I want to do this ride

Tail of The Dragon:

* w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR

Someday. Someday.

--
This post uses 100% post consumer electrons and 100% virgin photons.

At 2.6 miles per minute, you don't really have time to get bored.
--- Pete Roehling on rec.motorcycles

I bump into a lot of veteran riders in my travels.
--- David Hough: Proficient Motorcycling

On 30 Mar 2007 06:25:40 -0400, David Steuber <david@david-steuber . com > wrote:

>Tail of The Dragon:
>
> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR
>
>Someday. Someday.

I rode it this past Monday, in the dark in the opposite direction. The Skyway
is more fun and lasts longer.

--
Jack

Jack Hunt wrote:
> On 30 Mar 2007 06:25:40 -0400, David Steuber <david@david-steuber . com > wrote:
>
>
>>Tail of The Dragon:
>>
>> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR
>>
>>Someday. Someday.
>
>
> I rode it this past Monday, in the dark in the opposite direction. The Skyway
> is more fun and lasts longer.

I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the Cherohala
Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the Dragon is
very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves, and while
that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend all day doing
over and over unless you are basically a masochist. The Skyway has many
beautiful overlooks, it's much less technical, and there's a good place to
stop and eat [1] just a little bit before you get to Tellico Plains when
you're coming in on hwy 165 from the east.

[1] Tellico Beach Drive In

--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:13:15 -0500, Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:

> there's a good place to
>stop and eat [1] just a little bit before you get to Tellico Plains when
>you're coming in on hwy 165 from the east.
>
>[1] Tellico Beach Drive In

That's just one of the good places to eat here. If you want a good sit-down
dinner, check out the Tellicafe. They have a 7-pepper steak that must not be
missed. Town Square cafe is open early and they have good breakfast. Omelets,
steak and eggs, country gravy, pancakes...

If you're looking for a place to sleep for the night, I just happen to own a
campground there.

* w w w .huntslodge . com

It's about 1.3 miles south of Hardee's on 68. Grand opening is the first
weekend in May. Cabins are already booked solid for the Honda Hoot.

The Exxon station in Tellico was built for motorcyclists. They have broomed
concrete in the parking lot, a bike shed out back, gear racks in the restrooms,
pay at the pump, gloves, dry socks, bungie cords, etc. I gave them a page and a
half of single-spaced suggestions to make the place motorcycle friendly (free
compressed air) and they implemented every one except for the topless co-eds in
the car wash.

--
Jack Hunt IBA#12795, STOC 1870
'99 ST1100, FaST Forward
'95 Suzuki DR250SE
* w w w .huntslodge . com

Jack Hunt <jhunt1x@tds . net > writes:

> The Exxon station in Tellico was built for motorcyclists. They have broomed
> concrete in the parking lot, a bike shed out back, gear racks in the restrooms,
> pay at the pump, gloves, dry socks, bungie cords, etc. I gave them a page and a
> half of single-spaced suggestions to make the place motorcycle friendly (free
> compressed air) and they implemented every one except for the topless co-eds in
> the car wash.

Who do I call to complain about the lack of topless co-eds?

--
This post uses 100% post consumer electrons and 100% virgin photons.

An ideal world is left as an excercise to the reader.
--- Paul Graham, On Lisp 8.1

At 2.6 miles per minute, you don't really have time to get bored.
--- Pete Roehling on rec.motorcycles

I bump into a lot of veteran riders in my travels.
--- David Hough: Proficient Motorcycling

Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
news:130qdos9e1sm9c3@corp.supernews . com :

> I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the
> Cherohala Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the
> Dragon is very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves,
> and while that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend
> all day doing over and over unless you are basically a masochist.

You mean like the dude who did an unrecognized SS1k on the Tail while
riding a GL1800?

--
RCOS #7
IBA# 11465
* imagesdesavions . com

Stephen! wrote:
> Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
> news:130qdos9e1sm9c3@corp.supernews . com :
>
>> I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the
>> Cherohala Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the
>> Dragon is very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves,
>> and while that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend
>> all day doing over and over unless you are basically a masochist.
>
> You mean like the dude who did an unrecognized SS1k on the Tail while
> riding a GL1800?
>

Why, yes. I believe that would fit the textbook definition of a
masochist, someone who derives pleasure from inflicting pain upon
himself.

--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7

"Mark Olson" <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in message
news:130qdos9e1sm9c3@corp.supernews . com ...
> Jack Hunt wrote:
>> On 30 Mar 2007 06:25:40 -0400, David Steuber <david@david-steuber . com >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Tail of The Dragon:
>>>
>>> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR
>>>
>>>Someday. Someday.
>>
>>
>> I rode it this past Monday, in the dark in the opposite direction. The
>> Skyway
>> is more fun and lasts longer.
>
> I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the
> Cherohala
> Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the Dragon is
> very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves, and while
> that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend all day
> doing
> over and over unless you are basically a masochist.

It's also a very busy road, from the looks of it.

Robert

Robert Bolton wrote:
> "Mark Olson" <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in message
> news:130qdos9e1sm9c3@corp.supernews . com ...
>> Jack Hunt wrote:
>>> On 30 Mar 2007 06:25:40 -0400, David Steuber <david@david-steuber . com >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Tail of The Dragon:
>>>>
>>>> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR
>>>>
>>>> Someday. Someday.
>>>
>>> I rode it this past Monday, in the dark in the opposite direction. The
>>> Skyway
>>> is more fun and lasts longer.
>> I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the
>> Cherohala
>> Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the Dragon is
>> very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves, and while
>> that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend all day
>> doing
>> over and over unless you are basically a masochist.
>
> It's also a very busy road, from the looks of it.

