HOME I DRAGONATERS I ROCKSLIDE I HYPE I DTV I RACIN I WARNING I SAFETY I TRAFFIC COURT I POLICE PORN I CRASH CURES I 129 STORE
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WBIR Across East Tennessee, crews are working to clear rock slides that are blocking roadways ranging from a Smokies scenic highway to several access routes into North Carolina. The rock slide blocking U.S. 129 south of Chilhowee Dam has led state transportation officials to close the entire Tennessee side of the stretch known as the Dragon, a popular 11-mile route featuring 318 curves that is very popular with motorcyclists. The slide occurred Sunday morning. The DOT is working to complete a plan to stabilize the slide and finalize a contract to begin clearing it, but a time line for repairs has not been set. In a news release from the DOT, officials said law enforcement and emergency crews will have very limited emergency access to the Dragon. That would prompt concerns about response to any motorcycle crashes. "Some weekends during the busy season, sometimes we respond to wrecks on the Dragon three or four times a day," said Bill Hitch with the Blount County Rescue Squad. "Right now I don't know of another route to get to someone if there was an accident on the Dragon other than going to North Carolina and driving back down US 129. It already took us 45 minutes to get up the Dragon without a rock slide." Detour routes to avoid the U.S. 129 slide will take drivers through Tellico Plains, Ducktown or over Newfound Gap. In southeast Tennessee, TDOT said progress continues to stabilize two separate rock slides along U.S. 64 despite weather delays. Officials now estimate that roadway will reopen by April 16, weather permitting. The most recent rock slide in the region occurred Thursday morning on the west end of Little River Road in the Smokies. In a release, Great Smoky Mountains National Park managers said they executed a contract with Harrision Construction Division of APAC Atlantic, Inc to repair Managers hope the road will be ready to re-open by Sunday evening, barring additional complications.
US 129 rock slide blocks tourism dollars for businesses near Tail of the Dragon Video: 10News camera catches car hitting rock slide (how convenient) TDOT: Highway 129 clean-up likely won't be quick Crews work to clear rockslides, entire Dragon closed Killboy.com - Click "Older Post" for rockslide photos DealsGap.com, TailOfTheDragon.com, Killboy.com, EastTnRiders.com  Pneumatic Block Pushers (Air Bag), steel bags unit, Quarrying Machines & Equipment
The Dragon to remain closed for weeks - The department said today it will let an emergency contract Monday to clear debris from the two-lane road. TDOT has qualified two contractors to bid for the project: Pacific Blasting Demolition Ltd and Phillips & Jordan, Inc with HQ in Knoxville and Robbinsville NC, which participated in the explosive controlled demolition at World Trade Center on 9/11/2001. Tennessee cops to arrest "Super Speeders" to fund the Healthcare Insurance Company Bailout - War on speeders announced same week as rockslide closed the Dragon. Monroe County TN Sheriff deputy writes $105,000 ticket for "improper lane change" - Sheriff and US Dept of Fatherland Security refused to arrest or deport alleged criminals who are illegal aliens. Legalized highway robbery at gunpoint.
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"A remarkably candid interview, though the end result is not surprising, considering the fact that he obviously had no formal training. This is evident from the fact that he didn't know the definition of countersteering. Any rider, no matter how experienced, can gain from formal training, whether on the track or through an MSF course." "Shyit, in the future, I will be riding with a note in my wallet which instructs EMS that in the case of a severe accident, just morph me up and leave me at the side of the road. There's no way I am paying $100 grand and living like freakin' Frankenstein!" Deals Gap 4-hour Rescue of Harley Rider from Michigan Video Part 1 -- Video Part 2 -- Video Part 3 Harley rider head-on crash with a van, Saturday 8 November 2008, Mile Marker 1.5. Compound leg fracture, blood loss, broken hip, broken fingers, shock, hypothermia. Student with Rural Metro Corporation ambulance. Lifestar not allowed to land at Calderwood airport added 30 minutes driving time. Unkown why it took 3 hours for Rural Metro to move victim, who was not off the highway. Harley rider not ticketed for crossing centerline. Rural Metro has now cancelled coverage of Loudon County. Scar Story on Performance Bikes Forum - In-depth analysis of the dangers and challenges on the Dragon.
 Declaration of Independence on the Dragon Police State Scanner Action on the Deadly DragonBroken bones at the Overlook Cliffs and fatal crash off US129
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By Lance Coleman
When the sun is shining, the bikes are whining. That’s how Tallassee Store owner Bo Henry, Jr. describes traffic on Calderwood Highway in the spring. The crew at the Tallassee Store are ready to open up the motorcycle season on the Dragon. The legendary winding stretch of U.S. 129, locally known as Calderwood Highway, has more than 318 curves in 11 miles from the North Carolina line into Tennessee. Bo Henry, Jr., owns the store along with his dad, Bo Henry, Sr.; and brother-in-law, Larry Cabot. While the store is opened year ‘round, they are preparing for the busy season and kicking it off on Saturday, May 23. At 11 a.m. on May 23, a motorcycle ride benefiting the Bud Allison Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police will take place. Scott Maddux, owner of Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson Buehl, will be grand marshal. At 1 p.m., a motorcycle show for sport bikes and choppers is planned. “We’re giving $100 to the winners,” Bo Henry, Jr., said. At 3 p.m., a cage fight will take over the extreme sports arena behind the store. “This is a Cage Aggression Fight League event,” Henry said. “The titles they’re fighting for are all sanctioned. General admission is $20.” Henry said it should be a fun time for everyone involved. “This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this,” he said. “It’s going to be a big weekend.” Bo Henry, Sr., said a portion of the fight proceeds also go to the F.O.P. “We’re looking forward to seeing how that goes,” he said. “In addition, there will be members of Blount County law enforcement agencies emphasizing safety on the Dragon and riding on the curves.” But mostly, the day is about fun and celebrating the return of crowds to the Dragon. Bo Henry, Jr., said something else new he’s preparing for this season is a band stage behind the store where the old Tallassee School once stood. “The steps are still there, I’m going to be putting in a school bus, and the stage will be made out of the school bus.” The new venue should be completed in three weeks. There will be weekly music on stage with bike nights on Wednesdays. Henry said there will be plenty of parking. The new Tallassee Store opened the store in 2008, and traffic is increasing at the store for the season, said Henry. “It’s based on sunshine, but we still have a steady stream of people who tour on motorcycles,” he said. In their first season in 2008, the store staff had a map with pushpins for riders to place on their homes. “Last year, I covered all 50 states and 30 countries in basically five months,” Bo Henry, Jr. said. Bo Henry, Sr., said The Dragon is the second largest tourist attraction in Blount County next to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. “People don’t realize that. People from all over the world come to visit the Dragon,” he said. Co-owner Larry Cabot from Houston said motorcycle enthusiasts recognize the Dragon even in his state. “I wear my Tallassee Store shirt, and they ask, ‘Is that the Dragon in Tennessee?’ Even as far away as Texas, people know the Dragon,” he said. Bo Henry Sr. said the people who are real bike riders know that the big rides are in Sturgis, S.D., the Dragon in Blount County and Big Ben in Texas. “It’s the one people talk about,” Cabot said. Bo Henry Jr. said people from England and New Zealand have come and one group Hawaii shipped their bikes. “The Dragon was their number one stop,” he said. “They offloaded them in Seattle and rode straight here. They were touring.” Car clubs also are discovering the Dragon. “We have parking across the street,” said Bo Henry, Jr. “They’ve been getting on my roof with tripods and taking pictures. I had Minicooper rally recently. Every weekend there’s a different kind of car - hundreds of them. It’s fun,” he said. Henry has one end of the store with old railroad track insulators he’s collected over the years from all over the U.S. There’s a deli with seating inside and outside the store, and he plans to add more picnic benches. “It’s real serene,” he said. “It’s a good place to sit and eat.” The Dragon defined Bo Henry, Jr., shared two versions of how the Dragon got its name. “We are the Heart of the Dragon,” he said. “The Tail of the Dragon is a North Carolina company. Bo Henry Jr. said there are many different reasons for the road’s nickname. One reason had to do with the curves of the road and how it caused motorcycle frames to strike the ground. “On a map, it’s curvy and looks like a spine or tail of dragon. That’s one story. Another is