Just got back from Deals Gap

[jaha2000]

WOW..
If you have never been and own a bike, you owe it to yourself to make the trek, its amazing!!

 

[jlee]

PICS!

nocaps

 

[satyajitmenon]

You went to deals gap and no pics?

How rude.

 

[punjabiplaya]

as long as you didn't add to the tree of shame, it's fun!

 

[JulesMaximus]

It's a tad far from here. Besides, we have plenty of canyons and mountains here in California to keep me entertained for a lifetime.

 

[eBauer]

If you are looking for pictures, these are a few of the websites that take pictures on the dragon.

http://www.zeefoto.com/
http://www.killboy.com/
http://www.us129photos.com/

I was there last fall and the summer of 2007, and will definitely be back again.

 

[WackyDan]

WOW..
If you have never been and own a bike, you owe it to yourself to make the trek, its amazing!!

The entire smokies and western NC have roads close to that. I run the Dragon a few times every year, but there are some other great roads out there with less cops, and less traffic.

Next time, run RT 64 from Frankin to Cashiers, or 209 up through boiling springs.

 

[drnickriviera]

So I assume the entire road was open? I know it was closed because of a rock slide a while ago. Were there many troopers? They were getting federal dollars to hound that road

 

[jaha2000]

We did 64, ran a big chuck of 28 as well.
Did not add to the tree of shame either

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK00Y9071648&po=1648&pc=1800

That was the one nice day we had up there. Good times for sure!

 

[angry hampster]

I've wanted to go there so bad for the longest time. Shame it's a 16hr drive for me.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Have driven it about a dozen times in a NA Miata.

It is a blast.

While it was fine when I last drove it in 2006 or so, I had heard that it now crawls with cops. Is that not the case anymore?

 

[eBauer]

Have driven it about a dozen times in a NA Miata.

It is a blast.

While it was fine when I last drove it in 2006 or so, I had heard that it now crawls with cops. Is that not the case anymore?

Cops are only an issue on weekends. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are usually very quiet. I did this run http://www.youtube.com/user/agent007ge#p/u/6/d4TNZXv7qs0 on a Wednesday afternoon last September - a lot more enjoyable when there isn't a parade lap of cars/bikes.

 

[jaha2000]

Yeah the slide is all cleaned up, no problems with that anymore.

We talked to a few LEO's when we were down there. I get the impression that have been told to back off on the speeding. We ran the skyway at 75-80 MPH and went past two sets of cops and they never even looked at us (40mph road).

 

[WackyDan]

So I assume the entire road was open? I know it was closed because of a rock slide a while ago. Were there many troopers? They were getting federal dollars to hound that road

It opened last June. I was on it last June 8th when the DOT would open it from 8am to 8pm due to the slide. The slide was way up at the north end, and didn't impact the dragon at all, just impacted how you got to the dragon... which meant coming in from the south end.

That day was the best day I ever had on the Dragon. We showed up right at 8am and had the whole run to ourselves save a few other early birds and one mini. Ran it four times before we tired out... Best part about that dam slide, was there were no thru traffic - tractor trailers, trucks towing campers or boats, or run of the mill tourists. That was the time to ride the Dragon and I'm glad I caught it that day.

 

[WackyDan]

Cops are only an issue on weekends. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are usually very quiet. I did this run http://www.youtube.com/user/agent007ge#p/u/6/d4TNZXv7qs0 on a Wednesday afternoon last September - a lot more enjoyable when there isn't a parade lap of cars/bikes.

Nice run, though there would be more than a few Dragon regulars that would shun you for passing on the double yellow without being waved by. Yeah, it wasn't busy that day, but they are pretty anal about that. It sucks to be caught behind a slow cruiser, and it sucks when they don't move to the side and let you by, but I've seen enough cars, trucks, and fellow bikes come over the line at me on the Dragon and the other roads in the Smokies to really focus on staying in bounds myself. On the plus side, it looks like you have your AMA card, so you are one of the riders to not worry too much about anyway.

I'll be down there June 16th thru 19th having some fun.