rode it and the Cheraholla Skyway IN THE RAIN....the dragon was real cool but too many ricers and sports cars for me...even saw a bad wreck of a mini cooper...to me the surrounding area was much better....had to rent a bike cause mine aint happy since the hill country ride where i broke a throttle shaft(freak deal) and i chucked the install on the DTT so's i probly got somethin askew....but i'm going back the end of this month for another week or so....this time with a plan....[8D]

 

nice! The dragon, Cheraholla Skyway, is about 30 minutes away from me. Sadly, I've lost interest inthe dragondue to the metrics, sports cars, LARGE amount of wrecks and quite a number of injuries in the dragon.

 

All those curves in the rain must have caused some "puckers". Every time I have been have seen wrecks. Once was a guy inour group. It is not as good as it used to be before the crowds. But, you are so right..the area around there is really nice.Lots of curves and scenery leading to the Dragon andquite a few waterfalls to the South. You can go to Dillsboro and get on the Smokey MntRailroad (open air) and ride up the mnt get out and raft down to the Nantahala Outdoor Center and then train back to the bikes. That does take up most of the day though. Hope you had fun evenif the weather wasnt great. Have you ordered new floorboards yet? I know you scraped em up.

 

We rode the dragon during the Cherokee Rally. Rice burners and race cars are what make that place dangerous. I had a blast on the dragon except whenidiots where passing us on the inside lane while in a sharp curve.

I have to admit though... I bet it would be fun on a rice burner.

 

What do you mean by "passing on the inside lane"? I thought it was one lane each way. I can tell you there would be problems if someone passed me like an idiot and put me or mine in any danger.

 

That's just a part of it when you go. Just keep an eye on your mirrors for the sport bikes and when you have a straight section of road (albeit a short section) just move to the right and let them by. They're gonna come by anyway so most everyone just accepts it and enjoys the ride. I think the most I've been passed during a ride one way on the Dragon was 3 times and we made 3 trips up there last year.

It's about worth it just to go hang out at the Deals Gap store on a Saturday, man what a bike show.

 

I used to call it the Dragon, now its the Wild Wild West Show. I was ok until the last few years the cars started showing up and your stuck behind 20 mini coopers with no chance of passing even if your on a sportbike, not too mention worrying about the cars coming at you across the line. There are tons of good roads up there Bryan. I have a 350 mile loop I've been riding up there for 17 years and it doesn't include riding the gap but just stopping at the store for lunch. If anyone in the group has never ridden it we say hey, there it is have at it. Which by the way. the skyway can be tricky when its raining because typically you are in the cloud itself with zero visibility. I'd be glad to tell you my loop, just be prepared for about 7000 curves and that would be a conservative number.

 

It is with out a doubt. Its the most free and unincumbered feeling you can have, other than maybe being on a racetrack, which I have not.

 

It's a great ride! I went on a Thursday and did not see another bike in front of me nor behind me. Once I got to the north side and stopped at one of the picnic tables for lunch several bikes came by, but the ride on a weekday was serene and very scenic!

 

Detro996 - I'm very interested in your loop if you wouldn't mind sharing.

We've been going for years on the sportbikes, but this year (1st week of June) we are taking the hogs. Last year we realized we had taken the track to the street, and since then we've decided to track ride at the track. Too risky. We actually quit riding the Dragon on the weekends, but we do go up for lunch on Saturday to see the bikes. It should be a very different trip for us this year.

Thanks in advance!