Convertible Vehicles - Tail of the Dragon

Tail of the Dragon. http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0CVY00IU000153&po=153If you are ever on vacation in the area of western NC and eastern TN this is a must road for any convertible or motorcycle. It is fun for any F-body actually. 318 curves in 11 miles!! Photographers take your picture as you travel on it and you can buy them on-line. I posted a picture but if it does not show up you can see my T/A at www.moonshinephoto.com (http://www.moonshinephoto.com) on pages 6 (bottom) and 7 (top) (June 30 was the date).

Tail of the Dragon. http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0CVY00IU000153&po=153If you are ever on vacation in the area of western NC and eastern TN this is a must road for any convertible or motorcycle. It is fun for any F-body actually. 318 curves in 11 miles!! Photographers take your picture as you travel on it and you can buy them on-line. I posted a picture but if it does not show up you can see my T/A at www.moonshinephoto.com (http://www.moonshinephoto.com) on pages 6 (bottom) and 7 (top) (June 30 was the date).

lol I was just telling someone about TDT Saturday! I have been wanting to do it for a while now, but with going to school full time, it has been impossible. I really wanted to do it in my 3000GT VR4 since it was All-Wheel-Drive and All-Wheel-Steering, that would have been SICK!!!

Glad you made it down with out issue and did not end-up putting something on the "TREE" ;)


DM

Thanks! Made it safely, as do most. Unfortunately a woman was killed last week as she drove off the side of the mountain on her cycle. It was posted on www.killboy.com (http://www.killboy.com) last week. They are another photography site that keeps up to date news as well. Great pictures!

Thanks! Made it safely, as do most. Unfortunately a woman was killed last week as she drove off the side of the mountain on her cycle. It was posted on www.killboy.com (http://www.killboy.com) last week. They are another photography site that keeps up to date news as well. Great pictures!

Is this you!!?? lol, found this pic while going through the pics. Sweet!!! One day...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i113/devils_mentor/98%20Trans%20Am%20Vert/FlyingDragon.jpg


DM

I live not to far from the tail of the dragon(north GA) Great road. :D

Is this you!!?? lol, found this pic while going through the pics. Sweet!!! One day...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i113/devils_mentor/98%20Trans%20Am%20Vert/FlyingDragon.jpg


DM

LOL!! That's one of them. My wife brought her stuffed toy dragon and it of course made the highlights on the 'killboy' site.

LOL!! That's one of them. My wife brought her stuffed toy dragon and it of course made the highlights on the 'killboy' site.

lol so that WAS you.... AWESOME!!! I was being facetious, but damn that sweet kick ass!


DM

I want to go out there in a month or two. I love the turns and i think the kids would like it.

Just bring Dramamine if your kids get prone to motion sickness. The turns are quick and extremely tight with ups and downs. The faster you go the more it is like a roller coaster. If you do come over this way, catch the Cherohala Skyway about 30 minutes away near Robbinsville, NC. It is as beautiful as the Blue Ridge Pkwy (highly recommended as well) and used to be unknown just 3 years ago. The motorcyclists have found it now and it is much more crowded, but still a wonderful drive. Try to hit it during the week if possible. It can still be very quiet. 5000' elevations makes it quite cool on the top ridges.

The Tail of the Dragon is a road any enthusiast should experience at least once in their life.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k277/Formula88/15cf2834.jpg
My first trip to the Dragon in my '88 Fiero Formula.
I haven't taken my TA yet. Soon. Yes, soon. :drive:

I want to go out there in a month or two. I love the turns and i think the kids would like it.

If you drive like I do, your kids' necks will be sore from trying to hold their heads up. As a matter of fact I was sore at the end of the day lol Driving out there is a blast, but watch out for the gravel that occasionally shows up on curves, my buddy who was infront of us thought he was a badass and ended up getting sideways and almost took out a bike or two. It was then that he realized a difference between my ss suspension and his t/a lol He got behind me and stayed there.

I've been at least a dozen times. Deals gap sucks compared to the Cherohala Skyway about 30 miles south of it. In a decent set-up F-body it's not uncommon to hit 100mph in some straights. the long sweepers makes it 10x better than the gaps tight turns, slow bikers, and constant control by the police.

http://www.cherohala.com/index.html
43 miles of God's country!

