive a car or truck on that? I tried very much to stay in my lane just in case someone coming the opposite direction wasn't. I think there was only one who was over the yellow but I was ok on my side and had plenty of room.
The road itself was ok physically. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Some parts were great and other stretches were poor. Yes there were some potholes and few you really didn't want to hit. There was some asphalt separation. Not horrible but bad enough not to want to be in. We had some torrential rain in the area 2 days before so there was a good amount of gravel washout. Luckily vehicle tires had cleared tracks and there wasn't gravel all over the road. Just in the middle and on the lines. Like may have said, pay attention to the road not the scenery.
I didn't have anyone in my rear view for the entire Dragon so that was good. I could ride my ride. Except for the one lookout, there were no pull-offs. At least none that I can remember. "Good or bad" I had to keep moving. And honestly I was only about a minute behind my expert-rider friends.
Would I do it again? Maybe. Would I suggest we go again? Probably not. Again, the road was too much "work" and not my style. I can do those kind of roads. I just prefer not to. I get enough practice locally with that group since they are obsessed.
Next up, Ocean City Bike week. THAT'S my style
#17
09-10-2024 | 09:26 PM
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 845
Likes: 177
Trip Report:
Yes, I made it through the trip. Thank you all for the advice! We had a great ride overall at about 1000 miles. We did about 200 miles per day and stayed at a different location each night. I made a point to do laundry on the second day in, so that allowed me to have enough clean clothes for the last few days. Reason being, on this trip we would always be carrying luggage during the day and I didn't want the large luggage on my back for every single mile. Especially on the Dragon. So I used my small luggage which worked quite well.
We hit rain a few times. Nothing crazy though. The heavy rain was luckily after we arrived at a few of the hotels. We did stop to put on rain gear once. An hour later we ended up on a "vacant highway" with thick fog. I rode tail so I felt safe in the back. Yes 4-lane highways with very little traffic are not unusual in WV. We crossed the 'Eastern Continental Divide' Less than a mile later it was hot and the run came out. Very strange.
Dragon Report:
The roads leading up to the Dragon were awesome. Many country roads with nice straightaways and nice sweeping curves. In fact going north to south some of the mountain roads right before the Dragon were fantastic. That said, as I suspected I was a not a fan of the actual Dragon. Having done it, I now have a better idea of how to take most of the curves. Honestly many of the curves are identical. So much so, I thought the mountain was actually messing with my head somehow because I had deja vu at least 5 or 6 times. The switchbacks weren't bad - at least going north to south. I took them slow and in the proper gear and saw each of them coming up on my iPhone map app. There was one, however, early on that was rough. It was open with no trees so I could see the entire switchback as I approached. I remember saying something like "mother****er!" out loud. I was literally eye-level with the road on the curve. WTF. Who could even drive a car or truck on that? I tried very much to stay in my lane just in case someone coming the opposite direction wasn't. I think there was only one who was over the yellow but I was ok on my side and had plenty of room.
The road itself was ok physically. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Some parts were great and other stretches were poor. Yes there were some potholes and few you really didn't want to hit. There was some asphalt separation. Not horrible but bad enough not to want to be in. We had some torrential rain in the area 2 days before so there was a good amount of gravel washout. Luckily vehicle tires had cleared tracks and there wasn't gravel all over the road. Just in the middle and on the lines. Like may have said, pay attention to the road not the scenery.
I didn't have anyone in my rear view for the entire Dragon so that was good. I could ride my ride. Except for the one lookout, there were no pull-offs. At least none that I can remember. "Good or bad" I had to keep moving. And honestly I was only about a minute behind my expert-rider friends.
Would I do it again? Maybe. Would I suggest we go again? Probably not. Again, the road was too much "work" and not my style. I can do those kind of roads. I just prefer not to. I get enough practice locally with that group since they are obsessed.
Next up, Ocean City Bike week. THAT'S my style
Yes, I made it through the trip. Thank you all for the advice! We had a great ride overall at about 1000 miles. We did about 200 miles per day and stayed at a different location each night. I made a point to do laundry on the second day in, so that allowed me to have enough clean clothes for the last few days. Reason being, on this trip we would always be carrying luggage during the day and I didn't want the large luggage on my back for every single mile. Especially on the Dragon. So I used my small luggage which worked quite well.
We hit rain a few times. Nothing crazy though. The heavy rain was luckily after we arrived at a few of the hotels. We did stop to put on rain gear once. An hour later we ended up on a "vacant highway" with thick fog. I rode tail so I felt safe in the back. Yes 4-lane highways with very little traffic are not unusual in WV. We crossed the 'Eastern Continental Divide' Less than a mile later it was hot and the run came out. Very strange.
Dragon Report:
The roads leading up to the Dragon were awesome. Many country roads with nice straightaways and nice sweeping curves. In fact going north to south some of the mountain roads right before the Dragon were fantastic. That said, as I suspected I was a not a fan of the actual Dragon. Having done it, I now have a better idea of how to take most of the curves. Honestly many of the curves are identical. So much so, I thought the mountain was actually messing with my head somehow because I had deja vu at least 5 or 6 times. The switchbacks weren't bad - at least going north to south. I took them slow and in the proper gear and saw each of them coming up on my iPhone map app. There was one, however, early on that was rough. It was open with no trees so I could see the entire switchback as I approached. I remember saying something like "mother****er!" out loud. I was literally eye-level with the road on the curve. WTF. Who could even drive a car or truck on that? I tried very much to stay in my lane just in case someone coming the opposite direction wasn't. I think there was only one who was over the yellow but I was ok on my side and had plenty of room.
The road itself was ok physically. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Some parts were great and other stretches were poor. Yes there were some potholes and few you really didn't want to hit. There was some asphalt separation. Not horrible but bad enough not to want to be in. We had some torrential rain in the area 2 days before so there was a good amount of gravel washout. Luckily vehicle tires had cleared tracks and there wasn't gravel all over the road. Just in the middle and on the lines. Like may have said, pay attention to the road not the scenery.
I didn't have anyone in my rear view for the entire Dragon so that was good. I could ride my ride. Except for the one lookout, there were no pull-offs. At least none that I can remember. "Good or bad" I had to keep moving. And honestly I was only about a minute behind my expert-rider friends.
Would I do it again? Maybe. Would I suggest we go again? Probably not. Again, the road was too much "work" and not my style. I can do those kind of roads. I just prefer not to. I get enough practice locally with that group since they are obsessed.
Next up, Ocean City Bike week. THAT'S my style
I have nothing to say EXCEPT.... YOU ARE FULL OF ****! The "Dragon" has just been paved. It sounds to me that you have not ridden it YET! I sincerely apologize if I am wrong. I rode it three week ago.... and again this past Sunday I road it and is great pavement! Riding the Dragon and "watching the curves on my I-Phone app". SOMETHING stinks to high heaven.
#18
09-10-2024 | 09:31 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 6,491
Likes: 7,484
From: central NC
I have nothing to say EXCEPT.... YOU ARE FULL OF ****! The "Dragon" has just been paved. It sounds to me that you have not ridden it YET! I sincerely apologize if I am wrong. I rode it three week ago.... and again this past Sunday I road it and is great pavement! Riding the Dragon and "watching the curves on my I-Phone app". SOMETHING stinks to high heaven.
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Buelligan666 (09-11-2024)
#19
09-10-2024 | 09:36 PM
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 845
Likes: 177
#20
09-10-2024 | 09:39 PM
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 845
Likes: 177
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Brian Sparrow (09-14-2024)