that, after World War II, Hal Lunsford’s uncle rode a motorcycle up there and commented that when you turned, everything was as if it was draggin’, he said. The store is located at 5908 Calderwood Highway. SportRider Magazine Unless you've been living under a rock, you've no doubt heard of (if not ridden on) the infamous Tail of the Dragon. Officially known as US 129, this 11-mile stretch packs 318 turns and is arguably motorcycle Mecca. It's easy to see why; the picturesque landscape is straight from a fairy tale, while the twists and turns are seriously exhilarating. On a perfect day the sun would be shining, the road would be clear and opposing traffic would be nil. But the world isn't perfect. First off, there is zero room for error on the Dragon. Falling on one side of the road will greet you with rock face, whereas the other is lined with guardrails and trees-neither of which is optimal for a rider's well-being. Besides that, the road can be filled with riders of varying skill levels, especially on weekends. Unfortunately some riders fail to acknowledge that the road isn't a racetrack and treat the Dragon as if it were, seeing slower riders (or drivers as the case may be) as "passing opportunities" and making generally foolish decisions. Last I checked there weren't any trophies waiting at the bottom of the hill. Of course the threat of opposing traffic, usually of the four-wheeled variety, crossing over into your lane is another danger to consider. Occasionally commercial vehicles attempt to navigate the Dragon, the operators obviously unaware of the tight turns that follow. Because of the size of these vehicles there is no choice but to cross into the opposing lane to complete a turn. The dangers here are obvious, but they are worth noting. Perhaps the biggest setback and draw against the Dragon comes in the hands of Johnny Law. Thanks to the Internet and affordable digital cameras, US 129 has gained notoriety from local photographers taking pictures in various turns. Several Internet sites are full of the spills and aggressive riding that take place on the Dragon. Possibly viewing this as a chance to draw revenue for the state, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has allocated funds to increase law enforcement along route 129 to ensure the road is a "safe place for motorcycle recreational activity." Please. While I agree that something needs to be done to weed out the dangerous riders, the steps taken to do so reflect more of an effort to generate revenue for the state than to promote safe and responsible riding. The first tactic was to reduce the speed limit on the Dragon to 30 mph-a ridiculous figure that some might argue is dangerously slow and an obvious attempt at collecting money. Since July 1, 2007, patrol of the Dragon has increased to the point that it's bordering on harassment. Not only is the speed limit purposely too low, but enforcement of the limit is heavy seven days a week. Even if you are traveling the legal speed limit, you still might not have escaped the fuzz. There are videos floating around the Internet where swarms of patrol vehicles set up checkpoints just waiting for riders to pass through. One particular video shows a man driving his car at the legal speed limit yet being pulled over and cited for holding a video camera while driving. The man was later acquitted in court, but it goes to show the level of enforcement on this road. Now is that really saving anybody's life? There are numerous other stories on various websites of the Tennessee Highway Patrol harassing riders and drivers. It's for these reasons that the Dragon has lost its appeal. The dangers presented on this road outweigh the amazing (albeit sketchy) landscape. A few years ago I would have been singing a different tune, but I suppose with age comes wisdom (at least I hope!), and I don't see the joy a sportbike enthusiast can gain from the Dragon. And if the inherent dangers of the road aren't enough, the heavy (and ridiculous) enforcement just drives people away, leaving a bad taste in their mouths. This isn't another diatribe about "saving it for the track," though that would be the best place to push your personal limits. On the contrary, I enjoy a Sunday morning ride through the twisties just as much as the next guy-and I'm used to seeing a law enforcement officer or two when I ride-but worrying about seeing one at every corner takes the fun away from riding. Especially when there's a fear of getting stopped for the most petty of infractions. Frankly, does that really make the roadways any safer? According to the locals, plenty of the surrounding roads are just as exciting, have more reasonable speed limits and are patrolled much less. If I'm ever back that way again, I think those are the routes I want to find. -T.S. Comments "As a commit to the article posted on the Dragon, I too have some commits from my experience. Having ridden the Dragon in 2005, before the Law made it their personal play ground, I thought the road had difficult sections, was way to narrow, and may be overrated for fun. After the ride, I was convinced that it was not what I expected, and except for having these tough section, wasn't that much fun. I'm not trying to be a detractor, but traveling 200 miles, to ride 11 miles, just wasn't worth it. I also traveled (several times) the section of Georgia 60 from Blue Ridge to Dahlonega. Now it doesn't have as many hard areas, but it's 60 miles long, traverses two mountain section, has short straights, many and varying twisties, a small town for rest (Suches), and most important, it makes you grin uncontrollably while you ride it. I guess the point is, there's lots of great roads to ride, and maybe as riders we shouldn't put too much emphasis on just one." -Historian, SportRider Forum, The Dragon--Not All It's Cracked Up To Be, 09/12/08
Faster than a Speeding Ticket
Tail Of The Dragon ticketed for shooting cops perping crimes on the Dragon using new unconstitutional state statute TCA 55-9-105 to ban all videocams in vehicles - Note the BCSO deputy impersonating a police officer blocking a federal highway in blind curves while profiting from traffic ticket rackets and organized crime in federal jurisdiction - Saturday 25 August 2007 Photographers Rights versus the police
Tennessee cops arrest cellphone photographer - It’s convenient when you want to take that impromptu photo, but a Tri-Cities area man ended up behind bars after snapping a shot of a Johnson County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop. The cell phone photographer says the arrest was intimidation, but the deputy says he feared for his life. “Here’s a guy who takes me out of the car and arrests me in front of my kids. For what? To take a picture of a police officer?” said Scott Conover. A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy arrested Scott Conover for unlawful photography. “He says you took a picture of me. It’s illegal to take a picture of a law enforcement officer,” said Conover. Conover took a picture of a sheriff’s deputy on the side of the road on a traffic stop. Conover was stunned by the charge. “This is a public highway,” said Conover. And it was not a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy as Tennessee code states. The deputy also asked Conover to delete the picture three times. “He said if you don’t give it to me, you’re going to jail,” said Conover. He expects these charges to be dismissed. “This guy maliciously arrested me, charging me with phony charges that he don’t even understand himself,” Conover said. The American Civil Liberties Union would not comment on Conover’s case without fully reviewing the allegations, but told us there is no law that prohibits anyone from taking photographs in public areas, even of police. Taking photos is protected by the First Amendment.
KOTS 2008 - King Murdoc - Extreme Kings of Tennessee - BmoreX
Fire-Breathing Dragon Deals Gap ChristmasFebruary Music Mix
Jake Jost, Investigative Producer
Click to watch video Fire crews continue their fight Thursday against a brush fire just off US 129, also known as "the Dragon." The rocky, steep terrain is changing the way firefighters have to approach this fire. It makes digging fire-lines unsafe and impractical, so firefighters are using a network of existing roads to contain the fire. Thursday morning, 10 National Park Service firefighters and six Bureau of Indian Services firefighters remained on-site to continue containment efforts. The fire is burning about five miles south of the intersection of US 129 and the Foothills Parkway. No structures are threatened. Forestry teams from Blount and Monroe counties were called in to fight the fires Wednesday, as were the Blount County and Loudon County fire departments. At least 15 acres have already burned, and the fire is expected to burn through Thursday afternoon. The recent rainfall is not making firefighters' job any easier. "When it rains, we've still got a lot of dead debris up there, and even though that dead debris gets some moisture in it, as soon as the sun and wind hits it, it drys out very quickly, and that's what happened on the side of this mountain," Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan said. That fire got started after a motorcyclist crashed, and his motorcycle caught fire. As for the motorcyclist who crashed, officials said he got up and walked away without any serious injuries.
