You can't talk about riding in the southeast without the subject of the Dragon coming up - it's the road that most other sport rides in America are measured against. Having said that, I have to admit that I feel that it's over-rated. Don't get me wrong - it's a hell of a good ride, with miles of hairpin turns and beautiful scenery. It's just that when you live in western North Carolina and have thousands of miles of great mountain roads to choose from, the Dragon is just one more good stretch of asphalt with a lot of traffic, lots of radar, and a really good chance of getting hit head-on by some kid that just maxed out his daddie's American Express card on a bike that he is unable to control. I ride the Dragon mostly because a couple of my best friends happen to live on the other end - and because I like stopping by the restaurant at Deals Gap. Deals Gap, just shy of the state line, is a great place to hang out and check out the wide variety of rides on a busy weekend. It's the camaraderie of hundreds of bikers that makes the Dragon a cool place to visit. Deals Gap also sits at the epicenter of lots of other great rides - the Cherohala Skyway is only a few miles south of the Gap, with a great ride to enjoy through the mountains along the way. A loop from Deals Gap, across the Cherohala to Tellico Plains in Tennessee, then on to Vonore via Hwy. 360, then on to Maryville and back over 129 to Deals Gap, is a good way to spend the day. On the north end (Tennessee side), you can hit the Chilhowee Parkway to circle over to Townsend and Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Hwy. 29 runs along the south shore of Fontana Lake from Bryson City and Cherokee, rolling through the mountains like a rollercoaster.


This was the scene on a July weekend at Deals Gap - crowds of riders, and a sports car rally as well. Killboy's base of operations is just across the road - Killboy is well-known for the photos that they shoot of riders and drivers on the Dragon.

Love the Triumphs - a 68 Bonny was one of my first bikes. In 1968, the 650 Triumph Bonneville and the 650 BSA Lightning (basically the same bikes, with different cosmetics) were the fastest production bikes in the world. A year later, rumors of a 750 3 cylinder BSA and a 750 4 cylinder Honda started floating around, soon followed by the actual bikes. Those were the forerunners of today's superbikes. The old English twins were cantankerous beasts - they leaked oil like a sieve, had abominable electronics, the carburetors were hell to keep in sync, but... there has never been a sweeter sounding ride (sorry, Harley riders!) The 68 Bonny is the bike that I measure all others against. It might not have been as fast as modern bikes (my Ninja would run circles around one) but it sure felt great to carve turns on the Parkway with one.

A WeeStrom loaded for adventure. This was my main choice for a new ride after parting with the Ninja, but I was able to work out a better deal on the Versys. The Wee is one heck of a strong touring machine and there is a ton of aftermarket gear available for the bike.

The infamous Tree of Shame at Deals Gap. Festooned with the crushed and shattered remnants of literally hundreds of crashes (as well as a pretty good collection of some kid's Big Wheels???) it's a popular attraction for the riders that visit the Dragon.

That's the famous Killboy.com site across the highway. If you're at the Gap, take time to walk over to see what he has at the shop. And of course, to check on getting a copy of a photo of you nailing a turn on the Dragon...

A closer look at the Tree of Shame.

Wet and cold morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It gets better, lots better!

The best thing about riding the Dragon is the ride that I do to get there - this shot was taken on the stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Hwy. 215 and Hwy. 23/74 near Waynesville. It was unusually cold for mid-July, and was misting rain as I climbed up from Rosman to the Parkway. As the sun rose higher in the morning sky, the fog slowly burned away, allowing me a warm dry ride to Deals Gap.
On the other hand, I don't really enjoy Hwy. 74 that much - super slab is super slab, regardless of the destination.

How about a slightly used 57 Chevy? This one can be found holding the Tuckasegee River bank in place outside of Bryson City. By the way, a great spot for some superb Mexican food in Bryson City is the Quayabitos restaurant - one of my favorite stops when I'm on that side of the hill.

This one was shot above Fontana Lake, past Bryson City, looking north into the Great Smoky Mountains. Still cruising the super slab, but it's getting better as I head further west. Long lines of bikes stream past as I stretch my legs for a few minutes, most heading for the Dragon.

As you near the western end of Fontana, you pass several spectacular overlooks of the Lake and the Great Smokies beyond. This is the Hazel Creek overlook. A long arm of the lake stretches northward from the main channel, across from Cable Cove, reaching the park boundary at Proctor Place. Proctor used to be a bustling lumber mill town, but when the lumber ran out and TVA built the lake, the old town site became part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Today, the Proctor backcountry campsite is sited on the old mill ball field, with tall trees standing where the mill workers used to spend evenings playing ball.

Below Deals Gap, Hwy. 129 passes by the Lake Cheoah dam before crossing the Little Tennessee River to climb up through the Nantahala Mountains alongside the Cheoah River. The Lake Cheoah dam was the location for the 'dam jump' in the movie, The Fugitive, with Tommy Lee Jones.

The ride to the Cherohala Skyway from Deals Gap follows the course of the Cheoah River for several miles. You have the option of either cutting off on a side road that leads up to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and then on to the Skyway, or stay on Hwy. 129 past Lake Santeetlah to Robbinsville. Both are smooth sweeping strips of blacktop leading higher into the Nantahala Mountains.

The view from Hwy. 129 beside Cheoah River.

A cyclist braves the traffic as he climbs past the Calderwood overlook. This is a popular gathering point for riders on the Dragon, with a beautiful view to the west of Lake Calderwood and the dam, and the Great Smokies to the east.

Bike spam!

I see this pink Katana occasionally on the Dragon - it's different...

Lined up at the Calderwood overlook, riders chat and watch speeding riders and Tennessee state patrolmen pass by.

Just another bend in the road...

More to come...