***Official 2010 Deals Gap Thread*** (Updated OP)

looked like you all had a great time. Tx for sharing the pics and the journals Billy... @CrazyJoe, sorry about the mishap, but glad you walked away from it. Bikes can be fixed...and as u said this is an opportunity...take care...
 
Adam, for me? It will always be May or Sept and middle of the month. Before Memorial Day and after Labor Day is the best time in the area. Especially Sept since the weather is typically great, the pollen count is down and the tourists are mostly gone.

I also have another pitfall.... my wife can never take the first 4 business days off on ANY month... Accounting can be a bear of a job... ARG!!!

I think we could start planning for Sept 9th through the 18th for next year? Any thoughts all? Same arrangements? What would you who went this time change up for next year? What worked, what didn't? Now that there is one trip under the belt, your input is GREATLY valued!

I hope that next year is less "eventful" and more enjoyable! :tup:

The 9th through the 18 would work for me. The power plants outages normaly start near the third week of september so any time before that is good for me.
 
Thanks Billy,
Obviously I made it home safely. As usual I was happy to meet the group and leAd you all on the final ride of the trip. We will definetly have to do it again next year. Only we will start in Ga. since we did not get a chance to hit those roads. Let me know what time frame works for you guys and I will start the planning on my end.

Thanks again for putting up with me and feeding me on this trip.
 
Dragon Videos

I was able to edit and download our Dragon ride one way thus far. It may be very boring for some guys that run the Dragon at a faster pace. It was our first time on an unfamiliar road so we went at a slow pace. I will try to get the return trip done tonight.

Part 1
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bznZRF6-aM]YouTube - Riding The Dragon At Deals Gap PT1[/ame]

Part 2
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFXA7I6gfXs]YouTube - Riding The Dragon At Deal's Gap PT2[/ame]
 
This was a comparitively sedate pace run with Wolftamer, pokihokie and me shooting at the FZ1OA rally

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJA_Iqsm66Q"]YouTube - Tail of the Dragon[/ame]
 
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Tell me that wasn't fun.... ;) How many times did you go through while there?

It was a lot of fun, but that road definitely requires full concentration, especially the first time you ride it. Believe it or not there were so many other great roads around that we only did the Dragon once. And I think most of us were ok with that ;)
 
It was a lot of fun, but that road definitely requires full concentration, especially the first time you ride it. Believe it or not there were so many other great roads around that we only did the Dragon once. And I think most of us were ok with that ;)

Well, that is the draw to the road... that it does require concentration and that it is so highly technical. It is a road for focused cornering. I rode it 6 round trips and one one-way trip in the few days I was there. I think another 25 round trips and I'll have it memorized. :tup: When I go back, I'm going to spend one whole day honing my skills in controlled cornering just riding the Dragon.

28 is also great but it's also residential so there's a lot of worry about people exiting a driveway.

I know about the other roads too and road quite a few of them. Did anyone make the Bridal Veil Falls loop? Did you all experience the slow scenic tour through Wayah Road where Crazyjoe crashed? Indian Foothills Parkway?

I'm hearing "good times" and "good riding" but not a lot of details. You're all being somewhat cryptic! :disturbed
 
Well, that is the draw to the road... that it does require concentration and that it is so highly technical. It is a road for focused cornering. I rode it 6 round trips and one one-way trip in the few days I was there. I think another 25 round trips and I'll have it memorized. :tup: When I go back, I'm going to spend one whole day honing my skills in controlled cornering just riding the Dragon.

28 is also great but it's also residential so there's a lot of worry about people exiting a driveway.

I know about the other roads too and road quite a few of them. Did anyone make the Bridal Veil Falls loop? Did you all experience the slow scenic tour through Wayah Road where Crazyjoe crashed? Indian Foothills Parkway?

I'm hearing "good times" and "good riding" but not a lot of details. You're all being somewhat cryptic! :disturbed

I took Currently, Dragonslayer, Knute down 28 through Highlands and turned at War Woman road to Clayton. Then we went up 411 to Franklin and proceeded on Wayah Rd. until I crashed.

I have NO concerns about driveways anywhere in the riding area. Everyone that lives there knows to watch out for bikers so it has never been a problem.

I think they are intentionally trying to keep bikers off Wayah Rd, so from now on I'm going to make sure to do some Sunday morning passes there when I'm in the area.
 
Well, that is the draw to the road... that it does require concentration and that it is so highly technical. It is a road for focused cornering. I rode it 6 round trips and one one-way trip in the few days I was there. I think another 25 round trips and I'll have it memorized. :tup: When I go back, I'm going to spend one whole day honing my skills in controlled cornering just riding the Dragon.

28 is also great but it's also residential so there's a lot of worry about people exiting a driveway.

I know about the other roads too and road quite a few of them. Did anyone make the Bridal Veil Falls loop? Did you all experience the slow scenic tour through Wayah Road where Crazyjoe crashed? Indian Foothills Parkway?

I'm hearing "good times" and "good riding" but not a lot of details. You're all being somewhat cryptic! :disturbed

To tell you the truth I enjoyed sections of 143 by the house a lot as well as Route 19 and the little stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway we did. The Cherohala was by far my favorite road because those sweepers were not as tight, traffic was light and the road was in perfect condition.

Never made it to Bridal Veil Falls or Wayah Rd...those will be for the next trip :D
 
I love Cherohala too but problem with it is that it is very very easy to get carried away with those 100 mph sweepers. There are far more deaths on the Cherohala than the Dragon.

Love NC-28 the most. Resort - Fontana - Franklin.
 
I was totally bummed we spent that first weekend up there and didn't see any of you guys!! I went to the house the Friday afternoon but I wasn't sure which house you were in and then those driveways were scary so I didn't want to go back at night.

Maybe next year I'll get it right!! I think I need to move up there.
 
I was totally bummed we spent that first weekend up there and didn't see any of you guys!! I went to the house the Friday afternoon but I wasn't sure which house you were in and then those driveways were scary so I didn't want to go back at night.

Maybe next year I'll get it right!! I think I need to move up there.

I know what you mean about the driveways. My GPS said I was there and I had 3 driveways to choose from. Finally the 1188 just sounded right but the driveway looked unused. Turned out to be it.
 
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Return Trip On The Dragon

Here are parts 3 and 4 of our ride on the Dragon. Here we were coming back from the overlook heading towards the store.

Part 3

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctlFsglpx2U]YouTube - Riding The Dragon At Deal's Gap PT3[/ame]


Part 4

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD4bptPgzcA]YouTube - Riding The Dragon At Deal's Gap PT4[/ame]

This was some video from The Thunder Mountain General Store to The Ridge. I really enjoyed our trips every morning to get gas there. It's pretty windy and got you prepared for all the other roads you'd be riding during the day. Sort of a "warm-up".

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYms4KFs8OY"]YouTube - Thunder Mountain General Store To "The Ridge"[/ame]
 
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