Kent Kunitsugu, editor
Well, they're at it once again, unfortunately. Yet another sham organization posing as an "institute" has distorted the facts to trumpet its insurance-industry-funded agenda against sportbikes. In a press release that was picked up by many major news media outlets, the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and the so-called "Highway Loss Data Institute" claimed that "supersports motorcycles have the highest death rate" and spewed forth statistics that purportedly show why sportbikes should either be capped with a horsepower limit or banned altogether. Quotes were listed from people with inane-sounding titles such as "senior vice president for research"-but all it takes is a cursory look at the actual data used in the alleged report to see that the only "research" done was how to twist and selectively state the data so it would appear to validate the claims of the . . . oh, right, "institute." This is the same situation that occurred back in the 1980s when the IIHS convinced a misguided senator from Missouri named John Danforth to attempt introducing national legislation that would ban all "superbike" motorcycles. Danforth quickly withdrew his proposal after intense protest from rights activists and lobbying by the motorcycle industry. The latest report states that riders of supersport motorcycles have a death rate that is "four times higher than the death rate for motorcyclists who ride other types of motorcycles." Then there are the usual ignorant comparisons between the evil Japanese Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R sportbike and the Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide touring rig. A quote from a woman named Anne McCartt (the "senior vice president for research" at the HLDI) goes on to state that, "[Supersport] bikes made up less than 10 percent of registered motorcycles in 2005 but accounted for over 25 percent of rider deaths." There are more figures bantered about, such as, "Speeding and driver error were bigger factors in fatal crashes of supersport, sport, and unclad sport bikes compared with other classes of motorcycles." McCartt continues her proselytizing with utterly insightful remarks such as, "Motorcyclists presumably buy supersports and sport bikes because they want to go fast, and manufacturers are happy to oblige." Then, of course, she proffers the same insurance-industry mantra that was brought up with Senator Danforth: "Short of banning supersport and sport motorcycles from public roadways, capping the speed of these street-legal racing machines at the factory might be one way to reduce their risk." In basically regurgitating the IIHS' press release, what the news media failed to notice in PR copy is that the supersport's "four times higher . . . death rate" number was achieved through selective percentage; the actual statement is "four times higher . . . death rate . . . per 10,000 registered motorcycles." This means that instead of comparing each group of motorcycle categories as a whole, the HLDI used only a slice of the largest group by far-cruisers-in order to dramatically over-emphasize the figure. What isn't mentioned is that the fastest growing segment of fatal motorcycle accidents (by a large margin) is the over-1200cc category, which basically comprises-yep, you guessed it-cruisers and touring bikes. Sorry, HLDI, but there weren't enough Hayabusas sold to come anywhere near being part of that group. And while selective percentages may show sportbikes to be death machines, the actual numbers show that the groups with the largest fatality figures are cruisers/standards and touring bikes. What was also ignored from the actual data was that deaths in the 20-29-year-old age group-the one that used to be consistently the highest-actually decreased during that same period. Meanwhile, the 40-years-and-over age group (not exactly a prime supersports customer base) increased at the highest rate. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to presume that speeding and driver error will be bigger factors in fatal accidents of sportbikes than other classes of bikes. But again, what the report failed to note was that alcohol played a far greater role in all motorcycle fatalities (more than 40 percent) than speed or rider error. So shouldn't we ban alcohol? I'm not trying to single out cruiser and touring bike riders here; with the biggest percentage of registrations, it's easy for the law of averages to come into play with regard to accidents and fatalities for these two groups. I'm simply pointing out the IIHS' agenda of twisting the facts to gloss over one big problem in order to single out a smaller one, only because that smaller one costs their funding backers more money in insurance claims. It's also disappointing how several of today's major newspapers simply recited the press release in their fervor for a sensationalist story, instead of actually doing a little research to see if the facts stated were actually true. Or even interviewing anyone from the motorcycle industry for a rebuttal statement . . . and they call themselves "journalists"? See also: TDOT Motorcycle Fatalities Decrease 20% in 2008 - Except on the Dragon during the Police State Surge USA Motorcycle Fatalities Increase in 2008 - Only DealsGapDragon.com reports that the reason is 100% censorship of Countersteering on motorcycle license tests, thanks to fascist Motorcycle Safety Foundation contract to write all license tests, and Police State death squads targeting sportbikers for the crime of wearing lifesaving safety gear. AMA REBUTTAL SAYS UNCLE SCAM WANTS SPEED GOVERNORS ON ALL VEHICLES Study: 'Supersport' cycles step up risk, USA TODAY, Sept 9, 2007 3 deaths on Dragon halfway through 2008, due to slow response by Rural Metro Ambulance Corp, rookie cruisers and trikes
By Adam Waheed
What do you get when you take 300-plus Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R6 enthusiasts, stir in 318 tire shredding twists and turns in just 11 knee-dragging miles, add a healthy dose of legendary Smokey Mountain hospitality and top it off with some of the most gorgeous scenery east of the Mississippi? Well, my friends, you have the ingredients for the 2007 Kelly Brown R1/R6-forum.com Deals Gap Convention. The winding river of asphalt otherwise known as The Tail of the Dragon is nestled deep in the smokey-blue haze of the Appalachian Mountains. This one-of-a-kind paved paradise is situated on U.S. Highway 129 between the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina. The Tail of the Dragon stands-out from your typical winding country roads. There's no driveways, strip malls, gas stations or other modern-day distractions that we have become so accustomed to everywhere else.
We dropped in Thursday night to catch the tail-end of this year's week-long celebration that featured a variety of motorized and non-motorized events catering to riders and their families. Off-road riding, cycling, boating, fishing, jet-skiing, underwater basket weaving - you name it, Fontana Village Resort had it! Our host for this mechanized shindig was famed custom sportbike builder Shane McCoy of McCoy Motorsports. If you haven't heard of McCoy Motorsports, check out its ultra-trick stretched and slammed Yamaha YZF-R1 Fusion machine and that'll be all you need to verify McCoy's building prowess. Thursday night got off to a hazy start. I was greeted to a full-on house boat party on the picturesque Fontana Lake. The decked out two-story house boat was the perfect place to take in the scenery, have a few cocktails, and meet like-minded Yamaha aficionados. The first thing that struck me at the party was the level of camaraderie of this tightly-knit group. Being an outsider, having never heard of either the R1- or R6-forum.com online round-table, I honestly didn't know what to expect. But I was greeted with a cold can of Milwaukee's' finest, a warm smile, and a question that seemed normal enough at the time.
"What's your name?" asked Vaughn, an R1-rider from Tampa, Florida. "Adam", I responded. "No, no. What's your screen name?" Vaughn asked again. "Oh. I'm not a member just yet." "It's all good; just make sure to look me up when you sign up - I'm yamadogfj1200," replied Vaughn. After catching a few extra hours of sleep in my Fontana Village Resort cabin, I met with the leather clad army of Yamaha enthusiasts. We geared up and set off to slay the notorious Dragon. Chinese folklore says the Dragon brings prosperity, health and luck. While it offers these rewards to the rider, The Tail of the Dragon can take a bite out of those who let their guard down, overestimate their skill or underestimate the risk. And with at least one motorcycle-related fatality every year, not to mention the numerous crashes and injuries associated with those smash-ups, it is important to recognize your skill level. Last year's event was marred by the passing of Kelly Brown, an R1-forum.com group member who suffered a fatal accident during this very ride. For the second year in a row, Yamaha Motor Corporation stepped in and sponsored this year's convention. In wide-open Yamaha fashion, it came fully prepared with a tractor-trailer loaded with a fleet of brand new candy-painted 2007 Yamaha YZF-R6s and YZF-R1s - the ideal weapons of choice for an all-out asphalt assault.
I spent Friday riding the R6, which has an ideal set-up for the tight and technical first-, second- and third-gear switchbacks that litter the curvy 11-mile route. The Tail of the Dragon is all about quick side-to-side transitions, and this is where the R6 shines like a tourmaline gem. The well-marked road meandered smoothly like a river through the unspoiled terrain of the Smokey Mountains. It packs every kind of corner a rider could yearn for. It harbors a continuous mix of off-camber downhill, uphill, side-to-side switchbacks, love-it or hate-it decreasing radius-turns, and abrupt roller coaster-like elevation changes. Most corners offer little to no run-off room, so a rider's margin of error is slim at best. To say the Tail of the Dragon is very technical riding is an understatement. But the real question is: Does the Dragon live up to its hype? That depends. If continuous non-stop, knee on-the-deck cornering is your forte - than you, my friend, have found your motorcycling Mecca. With the sun quickly falling to the West and after a full afternoon of runs up-and-down The Dragon (which are a completely different experience within itself), I decided that tomorrow I would see what the other roads in the area had to offer. Eastern Tennessee and Northwestern North Carolina is an experience of road-engineering virtuosity, offering the widest variety of curves and perfectly paved roadways that I have ever experienced. Everything from slow first-gear bends to ultra-fast fourth-gear sweepers that seemingly beg you to twist the throttle harder and harder. I experienced one such road firsthand by way of the legendary Cherohala Skyway. Many in the group raved about the high-speed highway, so I decided to hop on the R1 to see what it's all about. The road's distinctive name comes from the Cherokee and Nantahala National Parks through which the roadway passes. Originally planned in 1958, the road took over 32 years and $100 million to build, making it North Carolina's most expensive road ever constructed. And all for our motorcycle riding enjoyment - thank you, North Carolina!