I was there on a weekday. There's no way I would bother riding it on a
weekend. There were plenty of squids (me too) there on a Monday, I am
positive it would be overflowing with traffic on the weekends.

There are many other good roads around there. The Dragon is a road you
sort of have to experience if you're in the area but it's not the be-all
that some would make it out to be.

--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7

"Mark Olson" <olsonm@tiny . net > wrote in message
news:130ri2p7k2th57a@corp.supernews . com ...
> Robert Bolton wrote:
>> "Mark Olson" <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:130qdos9e1sm9c3@corp.supernews . com ...
>>> Jack Hunt wrote:
>>>> On 30 Mar 2007 06:25:40 -0400, David Steuber
>>>> <david@david-steuber . com > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Tail of The Dragon:
>>>>>
>>>>> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR
>>>>>
>>>>> Someday. Someday.
>>>>
>>>> I rode it this past Monday, in the dark in the opposite direction.
>>>> The Skyway
>>>> is more fun and lasts longer.
>>> I rode the Dragon last year on my SV650S. I agree with Jack, the
>>> Cherohala
>>> Skyway is much more fun and scenic. For the most part the Dragon is
>>> very technical and you are under a thick canopy of leaves, and while
>>> that can be fun, it's not something you would want to spend all day
>>> doing
>>> over and over unless you are basically a masochist.
>>
>> It's also a very busy road, from the looks of it.
>
> I was there on a weekday. There's no way I would bother riding it on a
> weekend. There were plenty of squids (me too) there on a Monday, I am
> positive it would be overflowing with traffic on the weekends.
>
> There are many other good roads around there. The Dragon is a road you
> sort of have to experience if you're in the area but it's not the be-all
> that some would make it out to be.
>

It looks fun, which is why it's so crowded I'm sure. Only our major
routes are paved here, and although many used to be twisty they've been
straightened out over the years to accommodate traffic. It must be nice
to have a variety of fun routes to choose from.

Robert

David Steuber <david@david-steuber . com > wrote in
news:877isz9gez.fsf@david-steuber . com :

> Tail of The Dragon:
>
> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk&NR

Speaking of which... Can anyone figure out why this idiot crashed
*after* the truck was well clear?

* w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=OvrcqeIPYOg

--
RCOS #7
IBA# 11465
* imagesdesavions . com

"Stephen!" <NO@spam . com > wrote in message
news:Xns9903B9537264Esmvsmv@216.196.97.142...
>
> Speaking of which... Can anyone figure out why this idiot crashed
> *after* the truck was well clear?
>
> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=OvrcqeIPYOg
>

Oh good, a new one! I was glad to see you didn't post the oft seen vid of
the H-D crash.

As to your question, I think the rider target fixated at the big tree. You
can even see him stand the bike up straight up and head right at the tree.

Every video I see at the Dragon reflects how heavy and unpredictable the
traffic is on that road.

Unfortunately, I believe this is a case of a great road being loved to
death. I am sure there other roads very nearby that aren't nearly as
heavily travelled and provide a better solitary riding experience.

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:35:40 -0600, "BryanUT" <nestle12@comcast . net >
wrote:

>
>"Stephen!" <NO@spam . com > wrote in message
>news:Xns9903B9537264Esmvsmv@216.196.97.142...
>>
>> Speaking of which... Can anyone figure out why this idiot crashed
>> *after* the truck was well clear?
>>
>> * w w w .youtube . com /watch?v=OvrcqeIPYOg
>>
>
>Oh good, a new one!

For certain values of "new." It is a year old.

>As to your question, I think the rider target fixated at the big tree. You
>can even see him stand the bike up straight up and head right at the tree.

It's so difficult to actually see things realistically after the fact.
We can disect that vid and see an escape route. The rider had a second
to react and swerve. Yeah, he _might_ have been able to swerve back,
but it's not a given. Also, the rear end of the truck was swinging
wide, and it's impossible to tell in the video _how_ wide it was
going. And the video goes into slow-motion just as the truck comes
into view, which gives the impression he had a lot more time to react.

>Every video I see at the Dragon reflects how heavy and unpredictable the
>traffic is on that road.
>
>Unfortunately, I believe this is a case of a great road being loved to
>death. I am sure there other roads very nearby that aren't nearly as
>heavily travelled and provide a better solitary riding experience.
>
--
Turby the Turbosurfer

Turby <turbosurfer@beach . com ber> wrote in
news:q9hr03tedshts1st8olrslt41vc2p60nog@4ax . com :

> but it's not a given. Also, the rear end of the truck was swinging
> wide, and it's impossible to tell in the video _how_ wide it was
> going.

Unless it was an old tyme style rear-steer vehicle (ala Fire Truck) I
can PROMISE you the rear of the trailer was well inside the front of the
truck...

The idiot simply froze up. Even with where the truck was when it first
came into view there was plenty of room to go around it...

--
RCOS #7
IBA# 11465
* imagesdesavions . com

"Stephen!" <NO@spam . com > wrote in message
news:Xns9904CE95BB3C3smvsmv@216.196.97.142...
> Turby <turbosurfer@beach . com ber> wrote in
> news:q9hr03tedshts1st8olrslt41vc2p60nog@4ax . com :
>
>> but it's not a given. Also, the rear end of the truck was swinging
>> wide, and it's impossible to tell in the video _how_ wide it was
>> going.
>
> Unless it was an old tyme style rear-steer vehicle (ala Fire Truck) I
> can PROMISE you the rear of the trailer was well inside the front of the
> truck...
>
It's a nasty road for trailers though -

* w w w .tailofthedragon . com /dragon_trucks.html

Robert