Dragon - Sept 1st.

breyton

breyton

Well-known member
I only have 5 days to get down there and back. I don't have a truck or trailer so I will be riding the whole way. It's my first trip there but have been to the Cabot Trail twice already. Planning on taking 2 days to get there, 1 day riding the area and 2 days back. Would like to ride the BRP if time allows. I will be taking my superbike so 6 to 8 hours max. Anyone planning a similar trip that week or wants to tag along?
 
Don't plan on taking much of the BRP. It takes WAY too long (even speeding like crazy). If you motor pretty good then you might make Roanoke then slab it. When I rode down, we left GTA Friday around 6ish and stopped in Sidney OH around 1ish. We made it to the dragon mid afternoon on Saturday. Be prepared to be sore! LOL but well worth every second of pain for the roads down there!
 
I may be down! Why dont you just do the BRP and some of WV?
 
I've never been to the dragon and want to ride it once before I sell this bike. I am thinking of staying at Iron Horse Lodge. Is that a good place to stay or are there better places down there?
 
I would spend my time doing parts of the blue ridge, but more roads that are faster.....

I hope it cools down by September, it was WAY too hot 2 week ago
 
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If you plan to make it their in two days you're going to have to ride longer than 6-8 hours a day.

I've only been as far south as Roanoke Va but I now have a greater appreciation for the distance involved. It's always easier to plan

your second trip as their is no better teacher than experience.

Good Luck with it.
 
just boogie the superslab all the way down. takes about 14 hours. sleep like your life depends on it.
then you have 3 days to ride the area.

leave on the 5th day and get home.
 
Five days is lots of time for the trip, until you add in the six to eight hour riding day limiter - when my friend and I went last August we ran I-75 down and it is the most boring interstate I've been on so far, including riding through Nebraska, but we made it about 100 miles south of Lexington, KY the first day and if it hadn't been pouring rain most of the day, could have made the trip easily in one day - but we both ride sport tourers so long days in the saddle aren't so tough. We left on a Saturday and were home mid-day on the Thursday, so 6 1/2 days total without rushing.

Still if its your last chance and 5 days is all you have and you really want to do it - then yeah go for it. If you want to add in part of the Blue Ridge, the southern part in NC is really the best part.

Sometimes slabbing it is a necessity to get to where you really want to be. Personally I don't mind the highway portions of my trips - I just crank up my tunes and crank on (within reason of course) the throttle and enjoy it for what it is. I'd still rather be on my bike than in a car - even on the highways.

We stayed at one of the smaller motorcycle campgrounds down there - I'll have to dig up the name, it was really great. Everything was on a "throw money in the pot" trust basis - then make yourself breakfast, or help yourself to dinner or grab a beer out of the barrell (the money was for the ice, they couldn't sell you the beer).
 
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One day to do the Dragon is a waste. There are far too many other great roads in the area to spend 2 days each way to get here and home just to ride one day in the area.

I rode down 219 all the way to the end last Friday, then jumped on the BRP in Willville the next day. It's not fun in rain and fog/clouds and promptly got off it and took one of the low roads.

If your gonna come down here Do the dragon, run the Cherohalla, do the loop around Robbinsville starting at the CROT but taking hellbender instead of the dragon, Motor down the Foothills parkway just to name a few. The other day we rode south all the way into Georgia and it was a blast.
 
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breyton said:
I've never been to the dragon and want to ride it once before I sell this bike. I am thinking of staying at Iron Horse Lodge. Is that a good place to stay or are there better places down there?
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I can't say if its better, but Kickstand Lodge is where we stayed last year - I see the campsite rates are up to $18.00 this year. Bathouse facilities include everything - towels, toiletries and they have laundry facilities as well.

http://kickstandlodge.com/

I haven't stayed at the Iron Horse - though we had considered it, but saw this one from the road and decided to check it out.

Is it worth the long ride down for one day on the Dragon? You're gonna hear a lot of "nos" - but from your post I take it you are thinking of selling the supersport this year - so the only question really is it worth it for you? If you do this trip, will you regret not having more than one day down there? Absolutely. But its unlikely the mountains are going to be levelled any time soon - so take notes and plan your next trip when you're not so rushed. You don't need a sport bike to ride the Dragon and in any event, it is heavily patrolled - some riders come down year after year just to increase their speed records on it - but we didn't see many riders, sport, standard, touring or cruisers, exceeding the speed limit. We saw more sportbikes boogying along Highway 28 than the Dragon.
 
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BeastieGirl said:
but we didn't see many riders, sport, standard, touring or cruisers, exceeding the speed limit. We saw more sportbikes boogying along Highway 28 than the Dragon.
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From what I've seen when I was down there, the locals do the fast runs early in the morning before it get's busy with tourists. IMHO 28 is better than the dragon but that's just me I'd rather run the 28 loop & Cherohala anytime over the dragon. Did the loop twice on Friday before starting home yesterday.
 
Very sad. RIP rider. I'm still planning to do this trip but have extended it to six days. Planning to slab in down the first2 days with a stop in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Spend 1 full day riding the dragon and surrounding area. Day 4 will be riding parts of the BRP and getting half way to Pittsburgh. Day 5 and 6 will be part slab part twisties. Any know if Roanke is entertaining at night or deadsville?
 
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