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First trip to the dragon, suggestions?

Mick783

By Mick783
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Mick783 Enthusiast

Mick783

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The plan is to take a half day of vacation on a Friday & ride down with some co-workers, ride home on Sunday. Any suggestions on places to crash, must see/do or other good roads to hit while there? Looked online but there is alot of info so hope some regulars can help me out. Prob go mid July & thinking it might be pretty crowded over the weekend, would I be better off leaving on a thursday instead and hitting the dragon on a friday? also my buddys bike is carbureted, altitute issues? thanks:cool:

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swingset Veteran

swingset

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When is a good time to go, and is there another place down that way that would be better?

Weekends suck, cops all over, squids and cruisers cluttering it up.

I'd go early morning through the week, to hit the actual Dragon...have it pretty much to yourself without Johnny Law there. IMHO, the road itself is fun, but there are a lot of roads down there that are equally fun to ride, and ignored by most of the people that visit. Pretty much any state route in the immediate area and most of the ancillary roads are great....it's almost a waste to go and just hit the Dragon.

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serpentracer Grand Master

serpentracer

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LOL bad choice of words, how bout places to sleep after riding and then drinking heavily

that's a dry county, you can't buy alcohol. the whole area is pretty much the same way. you might be able to buy some in knoxville and down south of robbinsville in andrews.

Edited by serpentracer
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Funjunkie Collaborator

Funjunkie

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Weekends suck, cops all over, squids and cruisers cluttering it up.

I'd go early morning through the week, to hit the actual Dragon...have it pretty much to yourself without Johnny Law there. IMHO, the road itself is fun, but there are a lot of roads down there that are equally fun to ride, and ignored by most of the people that visit. Pretty much any state route in the immediate area and most of the ancillary roads are great....it's almost a waste to go and just hit the Dragon.

Ditto!

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scottb Grand Master

scottb

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check an see when they get the north side open.... wait till its open

I think it is actually nicer that the one side is closed. This way, the only people on RTE 129 are people that want to be on the dragon. Near where the road is closed, is the base of the damn, but that damn area closes at 3PM.

Definatly take route 28, that is the road right next to the Dragon Inn and resort.

And there is alot of police, especially near the resort end of the dragon at the Tennesse / North Carolina line.

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SAMBUSA Grand Master

SAMBUSA

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Cherohala and Hellbender are more fun than the dragon and less traffic and no leo's. 129 south of Robbinsville is a fun road also as is the route over to Cherokee

Also, the foothills, Bridal Veil falls, Devils triangle, Blood mountain. A weekend isn't enough time down there. Hell, last time I went I was there for a week and didn't get to ride everything I wanted

Edited by SAMBUSA
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CattaniAFJ Mentor

CattaniAFJ

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that's a dry county, you can't buy alcohol. the whole area is pretty much the same way. you might be able to buy some in knoxville and down south of robbinsville in andrews.

You can definitely buy some in Knoxville. I'd suggest this little spot downtown (right off the highway) on Gay St. Great selection and service there!

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speedytriple Grand Master

speedytriple

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From the 5 times I have been there here is what i would suggest. Stay in robbinsville they have a new microtel there that is pretty cheap. we also stayed at the sanran right next door older but very bike freindly let us pull the bikes into the rooms during a hell of a storm. There is also the phillips motel never stayed but people we went with did and said it was nice. cheap food is the pizza place lunch buffet. Close beer is to the north in Alcoa Tenn. They have a sign that says last beer sold before dry Co. at the station we got ours from LOL! As for the roads what everyone else said, 129 is cool so is the skyway and 28 is a must. We have also stayed in north Ga. before and road up from there. About a hour ride and the roads getting there are as good as the dragon. And I would do it on a weekday also much less traffic and leos.

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wacky_woodchuck Enthusiast

wacky_woodchuck

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I've been going for multiple times throughout the year for the past 7 years.

Best time I had, was spending a week down there. Ride the wheels off Monday through Thursday and putt around for short trips on the weekend. Dragon is best enjoyed in the morning, before 10am. Many other roads that are nicer, but the Dragon is fun.

I always stay in Fontana Village, though expensive...it works and is close. They sell beer as well.

Robbinsville would be a good place to stay, you can ride an hour to the east to Bryson City (28 to 19)) and get all the alcohol you want. Pretty cheap too.

Check out the tail of the dragon website for updates, maps, routes and general stuff.

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