On a side note to all you R1 owners out there, the Achilles heel that beset some 07' R1s was the intermittent slow acceleration problem that would routinely occur when the bike was in second gear at 5500 rpm. This glitch had the potential for turning a fantastic ride into something to be desired. Fortunately for us, the R1s that Yamaha brought were fitted with a revised ECU that completely rectifies the acceleration gremlin. On the way up the infamous Cherohala Skyway, I had a chance to test the R1 in a few of the tight second-gear corners and in fact the revised ECU did cure the bothersome acceleration problem. (If your 07' R1 suffers from this problem, bring it your local Yamaha motorcycle dealer and they can assist you further.) After another epic day of riding under my belt, it was time to call it quits and park the hot-rod machines from the boys in blue for the rest of the weekend. Yamaha rounded out the week's festivities with a first-rate three-course meal in the Fontana Village Banquet room Saturday night and thousands of dollars worth of Yamaha swag was given away. And who doesn't like free stuff, right? The dinner was a great way to put the wraps on another successful event. So why do all these enthusiasts make the annual hajj out to Deals Gap? Taking off an entire week of work is pretty difficult nowadays - especially to go hangout with people that you see but once a year. That being said, after sampling the fire of The Dragon and seeing the passion and camaraderie that the people of the R1/R6-forum.com share for each other, there is no doubt that the time taken off work and the travel money spent is worth every penny. If you have a Yamaha, or any sportbike for that matter, and want to have a good time on an unforgettable road with an even better group of people, get on the R1/R6-forum and come join the fun next year - you won't be disappointed. (Tragically, as I am writing this, Glen "Elvis" Breaux, a forum brother, passed in a non-motorcycle related incident after arriving home from the event. God speed, Glen.)
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of East Tennessee Hog wild By Linda Lange, Travel editor
The pleasantly warm, blue-sky days of spring provide thousands of reasons to roam about on motorcycles. Blooming dogwood and redbud trees signal the beginning of East Tennessee's popular season. "People are always looking for new, interesting and challenging routes," says Brenda Whitson of the Johnson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Tri-City Harley Owner's Group outlined 12 popular motorcycle routes through lush, green farmland and thickly forested mountains. They include the "East Tennessee Snake," a long and curvy journey along the rushing waters of Stoney Creek (U.S. Highway 421S to Shady Valley). "The Vinegar Pie" ride takes a leisurely spin along U.S. Highway 11E to Morristown. At the top of Clinch Mountain, people get a slice of vinegar pie at the Clinch Mountain Lookout Restaurant. The "Places of the Past" ride to Jonesborough includes wooded back roads, old farmhouses and old-fashioned landmarks, such as Davy Crockett State Park on state Route 9 and Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville. The "Top of the Roan" ride starts just outside Elizabethton on U.S. Highway 19E Bypass and leads motorcyclists to scenic spots, such as the Catawba Rhododendron Gardens at Carver's Gap. "On the descent, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some of East Tennessee's most magnificent scenery," says Whitson. North Carolina offers the "Mountains Ribbons" ride, a route to the top of Grandfather Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Travelers enter the quaint towns of Linville, Elk Park and Roan Mountain. "There are interesting sites along the way and a variety of things to do," says Whitson. For information on all 12 routes, contact the Johnson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-852-3392 or 423 461-8000. (www.visitjohnsoncitytn.com)
View from motorcycle helmet The most famous bikers' route in the area is the "The Dragon," a stretch of asphalt on U.S. Highway 129. The 318 curves in 11 miles bring euphoria to legions of riders. The stretch follows the southern border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Blount County to the North Carolina border in Deals Gap. Cherohala Skyway's "drive above the clouds" claims fame for equally spectacular reasons. Overlooks, some as high as 5,390 feet, reward visitors with magnificent views or ridges, lakes and rivers. It winds through Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests and connects Tellico Plains to Robbinsville, N.C. The 50-mile, $100 million two-lane is recognized as one of 96 National Scenic Byways. The Ocoee Scenic Byway (U.S. Highway 64) clings to the banks of the Ocoee River through Cherokee National Forest, past the Ocoee flume line and powerhouses. Panoramic views from Chilhowee overlooks and Boyds Gap are highlights. (423-263-7232, 877-510-5765, www.tennesseeoverhill.com) "The trip from Oak Ridge to Rugby is a great scenic drive with lots of twists and turns along the way," says Katy Brown, president of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. Motorcyclists come into Oak Ridge via state Highway 62W and continue on the road through Oliver Springs and into Wartburg. They follow U.S. Highway 27N, then state Highway 52 to Rugby. "Rugby is just down the road and makes an excellent stop for a quick tour of the historic community," she says. Another recommendation is to take a road tour from Norris Dam to Melton Hill Dam. "U.S. Highway 441 takes riders on a scenic drive through Anderson and Campbell counties to view the first dam in the TVA system. A picturesque overlook is available just above Norris Dam," Brown says. People who make the loop to U.S. Highway 25W will go back into Clinton. They pick up state Highway 95/61 in the direction of Oak Ridge. State Highway 95 travels along the Clinch River. Once through Oak Ridge, they stay on state Highway 95 to reach Lenoir City and make a stop at the Melton Hill Dam. (865-482-7821, www.oakridgevisitor.com)
Sparkling waterfalls, historic bridges, hot springs, roller-coaster roadways and old-fashioned attractions punctuate motorcyclists' tours of the Upper Cumberland region. The "Hilltop Heritage" tour through Smith County requires crossing the Cumberland River and Caney Fork River before reaching Cordell Hull Lake Dam. The "Center Hill Lake" tour includes the Appalachian Center for Craft and Edgar Evins State Park. A musical journey, the "Broadway of America" tour directs people to the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville. A string of picturesque hamlets on the "Alvin C. York" tour lead to the World War I hero's home place and gristmill. For specific routes and other tours, contact the Upper Cumberland Tourism Association, 800-868-7237, www.uppercumberland.org. Attractions The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has three major exhibition halls to showcase the machines and memorabilia of motorcycling. It is on the campus of the American Motorcyclists Association in Pickerington, Ohio. The AMA is currently conducting a million man boycott of Knoxville, Blount County, Tennessee and the Dragon, in protest of the Tennessee legislature naming Interstate 140 in Knox and Blount Counties for a convicted hit-and-run killer of a sportbiker in Blount County (614-856-2222) See also: Beth Talbott’s Wild Ride: Drexel MSE Alum Shares her Unique Path from Engineering Degree to Motorcycles - Maybe her next job will be attending law school?
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Maryville Daily Times
Ride Texas Magazine, a travel magazine with a circulation of over 30,000, named U.S. 129 from Maryville to Robbinsville, N.C., one of the "Top 10 Roads Outside Texas" in its reader's choice poll. Most commonly known as the Dragon, the route climbs through 318 "S" curves in 11 miles, with the majority of the ride on Calderwood Highway in Blount County. "Because of this curvy terrain, the Dragon has become known as one of the best motorcycle and sports car rides in the county," said Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are excited that the readers of Ride Texas have visited our area, enjoyed this challenging ride, and that they have given us this prestigious recognition." Handly said motorcycle travel has been a growing tourism trend for several years, and the visitors bureau has recognized that more people are riding in and around the area. "Last year the visitors bureau developed a brochure that identifies all the world-class rides that are within Blount County and the general area," said Handly. "The demand for this brochure was so great that we had to reorder a supply shortly after the first one came off the press. We continue to get feedback from our motorcycling visitors that this area offers some of the best rides in the nation." Motorcycle trips in the Blount County area featured in the brochure include: the Foothills Parkway, Cades Cove, the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, Townsend to Gatlinburg to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg to Clingman's Dome to Cherokee, North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Cherohala Skyway Cherohala Skyway is a two-hour ride "above the clouds." The 36-mile stretch climbs to 5,400 feet, and provides scenic views of the mountains between Robbinsville, N.C., and Tellico Plains. The route takes riders on a two-hour journey through Cherokee National Forest and Nantahala National Forest. The Dragon The majority of riders consider the Dragon the No. 1 road in America for motorcycle enthusiasts. This adventure is an experienced rider's dream with 318 curves in an 11-mile stretch. The ride takes about three hours when leaving from Townsend, and riders can retrace the Dragon and ride back to Townsend or proceed on to Robbinsville and ride the Cherohala Skyway, which will take about three hours one-way. Townsend/Cades Cove The tranquil ride from Townsend to Cades Cove and around the 11-mile Cades Cove loop showcases the beauty of the valley, along with the history of Appalachia with its original settlement homes, churches, and cemeteries of this early community. The 20-mph speed limit and many stopping points allow riders to take their time and enjoy the spectacular wildlife and wildflowers. Foothills Parkway Foothills Parkway offers an unforgettable ride with views in every direction. To the south, riders can peer over Happy Valley into the Smokies and beyond. While the views to the north are over Maryville, Knoxville and the great valley floor. Looking to the west, riders will discover Thunderhead Mountain, which is considered the highest peak in the western half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There is also an opportunity to trek up to the famous Look Rock Tower, an easy 1.2-mile hike. The tower is free and offers a 360-degree panoramic view. Townsend/Gatlinburg During this 15-mile ride, beginning in Townsend, riders will observe the scenic village known as "The Peaceful Side of the Smokies." The Townsend area allows bikers to experience many outdoor activities, unique riverside/mountaintop lodging, craft shops, a heritage museum and numerous seasonal festivals. The short journey up Tenn. 73, also known as Little River Road, will take them to the exciting areas of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most-visited section of America's national park system. This 469-mile ride along the parkway provides stunning long-range vistas and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachian mountains. As riders climb 6,000 feet and wind through the Balsam Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains there are plenty of places to enjoy the views. Townsend/Cherokee This three-hour journey will take bikers from Tenn. 73 in Townsend through Great Smoky Mountains National Park and into Gatlinburg. Then, the road continues to Clingman's Dome on U.S. 441, with an elevation of 6,643 feet. It is the highest point in the Smokies. The ride then continues on 441 south to Cherokee, N.C., homeland of the Cherokee Indians.
