Dragon Run 2011

[v65infla]

I still have some lodge rooms at Fontana under our group contract for $79 a night. All my cabins were taken, but I'm sure I could still get another at our group rate of $79 for single bedroom cabins and $119 for two bedroom cabins.

There is not much doubt left that I will be joining you up there.  It is just a matter of; if I want a cabin or a room and then I have to decide if I want to ride in from my Dad's outside of Atlanta or haul it in with the truck.  I like riding but I also like getting into my comfortable truck after a hard week's riding.    I love my V65 but there is not much chance I will be riding it from S. Fla.  

[bagobones]

AWESOME!!!  It will be great to have both you and your knowledge of the area with us. I know Maggie Valley, Cherokee and the roads between those spots and The Dragon, but thats it. I am excited to get to know the area even better and do it with some real enthusiasts.

I'll be loading the trailer with the SV650 for this trip. I've done both-trailered the bike, and ridden solo all the way there and back. On the solo trip, I was so exhausted by the time I got to Deals Gap I hardly wanted to ride the Dragon more than once.

[v65infla]

AWESOME!!!  It will be great to have both you and your knowledge of the area with us. I know Maggie Valley, Cherokee and the roads between those spots and The Dragon, but thats it. I am excited to get to know the area even better and do it with some real enthusiasts.

I'll be loading the trailer with the SV650 for this trip. I've done both-trailered the bike, and ridden solo all the way there and back. On the solo trip, I was so exhausted by the time I got to Deals Gap I hardly wanted to ride the Dragon more than once.

Once is enough if you ask me.     Too much traffic, accidents, wanna-bees and law enforcement.  I do like to get the T-Shirts though.     I do not know the area as last May was my first and I was a follower the entire week but I love to explore and see what I can find.  One mistake I made last May was I did more socializing than I did actually riding.  I had been on the V4 site for five years so I was pretty excited to meet everyone.  This year I plan to ride as early as I can drag myself out of bed until whenever...............     ALL the roads are fun there, hell even the Interstate is pretty cool compared to here.  I like to wick it up once in a while (Always under 160 though) but I am pretty much a 5 to 10 over rider most of the time.     There are some roads that the posted limit is all you want even on a bike.   

[dt]

Thought I’d toss out an update on the North Carolina Trip.

19 riders are in, plus a couple are on the sidelines waiting vacation scheduling and whatnot.

10 states are represented (North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and FLORIDA!)

4 members of bikerflorida.com are going!

17 are staying at the Fontana under the Group contract.

4 with ants in their pants are getting there Saturday for two “extra” days!

118 days stand between us and this EPIC Event!

[bagobones]

Awesome! I was working on my SV650 today getting it all tweaked and ready. Mr. Bones sent me a groovy sport riding book to help me get my head in the right place. I still have to get my velcro mohawk.

[v65infla]

I picked up a 3 rail trailer this weekend on the cheap so Gary (Zarticus) and I can travel up together.  Some you say are arriving on Saturday, huh??   Mmmmmmmmmmmm

What do you think Gary, can we take it from a 9 day to a 11 day trip and not have be roommates when we tell the wives??    

[dt]

Cool, now we’ll have something to haul the Harleys to the shop when they break down. 

The guys from Ohio are saying that they’re heading in early for weekend riding at the Gap and surrounding. I’m currently planning on heading out early Saturday morning and taking the scenic route up the east coast over two days and getting in probably midday Sunday.

Bag, what's your itinerary?

[v65infla]

Its a HONDA trailer damn it!   

I prefer to trailer distances, for two reasons.  First reason is I plan on riding at least a 1,000 miles or more the week that I am there this year, so getting into a comfortable truck for the trip home is kind of nice.  I am a "Motorcyclist" but I am not totally crazy.     Second, our old bikes usually run great without a hitch but at 27 years years old, just in case something goes bad having a trailer nearby could really save the pocket book.  When and if I can ever afford my Valk Interstate then I plan on going everywhere on the bike.   

[dt]

btw...which one in the fleet ^ are you taking or haven't you decided?

[bagobones]

I'll be leaving for the area on Friday and will be hanging out in Maggie Valley on Friday night and Saturday. Then probably heading over to the resort to meet up with DT on Sunday.

I too, am trailering the bike so I can ride the wheels off of it when I get there. I have done it both ways, having ridden there over many long, flat, boring interstates - only to be exhausted when I got to the mountains. It worked better to trailer it. It was great to be fresh and ready to go after unloading the trailer. I love long-distance riding though. If only I could get paid to sit on a bike all day!

I also have a dodgy back and have had bulging disc problems in the past. This winter, I have been doing weight training and regular stretching workouts to combat this trouble and expect to be stronger and ready to ride more than ever this summer.

[v65infla]

btw...which one in the fleet ^ are you taking or haven't you decided?

The big Mag, is the only one that I ride and is currently road worthy.  The baby 500 is a long time project that hasn't been touched since I brought it home a few years ago.  I have been trying to get my son interested so it waits for him and I to do it together.  The Sabre likewise has been sitting waiting for attention after the wifes V45 is done that is half there and simply been pushed aside for household projects.  After the wife's bike is road worthy, I would like to do a frame up on all of the bike starting with the Sabre, then I can ride that when I tear mine down.  Then the wife can ride it when I tear her's back down, etc.

