Deals Gap Needs Your Help!!!!!!!

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

no, where is the big ass lake beside 129?

[Tonik]

Well, I was an optimist about this a few days ago. Now not so much,. TDOT has an update on their Twitter page saying closed until 9/1. Deals Gap is working with the two States about opening it back up from the south...through The Dragon...up to the rockslide and have NC cover the LEO's and emergency services. Sounds like NC is willing to do it but they don't have an answer yet from TN.

"State Route 115 N in Blount Co Incident at NC-TN STATE LINE / BEGIN HWY-129 / {US-129} at 3/15 4:00 PM est clear by 9/1 5:00 PM"

[BiggO]

Shadowriders.net was getting a group together again this year to go to the Dragon in June. Guess that will be canceled, if they can't get it cleared till 9/1. That sucks!

[Casper]

deals gap motorcycle resort - false information put out by tdot....warning do not believe it. Tdot twitter page lists 1 sep, tdot has confirmed that is wrong they do not have a time line yet. There twitter page is tied into there electronic sign system and they have to put a date for it to take. They picked that date out of the blue to get the sign working. 1 sep is not the date.

Not sure how true that is, but I guess we'll see.

[Casper]

Just received a clarrification for the TNDOT Public Information Officer regarding the September 1 date. The date is an ESTIMATED date. The contract for clearing the slide will be awarded on Monday (3/29), at that time a more accurate opening date will be posted. TNdot DOES SAY it should take several months to clear ...the slide. We will post as soon as we hear updates.

Update

[Tonik]

Update

Thanks, I am back to a tiny bit optimistic. My first trip there this year isn't until mid-July so it is looking ok. Maybe.

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

Email i got back yesterday:

Dear Mr. Parks:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the road closure of U.S. 129 in Blount County. Governor Bredesen has forwarded your e-mail to the TDOT Region One Office for review and a response.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has been actively addressing the safety issues that are present on the 11 mile stretch of U.S. 129, known as the “Tail of the Dragon” for the past 3 years. This section of roadway has experienced crash rates that are above the state averages and TDOT, in cooperation with the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, has addressed those safety issues by combining roadway improvements with enhanced traffic enforcement.

The roadway is currently closed from the North Carolina border to near the Chilhowee Dam due to a rock slide that occurred on Sunday, March 14, 2010. Due to the complexity and severity of the rock slide, law enforcement and emergency crews have very limited emergency access to the roadway. The instability and repair work to the slide could hinder response time to any accidents or emergencies that could happen on the 318 curve, 11 mile stretch of roadway.

Limited emergency access, increased response time to emergencies and a priority for safety to motorists led to the decision to temporarily close U.S. 129 in Tennessee.

Due to the winter weather that East Tennessee and Western North Carolina has experienced over the past few months, rock slides have become prevalent in our mountainous regions. TDOT has worked very closely with NCDOT during the past few months to maintain open communication between our two states during the road closures. Our Transportation and Tourism Departments remain in close contact to relay the most current and consistent information to the public as it becomes available regarding detours and alternate routes around the slide areas. We are very aware of the impacts that these types of disasters have on local communities, and our TDOT employees and contractors are diligently working to be able to reopen these vital corridors between North Carolina and Tennessee.

While our Safety Departments in Tennessee and North Carolina have been in contact, no official offer from North Carolina has been received to provide emergency response or law enforcement services in Tennessee. Further, North Carolina law enforcement would not have legal jurisdiction in the state of Tennessee and therefore could not provide enforcement or legal action in Tennessee.

TDOT is continuing to assess the situation and is in the process of completing a stabilization plan for the rock slide. Efforts to complete an emergency contract are in the final stages but there is not a timeline for repairs to begin at this time.

The “Tail of the Dragon” is an asset to our great State and it is our desire to return it to public access as soon as safety permits. Meanwhile, temporary detours around the rock slide area have been established.

We regret any inconvenience this closure may cause; however, the safety of the traveling public remains our top priority. For updates on the rockslide closure, please visit our website at www.tdot.state.tn.us.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Borden, P.E.

Regional Director

TDOT – Region One

[wht_scorpion]

I told you guys that a week ago

[wht_scorpion]

It going to re open in sept.

[Earache]

happened right be side the lake. dont recall seeing any other acess roads. they said they will be boating dam workers to an from their job.

Stopped by the Gap today as I'm here for work this week. The road is pretty much clear of debris at this point, but I was told that they are going to remove some more unstable rock so that it doesn't fall again. I didn't get to the other end of the Gap, obviously, but was told it's barricaded at the NC/TN line, just up the hill from CRoT.

We should rethink out jotel location for the May trip. I'm staying just off of I-40 n the far west side of Knoxville. Staying here would put us a bit closer to the TN side of the Cherohala, Triangle and the route to Georgia.

Loads of hotels, restaurants, etc here. Even close proximity to another strip club (been to this one before, not as good as Last Chance, but closer to the hotels, BYOB etc.). I didn';t check hotel rates, but can do so. Just let me know how many rooms we need. I'll stop atthe front desk in the morning and see if we can get a deal.

[Earache]

PS - 74 degrees here today - lots of bikes out tooling around. Bastards!

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

ok we will need like 4 or 5 rooms prolly

[Earache]

ok we will need like 4 or 5 rooms prolly

Dates? I'll only be there on Fri and Sat nights.

All double rooms (two beds)?

[Ron Burgundy]

hhhmm...

[gravedigger]

PS - 74 degrees here today - lots of bikes out tooling around. Bastards!

Thank for the update. Wish I was there !

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

here is the contact number for the NC safety Dept. that he is referring too in my previous post.

North Carolina Crime Control and Public Safety

Captain David McCoy or Lt. James Wingo at 828-298-4253

[Earache]

Few piccies from today.....

A couple of shots from the Foothills Parkway;

A warning on the Parkway;

[Earache]

barricade right at happy Valley Road & 129..

Po Po sitting there 24/7 to discourage those who would ride the Gap anyway...

Nothing happening here today and no word on when things might open back up. No matter - loads of other shit to do .

[Ron Burgundy]

:sad:

[vw151]

nice,

I think I stopped off at that exact same pull off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PvB6KMJ78o

At 4:07 in this video we are in the same spot. Forgive me these were some of my first videos so it is even worse than my current videos.

[Casper]

nice,

I think I stopped off at that exact same pull off

At 4:07 in this video we are in the same spot. Forgive me these were some of my first videos so it is even worse than my current videos.

Hey, that's my bike!

[cujorocker]

Hide

Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort Great news folks, TN Commissioner for Saftey has stated that Graham county letter should be good enough to get he road reopened from the state line to the lake. You will still need to enter the Dragon from the NC side and turn around. But you will be able to ride the entire Dragon.

[cujorocker]

I just swiped that from FBOOK...just in case anyone doesnt know...

joe...hehehehe that rhymed..