If you guys are serious about doing this trip, I would look at heading back. I've been down there about 4-5 times in recent years & enjoyed each & every one of the trips. We would typically have vehicles & trailers (with my CBR929) ready to leave town by 7pm at the latest, and the do a straight 14 hour drive south. You roll through Knoxville at about 6-7am, get all your supplies at the Kroger's and then head into the mountains.



Although the Dragon is a kick a$$ road, it is very tight for a car to maneuver quickly on. I've been down there a couple times when the Subaru WRX club roles through & you can usually count on one of them to rack up their car... and that's with all wheel drive! Cherohala Skyway is a fantastic drive that is a little more open and faster (knee down 150-160kph sweepers in the bike world... & I was only moderately quick!). There are many roads around the dam systems that are fun as well.


The Deal Gap Motorcycle Resort (old name was Cross Roads Of Time or CROT) is the motel at the end of the run (it's in most of the pictures of the area) on the North Carolina side, and although a little minimalist, it can be fun and close to a boatload of action. Book many many months in advance if you have a fare size group of people.


Fontana Village is a few miles away & pretty nice. Cabins are reasonably priced a easy for a few people to split.

If you really want to have some fun here... budget a set of tires, because you will chew through them fast. And it's worth spending the $30 or so before you leave to get the extended travel insurance. Have a bad enough wreck on the Skyway, and the medivac is the ONLY quick way out. Also once you know you are heading down, drop Darryl (www.killboy.com) a message with the dates & he'll be there to get some sweet pictures of everyone carving up the corners.

Now I just have to get a trailer hitch on my G so I can take both toys down!

 

Oooo, we're all gonna die!

 

hhahaha... I hereby rescind my offer

 

OK, I certainly did mean to sound that ominous. It's just not a total ***** to the wall ride. 2 years back a few of us were helping a guy who had been on a bike which had been punted by a Subaru that had drifted into the oncoming lane... sadly, a common occurance on the Dragon.

Don't get me wrong, you will totally enjoy a trip here! There are some really sweet roads to drive down there. There is a great route down into Georgia that makes for a great day trip. Cool little German themed town when you get down there.

It's great fun! Lets do it!!!

 

Great stuff BK.....
It would be great to get together for a planning session some time.

 

Good answer. I'm sure it's going to happen. D*** it's far from here though.

 

Let me know when you're ready to plan & I'd be glad to meet up with you!

Cheers!
Jay

 

WOW... I didn't think it was that far
From the GTA... it's almost half the distance

 

Hey cool description BadKarma. Good to hear from someone that's been there. Safe to say I won't be wearing out a set of tires on that public road. LOL

I'll look forward to hearing some more stuff if you TO guys get together to discuss.

 

Actually I didn't realize it was that far for Deane either .

 

I know I did a search on that earlier myself.

I was reminded of a trip I did from here many years down to the Florida Keys and back on my bike.

 

Ominous is good!

 

Ya... it's a long haul even from the GTA. We would take the 401 west, cross into the US at the Detroit boarder and then hop on I75 for the balance of the trip. On a long weekend with holiday Monday, we would leave after work on the Thursday (trailers loaded and staged the night before) and head out of the driveway by 7pm. Friday morning arrival... you're tired but the adrenaline keeps you buzzing until about 4-5pm. Everyone would do a couple of early Monday morning Gap passes, then pack and be on the road by 10am to try and be home for midnight.

It's a long... boring... drive but you make your best time driving through the night. Cops are brutal in Ohio, so be mindful of your speed through there. Count on a couple stops for munchies & Red Bull to keep you awake. It's best to have at least 2 drivers per vehicle. I would usually do the first leg until about 2:30-3am while your co-pilot sleeps, then snooze until about 7am and then I'd take the remaining drive into the mountains. Of course, under the two driver program with cars... you either have to bring the significant other or a buddy that's cool with being a co-pilot only through the Gap. Pick your poison.

 

We're likely to make it into a vacation week(s).
I'd like to find a more interesting route than the interstate, even if it takes an extra day.

We might carry on to nearby Spartanburg as well... show my baby where she was born

 

Make the trip to Z Dayz at Fontana village, North Carolina in May. Meet a bunch of Z AND G owners. It's 10 minutes from the Dragon. www.zdayz.com