[v65infla]

Here is a link that was suggested by a member of my other group that I share here;

http://www.tailofthedragonmaps.com/


Also here is a reply that I got to a request for suggestions of roads for us to ride early on in th week;

Hey Jamie, While you are in that area and so close, you need to do the "DRAGON CHEROHALA LOOP".  From Fontana go North on SR28, Right turn go North on US129(Dragoon) Left turn North on SR336 to US411. Turn left go South on US441 to SR360 South to the town of Tellico Plains. Out  of Tellico take SR165 East to SR143 East back to US129. Choose North back to SR28 South back to Fontana or go South on US129 to catch the rest of SR143 East to SR28, then it's a left on SR28 North and your back to home base at Fontana.....Great day of riding, very scenic yet parts are very challenging. Cherohala Skyway is long open sweepers that just beg to be run at a hmmmm above normal speed..... but watch out for the Po Po.  

[dt]

Holy crap! There's a map in that link of every spot on the Dragon that someone got slaughtered! 

[v65infla]

Yep, that made me nervous and I have ridden the damn thing.   

Somewhere in there is a sweet 120 mile ride of the Cherohala Skyway loop that I plan on doing while hooked up with this group, hope you are up for it?  I understand it includes riding the Dragon backwards.  MUHAHAHAHA

Sometime that week I am going to do the Moonshiners Run also.  Guy's from the other group are planning it out.  From that camp it is a 300+ miles day.  Like I said last year I spent more time socializing that I did actually riding, I plan on making up for it this year.  6+ Days of riding in those hills, can't wait!! 

[v65infla]

Gary and I are talking over, riding in from east of Atlanta.  We can pick up 28 in Walhalla, GA and do the Moonshiner Run and cover 226 miles on the way in.  Most of the first 108 miles from my Dad's to Walhalla is on I-85 so we could make some time in the beginning.

Have to weigh the ride in vs. being able to bring more stuff with us for the entire week and having the truck should a break down occur. 

 

[dt]

Still heading out early for the weekend? I'm not going to be close to that area until Sunday am.

Ya know...just a thought, but you could ship a box of stuff up to the lodge and have it waiting there for you...get a return label in advance and then ship it back.

[dt]

One other thought on the breakdowns...it ain't gonna happen.

However, question for bag...is your van/trailer going to be in Fontana or over in Maggie Valley?

[v65infla]

Still heading out early for the weekend? I'm not going to be close to that area until Sunday am.

Ya know...just a thought, but you could ship a box of stuff up to the lodge and have it waiting there for you...get a return label in advance and then ship it back.

We are leaving on Wed to go over to the other camp so the shipping thing wouldn't work.  The big essentials I am talking about are mostly for the other camp, when a pre-packed cooler of, *a'hem* "Provisions" comes in handy and is a lot less expensive.  We can rent coolers there but then we also have to pick up "Provisions" daily and haul them back on the bike.  Of course I might consider lowering my "Provisions" this year from 24 of them or so, to just one bottle of something special.    I am also working this diet plan pretty hard so being able to carry a case of water and other supplies comes in handy also.  Lots of time to talk things over at the FGT, where we can get more of your input and from other guys attending the SGT also.  

We also have one other possibility and that is to rig up a hitch to one of our bikes and my mom has a small motorcycle trailer with a claim shell top just sitting there.  That would give us plenty of room for said provisions also.  

[bagobones]

The van/trailer will be in Maggie Valley with the family. They can come save us if we are really in a bind.

[dt]

Thought I’d toss out an update on the North Carolina Trip.

19 riders are in, plus a couple are on the sidelines waiting vacation scheduling and whatnot.

10 states are represented (North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and FLORIDA!)

4 members of bikerflorida.com are going!

17 are staying at the Fontana under the Group contract.

4 with ants in their pants are getting there Saturday for two “extra” days!

118 days stand between us and this EPIC Event!

Update of the update:

20 riders are in, plus a couple are still on the sidelines waiting vacation scheduling and whatnot.

11 states are represented (Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and FLORIDA!)

95 days stand between us and this EPIC Event!


 

[v65infla]

I believe Gary (Zaricus) and I have decided we are going to ride in on Sunday now instead of Monday.  We will be taking care of our room's shortly.  Just a lot going on trying to get ready for the FGT right now.

We are going to trailer to my Dad's in Oxford, GA and ride from there picking up the Moonshiner Run in Walhalla, SC and following 28 all the way up and through the Dragon. This is one of the rides I wanted to accomplish this year so we might as well do it on our way in since it is kinda, sorta on the way.  

http://www.moonshiner28.com/

It looks to be about a 225 mile day with 108 to Walhalla but a good stretch of that is Interstate so it shouldn't be all that long of a day.

[dt]

^^ Okay, now you're back on my schedule. Maybe I can hook up with you guys on the front end of that moonshiner run.

...if ya's don't mind. 

We can talk more about it next week.

[dt]

Another Dragon Run tidbit: One rider is on a personalized custom.

Here’s a photo of our Texas representative’s custom GIreen GReen XR1200, featured in last December’s Hot Bike eZine.

[v65infla]

No problem at all.  Sunday morning, Walhalla SC be there!!  Unless of course you want to meet up somewhere between there and Oxford, GA??

That bike is pretty sweet, for a HD that is.   

[Zarticus]

Thats a NICE looking bike, add a couple more cylinders & now were talking