By Iva Butler From 4,500 to 5,500 people are expected to be in and out of the Punkin Center Motorcycle Resort over the weekend, according to resort owner/operator Jody Montgomery. The Wakin’ the Dragon Motorcycle Ride will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the motorcycle resort, located off Calderwood Highway on Old Railroad Bed Road.
The ride will not take the same route as last year on the Dragon — the 11-mile section of Calderwood Highway (U.S. 129) between Tab Cat Creek Bridge and Deal’s Gap, N.C. “The Dragon is a dangerous road for cruiser bikes and 80 percent of the bikes on the ride will be cruisers,” Montgomery said. The 112-mile ride is expected to take four and one-half to five hours to complete. From Punkin Center the bikers will take Calderwood Highway to Foothills Parkway to East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Walland. They will then get on East Lamar Alexander Parkway and follow it to Wears Valley Road in Townsend. On Wears Valley Road they will stop at Smoky Mountain Wood Sculptures. They will then go back down to East Lamar Alexander Parkway to Carr’s Creek Road and travel to the one-lane concrete bridge at Kinzel Springs. There riders will get back on East Lamar Alexander Parkway, travel to Washington Avenue in Maryville, to Hall Road in Alcoa and on to Alcoa Highway. They will travel it to the Hunt Road exit and follow Hunt Road to Louisville Road and then take Middlesettlements Road to West Lamar Alexander Parkway, where they will stop at the Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson & Buell dealership. From there they will get back on West Lamar Alexander Parkway and take that to the Loudon County line. They will exit on Meadow Road and follow it to Morganton Road and on to Baker’s Creek Road. Riders will then exit onto U.S. 411 South and follow it to Extreme Powersports of Madisonville. After that the motorcyclists will get back on U.S. 411 South and follow it north to Sloan’s of Vonore. At Sloan’s there will be a drawing for a VN 900 Kawasaki Limited Edition Cruiser which will be fully dressed. Tickets for the motorcycle give away cost $1 each and can be purchased at Punkin Center Resort, Sloan’s of Vonore and Extreme Powersports. Ticket holders don’t have to be present to win the motorcycle. Riders will then return to Punkin Center. Montgomery expects 600 motorcyclists to take part in the ride, compared to 386 last year.
Scheduled events will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday night Scheduled are bike games — slow drags, barrel rolls, wet T-shirt contest and luminaries. Live entertainment will be provided by Rigid and Southern Rock Dixie Style. Also on hand will be the Music City Motorcycles from the Speed Channel. They will have Chopper bikes on display. Cost for Friday and Saturday night events will be $25 per person for the weekend. Arm bands will be given out to those attending and there will be special arm bands that will allow attendees to purchase beer. Montgomery said. People wishing to purchase beer will be carded when arm bands are placed on their arms and anyone with an altered arm band will be refused entry to the resort, Montgomery said. Security for the weekend will be provided by Rolling Inferno Firefighters from Porter County, Ind. Montgomery said Thursday evening that area motels had already started filling up. Punkin Center Resort can accommodate 3,000 to 5,000 people in RV sites, campsites and cabins, according to Montgomery. There were already 40 RVs parked at the resort, with room for 40 more, he said.
Iva Butler
MARYVILLE, TENN - With the roar of motorcycles and sports cars along the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway comes another sound -- the ka-ching ka-ching of cash registers throughout the region. For businessmen in the area, the Dragon has laid a golden egg that is hatching more and more greenbacks. On an average weekend, the Dragon draws 3,000 motor enthusiasts, which swells to 5,000 to 6,000 during special events like the Honda Hoot, said Ben Steinberg, vice president of marketing and public relations for Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort Inc. "The Dragon is one of the top five roads in North America and definitely the top road on the eastern seaboard (for driving aficionados)," he added. Ron Johnson, creator of the Web site tailofthedragon.com, said, "That road has brought more people to the area than any attraction here, except the Great Smoky Mountains." 111.1 miles, 318 curves The Dragon is located in Tennessee, snaking 11.1 miles and 318 curves from Tabcat Bridge on U.S. 129 to Deals Gap at the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, climbing 1,085 feet in elevation. It could be called the "Two-headed Dragon." For emergency and law enforcement personnel, it requires more time and resources than most other area roads, but for local businesses it breathes economic success. In fact, some businesses draw all or the vast majority of their revenue from the motor sports enthusiasts, selling everything from "I Survived the Dragon" T-shirts to repair parts for crashed cycles. Commonly called "the Dragon," entrepreneur Johnson decided to call it the "Tail of the Dragon" and holds the trademark on that name. At first the Dragon mainly drew local motorcycle enthusiasts, but its fame is now legendary worldwide, luring not only motorcyclists but also sports car club aficionados. "Most of the visitors are on vacation," Steinberg said. "The focus is that the road is challenging, not for a Sunday drive, the camaraderie and interaction among the motor enthusiasts," Steinberg said. Johnson said, "The No. 1 draw of the road is its isolation. There are no intersecting roads, houses, mailboxes, driveways or businesses on the Dragon," Johnson said. "It has a nice clean surface." "The person who built the road probably didn't know what he was doing, but the road has banked corners more than anywhere I've ever seen. No corner is banked the same, so it is not boring. You can get into a rhythm and feel the road," he said. Graham County tourism Huge tracts of the surrounding lands are part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park or owned by ALCOA Inc. Johnson said "Graham County has been one of the poorest counties in North Carolina for some time. Now with cars and bikes, they've seen that tourism is in their future. Now a lot of people come to stay in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Cherokee and ride the Dragon." The Dragon has a reputation for being a dangerous road. Steinberg said that "you have to concentrate 100 percent on the road." Rick Whaley, a retiree from Maryville and motorcycle enthusiast, said, "To me the tractor-trailers are the most dangerous vehicles on the Dragon." Once when riding his Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic on the Dragon, Whaley said he came around a corner and a tractor-trailer almost had the road blocked. "He stopped. I just had enough room to get my cycle through. It was not his fault." "There is no way a tractor-trailer can stay in its lane and make the curves. I wish Tennessee and North Carolina would ban tractor-trailers from this section of U.S. 129," Whaley said.
