| Author | Message | ||
     Jersey_thunder |
i'll be heading down to the "dragon tail" this summer. looking for suggestions. TONY | ||
| Buells Rule! (Dyna in disguise) |
Take your bike. | ||
| Jersey_thunder |
 don't forget S2 !! | ||
| Firemanjim |
Go on weekdays.Less crowded,hit Wayabalduh(sp)and Cheroholla(sp) Parkway.Very nice and way less crowded. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Dragon Tail is a PBS kids show. I think you mean Tail of the Dragon (Deal's Gap)  We have a big group going/meeting July 30th through August 6th. When were you thinking of going. I know Tank Bueller has a Cabin rented and is in search of someone to split the cost with. | ||
| Whodom |
Go to http://www.tailofthedragon.com They have lots of info, area maps, places to stay, tips on how to ride, what to look out for, radar hot spots, etc. (Message edited by whodom on April 11, 2005) | ||
| Twowheeldream |
Rocket, have you been to Fontana before? Have any experience with the tent sites? I really want to be there for Braggin at the Dragon, but the budget is going to be seriously limited (mostly because of bike maintenance before i get there) so im looking to tent it... besides i like tent camping. from what i can see on the website it looks good, but i would rather have someone elses testimony on the situation.  (Message edited by TwoWheelDream on April 11, 2005) | ||
| Rex |
So, you say you want to ride the Dragon??? http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Never been to the campground, but I'll be willing to bet it's one of the nicer ones around there. I can't imagine they'd have such a nice place and a crappy campground. It would be great to have you there. The more people, the better. | ||
| Bomber |
camp sites are ACES at Fontana -- get a site near the damn, er, dam! | ||
| Along4theride |
Those pictures of trucks crossing the double yellow was insane!!! When they brought the Buell Demo truck up to Suches they had a police escort to block traffic in the corners to avoid such mishaps. They should just BAN 18 wheelers from these roads since there is no way for them to maintain their lane. They ban them for weight on roads why not size? Obviously there are other routes they can take. Tennessee Highway Patrol unofficial "no harm, no ticket" policy is for truckers only. Motorcycles and cars will be ticketed for this same violation even if no harm is done. -In regards to crossing the double yellow. http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_equal_enf.html | ||
| Whodom |
It is insane that they don't out-and-out ban 18 wheelers from that stretch of road. I think a significant portion of the trucks that end up there do it through ignorance- you look on a map, and 129 looks like a pretty shot from Knoxville, TN down towards ~Asheville, NC, but it sure ain't straight in real life. It's hard to imagine a truck driver would deliberately take that stretch of road, but evidently some do. | ||
| S2pengy |
They do it to get around the scales.... Alot of roads in the around Deals Gap area are posted no trucks but it doesn't help..... | ||
| Twowheeldream |
Thanks Bomber... near the dam you say? sounds good to me, ill keep it in mind. Rocket... really really really want to be there, but it totally depends on wether or not i can get the bike prepped for that in time. Going to need new front tire, new front rotor and pads, new fork oil and seals, new steering head bearings, new brake fluid, 2 oil change between now and then and another after... want to update the shifter detent and primary tensioner. plus save enough for gas, place to stay, and food while im there. just a short list of stuff | ||
| Rocketsprink |
I know what you're going through. Mine is my truck though. Before the trip I plan on doing: new tires, new brakes in a 4 corners, new shocks, front and back, new serpentine belt. The trick is to spread it out over time. Hell, the trip isn't until the first week in August, but I do know what you're dealing with. My truck has 50,000 miles, but I'm not waiting for problems to arise. Want to head them off before they start. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'll tell you why some of them do it, the same reason you do it on a bike, the drive, the challenge, the buzz. I drive big rigs, I know. The difference here is that we run on 5 axles too but with 3 on the semi & 2 on the tractor, also we use nearly all cabovers, much more manoevrable than a conventional. You get a real high after stuffing something that big through a road like that, you don't generally do it twice, but it gives you big bonus points at the dinner table in the truckers restaurant with the other drivers. Braggin at the Dragon. Says it all. I've taken rigs through the Alps & the Pyrenees & the Black Forest in Germany. It's a trip! If you're at Homecoming buy me a drink & remind me to tell you about when........... Wait a minute that's Court's line, oh well see you in June.  | ||
| Rex |
hahahha, now we will have two people to remind to tell us stories....OKAY, what night is going to be Story Night at Homecoming!? REX | ||
| Bomber |
EVERY night is story night with this crew -- and that's a good thing, I'm thinkin! | ||
| Whodom |
Mr_grumpy: Thanks for that info; it never would have occurred to me. I have heard that big rig drivers have the highest job satisfaction (as a group) of any occupation in the U.S. Maybe that's part of the reason. |