I've been at least a dozen times. Deals gap sucks compared to the Cherohala Skyway about 30 miles south of it. In a decent set-up F-body it's not uncommon to hit 100mph in some straights. the long sweepers makes it 10x better than the gaps tight turns, slow bikers, and constant control by the police.

http://www.cherohala.com/index.html
43 miles of God's country!

My wife and I went to Cherohala today. The leaves were at their Fall peak of colors. The 5000' elevation was already past prime viewing and getting brown. Not too crowded at all for such a beautiful day and most were bikes. Saw three Corvettes travelling together plus a long caravan of BMWs. Not one F-body! No police presence except for an accident on the TN side which tied up two units. Highly recommend. Most folks do both the Tail and Cherohala when they travel the area since they are so close. A bit too much for my liking in one day. I like doing them separately to fully enjoy each experience.

Took the TA to the Tail of the Dragon a few weeks ago.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k277/Formula88/1c648152.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k277/Formula88/3e2563b5.jpg

I also took a drive up the Cherohala Skyway...
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k277/Formula88/579a4e98.jpg

Beautiful car! You have the stock hood too. I was starting to think I had the last one left. Did you do both on the same day??

I've been at least a dozen times. Deals gap sucks compared to the Cherohala Skyway about 30 miles south of it. In a decent set-up F-body it's not uncommon to hit 100mph in some straights. the long sweepers makes it 10x better than the gaps tight turns, slow bikers, and constant control by the police.

http://www.cherohala.com/index.html
43 miles of God's country!

I picked up the 'freebie' newspaper on the TN side at the visitor's center and one article talked about a biker being clocked at 152 mph with his buddies 'lagging' behind at 127 mph. The cops were waiting for them up the road (can't outrun a radio) and hauled them all before the local judge. The article didn't say what the fines were but it probably wasn't cheap. On the Blue Ridge Pkwy they set fines for 100 mph+ bikers right up to $1,000. Ouch!!

I picked up the 'freebie' newspaper on the TN side at the visitor's center and one article talked about a biker being clocked at 152 mph with his buddies 'lagging' behind at 127 mph. The cops were waiting for them up the road (can't outrun a radio) and hauled them all before the local judge. The article didn't say what the fines were but it probably wasn't cheap. On the Blue Ridge Pkwy they set fines for 100 mph+ bikers right up to $1,000. Ouch!!


There are several stories floating around, but to my knowledge, this was never a confirmed story. Too add to the 'tale' - the cops were in a helicopter and basically dropped it down in front of the bikes in order to make them stop. I've heard a few different versions, but I'm skeptical as to weither it's true or not.

I've been up there no less than 12-15 times and I've never seen a cop or helicopter near the skyway. I run 95% all out and hit 100 mph in several areas. FWIW, I've never had a speeding ticket in 12+ years of driving (knock on wood).

Best time to go is mid October. If you run 'er hard - be careful of brake fade. I run a very agressive pad (Hawk HP+) with slotted rotors and toward the end of the skyway, I get brake fad and also a ton of odor. I can only imagine what it would be like with a stock set-up.

If you go up with others, I recommend a small pack. 1-3 other cars at most. If you hit traffic, I try and get them to pull over! :)

Visitor side being the one in Tellico Plains? I have several of their free maps in the garage!

Here some pics on foothills on the way to the dragon:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/PewterSonoma/Camaro/Avatar.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/PewterSonoma/DSC00016-2.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/PewterSonoma/DSC00011-1.jpg

The Dragon is fun, but I enjoy the drive on the Skyway better. It's also a better scenic drive if you're just out enjoying some topless weather.

Just be careful your first few times. There are decreasing radius turns on the Skyway that sneak up on you, and if you don't know where they are, you can come cooking into a corner WAY too hot.

The Dragon is fun, but I enjoy the drive on the Skyway better. It's also a better scenic drive if you're just out enjoying some topless weather.

Just be careful your first few times. There are decreasing radius turns on the Skyway that sneak up on you, and if you don't know where they are, you can come cooking into a corner WAY too hot.

x2. Good advice!