Graham County Travel and Tourism Authority is pushing to draw people to the area. In fact, they have paid Johnson to hand out information on the area at motor events in Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago and at Knoxville's Honda Hoot. "What we need to do is welcome tourists," he added. "Fifteen years ago they (locals) used to shoot at people who rode motorcycles on the Dragon." Johnson, who started his Web site in 2000, said that last year he had almost 1.8 million hits on tailofthedragon.com. His site gives history, comments from visitors and other pertinent information on the Dragon. He sells souvenirs through the Internet, as well as to 15 different vendors. From photos to food A friend of Johnson's, Daryl Cannon, also operates a business on the Internet. He takes pictures most weekends of riders on the Dragon and posts them on killboy.com. People can then purchase the photos from Cannon. He takes 30,000 pictures on a big weekend. Jackie Ramsey, who along with husband, Dave, operate 129 Motorcycle Pitstop at 4391 Calderwood Highway in Tallassee, said 100 percent of their business is associated with the Dragon and Cherohala. "We offer services for people who are traveling through or break down," she said. They sell food and parts. Her husband also pulls in wrecked cycles from the Dragon. Butler's Wrecker Service also pulls in crashed bikes. This is the third year of the Ramsey operation. "Each year our business has grown. It depends on the weather. The first year we didn't do as good because we got quite a bit of rain," Jackie Ramsey said. "We're starting to be a lot more worldwide," she added. They get a lot of business during rallies, including "Wakin the Dragon." In fact, organizers of that event at Punkin Center, just up the road from their business, have made arrangements for people to camp on Ramsey land. `Welcome slayers' Valerie Feil, who along with husband, John, operate Mountain Motors in Robbinsville, said, "We are the original repair shop of the Dragon." Times have changed in Graham County. They opened the business in 1991 and now two-thirds to three-fourths of their business is from tourism. "We were the only ones with a Harley in Graham County. Mostly people here had four-wheelers and dirt bikes back in the early '90s," Feil said. "This county has lost a lot of mills and factories. A lot of people are out of work. There is no indication that anyone else is coming in here except tourism and the Stanley plant, the biggest employer in the county," she said. "Many of the old-timers are concerned about how the motorcycles and cars will take a toll on our area. We are concerned about the environment as well. We'd like to keep the area as undisturbed as possible, but the hobbyists will come and they have money in their pockets," she added. "We need to welcome tourists," she added. Underneath their Mountain Motors sign are the words, "welcome dragon slayers." She said a Web site, thedragonschamber.com, has been established, and any business that provides service to the Dragon, Cherohala or Blue Ridge can be listed there. It covers all of Western North Carolina, East Tennessee and possibly North Georgia. The site is also used as a tool to organize fund-raisers, such as the "Ride for Our Troops" planned May 20 in Robbinsville. "We have a small site, but we've had a tremendous response," said Feil, who has had motorcycles for 38 years. Sports cars are also bringing tourists. Cherohala Skyway Car clubs more and more frequently hold rallies in the area, many of whom make a circuit traveling both the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway. Cherohala runs 35 miles from Robbinsville, N.C., to Tellico Plains, rising up and over 5,400-foot mountains. Johnson says while the Dragon has a reputation for being dangerous, Cherohala is more dangerous. The curves are not as sharp, and there is the temptation to go faster. The elevation as you go down hill causes you to build momentum, get in tight corners and overbrake. You then lose traction and go down. If you crash there is the probability that you will hit one of those metal guard rails." Johnson said emergency help is 45 minutes away on Cherohala and 30 on the Dragon. The car clubs range from a few vehicles to larger groups, such as the recent MINI Cooper meet which drew 450 vehicles. Business owners in the area fear that any development of property adjoining the Dragon or improvement of the road will take away the golden egg the Dragon has laid. They want it to stay the way it is -- remote and curvy -- so they can keep earning their Dragon dollars.
Daily Times
MARYVILLE, TENN - It was millions of years in the making. It is stunning with its steep mountainsides and lush foliage. And it"s a heck of a hard haul if you have to cross it on foot, which is how Native Americans first traversed the pathway now known as the Tail of the Dragon. Or as most call it, simply the Dragon. The key word is "known." Google the Tail of the Dragon on the Internet and you'll find 791,000 sites listed. The Dragon's 11 miles and 318 curves on U.S. 129 from Tabcat Creek on Calderwood Highway to Deal's Gap just over the North Carolina line is famous in motorcycle and sports car circles and infamous to truckers. That fame extends beyond U.S. borders. When Mini Cooper enthusiasts had their most recent run on the Dragon, participants came from Europe and as far away as Australia. It's not in an amusement park. There are no neon signs, no billboards announcing it, but the Dragon is basically a thrill ride for grown-ups. The Wakin' the Dragon motorcycle rally held last weekend at Smoky Mountain Speedway and Punkin Center Campground is one more example of the road's compelling attraction. There is a history. Settlers used the path through Deal's Gap to travel on Parsons Branch Road to Cades Cove. Around 1930, the trail was graded and for the first time could legitimately be called a road. It was named U.S. 129 when it was paved in 1934. Its future was set in the end of the 20th century when the Dragon was discovered by motorcyclists and became legendary to sports car clubs. The road also claims its own legends. Like the story circa the late 1940s or early '50s of the missing motorcycle rider and his girlfriend. They supposedly drove off the road, slipped down a steep slope and were trapped under their bike. The man was killed in the crash, but the woman, unable to get out from under the motorcycle, lived for three days. It took rescuers a week to find them. There's supposed to be a grave of a Civil War soldier buried near the twisted highway. Ghosts rumored to haunt the area date to an era when a landowner whose property was traversed by the ancient trail demanded a toll from travelers. His penalty for those who tried to sneak by without paying was a rather final solution: hanging. Whatever the Dragon's past, it's future seems clear. The Tail of the Dragon may be the most fun place to ride a motorcycle or drive a sports car in the world. It's already built, and people will come. So will business. Does anyone think one of the country's premier Harley dealerships, Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson on West Lamar Alexander Parkway, would be here if it weren't for the Dragon? Tourism is big business and the enthusiasm for motorcycles is growing and maturing. There's something about the freedom and thrill of riding a bike on the open road that captures the essence of America. Blount County would be wise, through businesses and with the help of promoters of tourism, to be a friendly destination to visitors who come to experience the Dragon. Let's help them have fun, and let's keep it safe. But please, be careful out there. Let the lasting tale of the Dragon be one of good times and happy memories.
ABCNEWS.com
"Roads are few and lightly traveled. Chain restaurants and motels are even rarer. Yet the area offers a combination of outdoor attractions that may be unparalleled east of the Rockies. Within easy reach of 11,600-acre Fontana Lake are top-level recreation opportunities for mountain-bikers, whitewater enthusiasts, hikers, fishermen, boaters, and motorcyclists and sports-car enthusiasts. 'My wife's into mountain-biking, motorcycling, she runs marathons, likes to run the trails. We have just about everything you want to do out here,' said Ron Johnson, a retired firefighter from West Palm Beach, Fla., who lives in Deals Gap and runs a Web site dedicated to the curvaceous stretch of U.S. 129 known as the Tail of the Dragon. Fontana Lake was created by the 480-foot-tall dam of the same name, built by the Tennessee Valley Authority on the Little Tennessee River between 1942 and 1944. The project grew from the U.S. military's need for hydroelectric power at aluminum plants in Alcoa, Tenn., and at the top-secret weapons laboratory at Oak Ridge, Tenn., where the government purified uranium and plutonium that would go into the first atomic bombs. With the job site high in the mountains at the dead end of a dirt road, workers first had to widen the one-lane road, then build a two-mile spur from the nearest rail line so that laborers, supplies and heavy equipment could be brought in. The workers, many of them too old to serve in the military, worked three daily shifts, seven days a week to finish the project, which required 3 million cubic yards of concrete. Commuting was out of the question, with the site 65 hard miles from the nearest city, Knoxville, Tenn. So the TVA built a town from scratch. From here, it's a scenic drive east on N.C. 28 to the Nantahala Gorge, where whitewater enthusiasts kayak, canoe and raft in the waters of the Nantahala River. The river empties into the east end of Fontana Lake. At Tsali Recreation Area, on the south shore of Fontana Lake, mountain bikers thrill to 39 miles of jumps, banked curves and fast trails. The lake itself offers a diverse fish population, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, bluegill, walleye and catfish. Though the north side of the lake is in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and mostly inaccessible by road, numerous south shore ramps give boaters access to the lake's vast surface, with steep, forested mountains rising up on all sides. With the park to the north and Nantahala National Forest to the south, hikers and wilderness campers can explore tens of thousands of square miles of southern Appalachian hardwood forest. The Appalachian Trail, the fabled 2,000-mile path connecting Georgia and Maine, crosses the top of Fontana Dam. And U.S. 129 offers motorcyclists and sports-car enthusiasts (even some daring bicyclists) the challenge of the Tail of the Dragon, with more than 300 curves in a 13-mile stretch of road between Tapoco Lodge, N.C., and Tabcat Creek, Tenn. The busiest summer weekends see thousands of drivers a day testing themselves against the road's asphalt whipsaw. For drivers with more sensitive stomachs, the Cherohala Skyway, on U.S. 143 from Robbinsville to Tellico Plains, Tenn., offers a calmer ride, as well as mountain vistas that rival those of the better-known Blue Ridge Parkway. See also: Graham County NC Travel and Tourism Authority: Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap Motorcycle Playgrounds: US 129 - It’s a good thing road builders used to go around mountains instead of just moving them like they do nowadays Dragon Savers - Sign the petition to Save the Dragon from extinction. US 129 scheduled for demolition, replaced by Interstate gridlock, with Great Smokey Mountains flattened for parking lots The Scene: Extreme sportbike action from North Carolina's Deals Gap - By Super Streetbike magazine
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By MELISSA DiPANE BLOUNT COUNTY (WATE TV) -- Rescuers are ready as a popular stretch of road called the "Dragon" revs with more motorcycles than usual during a popular weekend rally. The 14 mile stretch of Highway 129 going from Blount County into North Carolina is a curvy, unforgiving road. In just three days last year, five motorcycle crashes were reported there. "It's way more challenging than a normal road. You have to keep your wits about you 100 percent of the time," says Ben Steinberg, motorcyclists and public relations spokesman for Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort. The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be keeping the road safe for bikers at the second annual "Wakin' the Dragon Rally," a ride where nearly 5,000 and bikers are expected to rumble their way around the mountain. THP says that stretch of road has more motorcycle accidents than anywhere else in the state. But Steinberg says it's not the road that kills. "The bottom line is, this road requires 100 percent concentration at all times. You could have a big 18 wheeler coming through and you won't see them till the last minute. You might have a Sunday driver in a motor home coming around and they can't negotiate a tight turn." Steinberg says the "Dragon" gets a bad rap. It can be deadly if any driver, whether in a car or on a bike, is driving too fast or tries to pass on the double yellow lines. During the ride, THP will be prepared for anyone that daring. THP will help the Blount County Sheriff's Office make sure safety and traffic laws are followed. Rural/Metro and the Blount County Rescue Squad will be prepared to handle an accident, just in case.
