July 28, 2008: I suppose that the Dragon's western end would be the point where it meets the Chilhowee Lake shore - from that point on, Hwy. 129 is mostly straight, with a few sweeping curves as it winds along the former course of the Little Tennessee River, now flooded with the Chilhowee and Tellico lakes. Some more good riding comes after you turn away from the lakes, heading towards Maryville, Tennessee. Worth riding, but it's not part of the Dragon. I usually cut up through Happy Valley instead, climbing out of the valley to reach the Foothills Parkway up on top of Chilhowee Mtn. It's a pretty ride that passes by the entrance of the Abrams Creek region of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The shot above is on the other side, the Maryville, TN side of the road that climbs out of Happy Valley, after it passes beneath the Parkway.

July 28, 2008: Heading south on Hwy. 129 towards Deals Gap, alongside Chilhowee Lake.


July 28, 2008: The view from above the Fontana dam on a hazy mountain morning. The 500 foot + dam is one of the highest in the eastern U.S. and was built to supply power to the Alcoa aluminum plant in Tennessee during WWII.

July 28, 2008: Parked by the dam at Santeetlah Lake in the Nantahalas of western Carolina, while on the way to Tellico Plains, via the Cherohala Skyway.

July 28, 2008: Overlook near the beginning of the Cherohala Skyway on the Carolina side. Riding across the high Nantahalas to Tellico Plains, TN, then completing the loop back over to the Dragon is one of the most popular rides in the region.

July 28, 2008: A Miata rally takes a break alongside the Cherohala Skyway on the Tennessee side of the Nantahalas. Doing the Dragon/Cherohala/Maryville loop is a must-do for a lot of large rallies that take place in the region.

July 25, 2008: Riding a backroad between Maryville, TN and Townsend, TN, below the Chilhowee Range of mountains. It's good, uncrowded riding through beautiful farmland and river bottoms. Watch out for deer - they're everywhere at dusk and dawn.

July 25, 2008: How hot was it? Hot enough that nothing would budge this bull from the small stream where it had taken shelter fromt the sweltering temps. Wearing full armour, stopping was something that I did quickly and reluctantly.

The Snake, the Dragon... and the Terrapin. I can't help it - I always stop to move terrapins out of the road. This was up on the Chilhowee Parkway near Look Rock. I've also been known to stop and nudge rattlesnakes off of the pavement.

Heading back up where it's a little cooler, I hit the Chilhowee Parkway south of Maryville to escape the heat and wait to meet friends below in Maryville for dinner. It's been a good, a really good, day.

July 11, 2008: Happy Valley - with a name like that, it's gotta be good. This bucolic scene can be found on the northwestern end of the Great Smoky Mountains, along the road to the Abrams Creek Campground. It's a place to take it easy and enjoy the sights - and avoid hitting one of the hundreds of deer and turkeys that call the valley home. I also spotted bear near here twice last summer, both times up high along the Chilhowee Parkway.