Josh West Video: Don't pass cops on the Dragon With the Honda Hoot rolling into East Tennessee, the Blount County Sheriff's Office will be keeping a close eye on the infamous "Dragon." The route along Highway 129 sees numerous motorcycle accidents each year, and sheriff's deputies are trying to keep riders as safe as possible. Blount County Sheriff's Office Community Outreach Director Jarrod Millsaps knows the Dragon well. He travels the treacherous stretch of highway a few times each month, trying to stop motorcycle riders from taking dangerous risks on the roadway's serpentine switchbacks. "The speed limit is 30 miles per hour until you get to the North Carolina line," Millsaps said. "It's also double yellow all the way into North Carolina, which means it's a no-passing zone." But many riders don't obey those rules. We saw one in action Wednesday afternoon. The driver traveled closely behind Millsaps' unmarked vehicle until oncoming traffic cleared, then sped around Millsaps, nearly clipping an oncoming motorcycle. After being pulled over, the driver said he got wrapped up in the adrenaline rush of the ride and made a risky mistake. "It could've been a major accident," Millsaps said. Sgt. Randy Ailey sees similar incidents all the time. "The major factor is the speed," Ailey said. "They come up here and a lot of them think it's their personal race track. One told me this morning, 'If you're going to play the game, you'd better be prepared to pay the price,' and he said he was." Sheriff's Deputies patrol the Dragon 7 days a week and stop between 10 and 15 drivers each day. With four accidents on Monday alone and more riders on the way this week, Millsaps is advising everyone to think twice before taking risks. "As long as people come up here and obey the speed limits and obey the laws that are here, then they're going to have a great time and enjoy themselves," Millsaps said. The Governor's Highway Safety Office recently approved a $120,000 grant to pay for patrols on the Dragon. See also: UPDATE: UT faces across the board budget cuts UPDATE: UT football coach Fulmer gets $30-million pay raise
By Robert Wilson
TALLASSEE - On the graveyard shift, they are known as Batman and Robin, the Caped Crusader and his sidekick. And though on some level they are crusaders, Tennessee summers are just too hot for a cape. So they patrol one of the nation's best-known stretches of highway in air conditioned Fords, dishing up law enforcement with a little public relations on the side. It's a pre-emptive form of policing. Unlike their comic book counterparts, however, Matt Fagiana and Drew Brakebill, deputies in the patrol division for the Blount County Sheriff's Office, work in the daytime and want their visibility to be high. Fagiana and Brakebill are among a group of deputies who eagerly and regularly devote an off-day to an overtime shift patrolling the Dragon, an 11-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 129 with twists and turns so sharp a motorist might wonder if the taillights ahead could be his own.
The Dragon, the last stretch of Highway 129 before it crosses from Blount County into North Carolina, is internationally known, particularly among motorcycle riders. It has 318 curves and a continuous, unbroken double-yellow line. Among some sport bike enthusiasts, it has a reputation for producing a flash flood of adrenalin as they try to make the run in the shortest possible time. For less-aggressive motorcyclists, it's one of the most scenic roads imaginable, with inspirational mountain vistas. For law enforcement, it's a challenge, with undisciplined riders regularly hitting guardrails, trees or each other, or simply launching themselves off the side of the mountain. In years past, the efforts of people like Fagiana and Brakebill were not so much enforcement but cleanup, dealing with the sometimes tragic aftermath of careless use of the highway.
That strategy has changed, though, and now they and others who patrol the Dragon are concentrating on preventing injury and death through communication and visibility. "We want everybody to have a good time," says Fagiana, 28, who says he does not know how he became Robin to Brakebill's Batman. Fagiana and Brakebill, 25, are best friends both on and off the job and maintain a good-natured rivalry not only over the Batman-Robin issue, but also over Fagiana's support for University of Tennessee football and Brakebill's affinity for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. They work the same regular shift and have the same off-days, meaning they can sign up for Dragon patrol together and work as a team. Brakebill said all members of the BCSO's graveyard shift, which runs from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. four days a week, have nicknames of comic book characters.
Fagiana, a former trooper for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, has the look of a man who is ready for anything, with powerful arms and a lean frame. "I like to work out," he says, with apparent understatement. His Dragon shifts are spent intentionally getting out of the cruiser, meeting with riders and visitors from other states and countries and developing a positive image for the department. He smiles a lot and exchanges jokes with those he meets on the Dragon, but his nonsense quotient as a law enforcement officer still seems about as low as his body mass index. According to Fagiana - and his boss, Sheriff Jim Berrong - the BCSO has adopted the same policy on the Dragon that it has in the rest of Blount County. It's called "community policing," and it involves not just simply imposing force but parking the cruiser in a conspicuous spot, getting out, glad-handing those riding the Dragon, informing out-of-staters of Tennessee law and ticketing violators as necessary. "Most times," Fagiana says, "our presence is more a factor of making the highway safe than writing tickets. And I like making contact."
The new strategy was adopted last summer, Berrong said, through a $125,000 grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Office. The department is using the grant to pay overtime to officers who, as Berrong says, "do what they are trained to do." He sees it as a win-win situation in that the Dragon is better patrolled and his officers get to supplement their salaries, which are widely acknowledged to be chronically underfunded by the county. The Tennessee Highway Patrol gets a similar grant and uses it in a like manner, as overtime for troopers. Berrong was complimentary and appreciative of the grant in a recent interview and said that he believes the enforcement effort had a positive effect on safety in its first year last summer. Berrong also said the risk-taking riders on the Dragon have become familiar with the BCSO tactics to the extent that they know when to expect the officers to be there and when not. The sheriff said this may result in a scheduling adjustment to address the issue. Back on the Dragon, Fagiana and Brakebill spend a fair amount of time with their cruisers backed in at a pull-off known as the Overlook. It is a spot on the crest of the ridge where bikers and others can park on either side of the road and be treated to broad mountain landscapes.
Fagiana says he has met riders from many states and some foreign countries as he talks to them about safety and Tennessee law. At the same time, his colleague can be seen using a handheld radar gun to clock vehicles coming down the hill toward the Overlook. In most cases, deputies write warning tickets for the not-so-serious infractions, such as a nonvisible license plate or even speeding, if the rider is not too far over the limit. Riders interviewed at the Overlook recently said getting the warning has basically the same slowing effect as a full-blown citation, except that it does not cost them any money and leaves them without that spitting-bitter taste for Blount County and law enforcement in general.
The BCSO strategy gets the endorsement of the owner and general manager of the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort, a restaurant, fuel stop, motel, campground and accessory store just past the North Carolina end of the Dragon. Ben Steinberg, vice president for marketing and public relations, describes the Blount County approach as "proactive as opposed to reactive." Brad Talbott, Deal's Gap resort owner, said riders from all over the nation and world come to the Dragon prepared to spend tourist dollars on lodging, meals and other entertainment. But, he said, the closest motels to the North Carolina end are as much as 50 miles away.
So most stay in Blount County, creating a significant revenue stream. "Blount County," Talbott said, "has found a way not to solve the problems, but to keep problems to a minimum." The strategy, he said, "increases business and creates jobs. "Riders get the message that they will ride and behave better or they need to go somewhere else." Another problem is that pursuing a sport biker on the road in a more-powerful but less-maneuverable Crown Victoria cruiser is not easy, even with special training in emergency driving. Indeed, jumping in a Crown Vic and chasing down a rider doing twice the 30 mph speed limit on the Dragon will get and hold one's attention. But for Batman and Robin, it's part of the job. And, Fagiana says, he has had riders actually ask him for warning tickets from the Dragon, which they take home as souvenirs and badges of honor. See also: Batman & Robin: "We're not gay, just Bat-curious" Microwave emissions from police radar Cancer incidence among Ontario police officers Cluster of testicular cancer in police officers exposed to hand-held radar Police State Surge kills 6 riders on Dragon in 2007 & 2008
on dangerous Blount Co. highway July 14, 2007 MARYVILLE (WATE) -- Three people have died in two days in motorcycle accidents on a dangerous stretch of highway called "the Dragon" that twists through the Smoky Mountains. The deaths have raised serious questions about safety along the eleven mile portion of U.S. 129. Authorities said a couple from Florida were killed Friday when they took a curve on U.S. 129 too quickly and lost control. The pair were riding on a three-wheeled Honda motorcycle, which hit a car carrying a large boat on a trailer. Their identities were not released pending notification of family members. Highway Patrol officials said the accident knocked the 5,000-pound boat off the trailer and the couple became trapped under it. Highway Patrol said a 40-year-old Michigan man died Thursday on the same road after he lost control of his motorcycle and slid off an 80-foot cliff. Kevin James Hoyt of Highland, Mich., braked too hard while taking a curve and his bike slid off the highway and over the cliff into some woods. To keep fatalities and wrecks at a minimum along this portion U.S. 129, the Blount County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are increasing patrols. Lt. Ron Runyon says already the number of citations are adding up. "Like on the weekends they will have three officers here and, so far, between those three they will issue anywhere from 15 to 30 citations." Some experienced bikers we talked with don't agree with the extra police presence. "I think it's getting bad," said Jacob Lampkins, from Gleason. "We're thinking about not coming up here as much because, you know, you don't want to come here and get tickets all day long." The increased patrols started on July 1 and they will run through early fall. The Governor's Highway Safety Office recently passed on a $60,000 grant to help Blount County and THP pay for overtime during the increased patrols.
6th rider killed in Police Surge on Dragon in 2008 & 2007 By Iva Butler An Indiana motorcyclist died Tuesday of injuries he suffered in a crash on the Dragon the day before. John C. Breeze, of Mount Vernon, Ind., was seriously injured Monday in an accident around the 8-mile marker of U.S. 129 going toward Deal?s Gap. The crash occurred on a vacation of co-workers and family members. Ricey Breeze, 25, also of Mount Vernon, was vacationing with co-workers Phillip Yates, Doug Tingley and Curtis and wife Tresa Phillips of Evansville, Ind., at Cherohala Motorcycle Resort in Tellico Plains. His father, John C. Breeze, 50, wanted to join the group, Yates said in an interview. ?We first met John on Sunday,? he added. The group spent Sunday night at Cherohala Motorcycle Resort and Monday afternoon went to ride the Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of U.S. 129 with 318 curves. The Indiana group and hundreds of other riders were on The Dragon that day. Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Bryan Martin said Breeze's black Harley-Davidson Electra Glide came around a curve and went wide, and possibly his foot rest hit the pavement, which threw him into a 3- to 4-foot ditch on the opposite side of the road. Breeze was critically injured but a doctor in the group behind the Indiana residents was able to revive him until a Rural/Metro Ambulance nearby picked him up. Breeze was transported to the power house at Calderwood where a Lifestar emergency helicopter flew him to University of Tennessee Medical Center. Yates said the group stayed with Ricey Breeze at the hospital until family arrived later Monday night from Mount Vernon. He said John Breeze suffered at least three episodes of cardiac arrest at the hospital. He apparently died of massive heart failure. His funeral is planned for 10 a.m. July 8, in Mount Vernon. The family is waiting until all the family and friends can get to Mount Vernon to have the service, Yates said. He thanked the people who helped them during the crisis. "The people at Deals Gap. law enforcement, paramedics and the hospital were very kind and helpful. We really appreciate the way we were treated," Yates said. Breeze is the 10th person and the sixth motorcyclist to die on Blount County roads this year. At this time last year, 13 people had died as the result of traffic accidents.
6 riders killed in Police Surge on Dragon in 2008 & 2007 Knoxville News Sentinel An Arkansas man was killed this afternoon on U.S. 129 when he lost control of his motorcycle and drove off the road down a steep embankment, the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported. Harold Smith of Sherwood, Ark., 67, was driving his 2006 Honda GL1800 northbound on the curve-filled stretch of the highway known to motorcyclists as "The Dragon" when he entered a curve, lost control, over corrected and "went off the left side of the roadway down a steep embankment" at the 3.5 mile marker in Blount County, THP reported. There was no indication of drinking or drugs, and Smith wore a helmet, according to the report by Trooper Corey Russell. The crash occurred at 12:16 p.m.
6 riders killed in Police Surge on Dragon in 2008 & 2007 Knoxville News Sentinel MARYVILLE — A Maryland man died Monday night in a motorcycle wreck on the stretch of U.S. Highway 129 known as “the Dragon.” Jarrett Andrew Proctor, 21, of Brandywine, Md., lost control of his 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa around 8:50 p.m. after taking a curve at high speed, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He locked the rear brake and skidded about 230 feet before running off the right side of the road and into a tree, Trooper John Pedigo wrote in a report. Proctor wore a helmet, but that didn’t save him. The motorcycle and its driver’s body rolled more than 25 feet down an embankment, where authorities found them, Pedigo wrote.
By Mark Boxley One person was killed and another injured Saturday evening in a two-motorcycle crash on Calderwood Highway. The accident happened at about 7:27 p.m. at a curve around mile marker 4 of a section of Calderwood Highway (U.S. 129) called the Dragon -- an 11.1-mile section of the highway with 318 curves. Few details on the accident were available late Saturday -- including the identities of the two individuals involved in the accident. According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Philip Warren, one motorcycle was driving southbound on the road and the other was traveling northbound. At some point one of the motorcycles crossed over the center line, Warren said. Information was not available late Saturday on the nature of the accident -- if the two motorcycles crashed into each other, or if the drivers wrecked trying to avoid one another. At the scene, it appeared the southbound motorcycle applied its brakes in an attempt to stop, but skid for dozens of feet -- leaving a long, thin black line along the highway that eventually crossed into the northbound lane at the curve. More than a dozen other motorcyclists were standing in the dark around the crash as emergency workers attended to the injured individual and law enforcement personnel cataloged the accident site. Neither individual involved in the crash was identified, but Warren said the injured man was taken by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to University of Tennessee Medical Center. The two vehicles involved were also not identified by authorities, but three THP troopers spent time looking over and discussing a sport bike with a broken handlebar parked on the northbound side of the road. The highway around the accident was closed in both directions for several hours while the injured man was removed, along with the driver killed in the accident, and as law enforcement personnel reconstructed the accident. Saturday's accident was the 12th Blount County traffic fatality, the ninth motorcyclist killed, and the third death on the Dragon for 2008. At this point in 2007, there had been 21 traffic fatalities in Blount County. Along with THP and Rural/Metro, the Blount County Sheriff's Office and Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to the scene.
By Kristyn Caddell
TALLASSEE, TENN. -- Motorcycle riders from across the country say they're lured to U.S. Highway 129's section called "The Tail of the Dragon" with 318 curves in 11 miles, although Saturday it claimed another life. The body of Michael Crioux, 55, of Miami, Florida was found down a bank near mile marker six after he was reported missing by his family. Riders say it's the thrill of "The Dragon" that drives the attraction. "If it was named the cotton ball, I wouldn't be as attracted to come ride it," says motorcyclist Adam Powell. "I did the entire Blue Ridge Parkway and ended here at the perfect climax, the Tail of the Dragon," says another rider, Jon Davis. Motorcyclists say all the twists and turns help them hone their skills. "These kind of curvy roads are the best way to test the limits of your machine and your own skills," Davis explains. According to www.tailofthedragon.com, the fatality rate along The Dragon has averaged under two deaths a year for the past 10 years. Most of these have been the result of speeding and over braking. Officials say the most dangerous part of "The Dragon" is not necessarily the roadway, but the rider's skills. The average person who stays alert and watches their speed will have no problem taming "The Dragon."
WBIR TV Comments: Six riders killed in 3 East TN counties over weekend Three riders died on NC28 near the Deals Gap store this month, two at the 10 mph corner by the bridge, so NCHP started its own police state crackdown...
By Mark Boxley A 49-year-old Texas woman was killed Tuesday after losing control of her motorcycle on Calderwood Highway and falling about 150 feet down an embankment near the North Carolina border. The woman was identified as Tamara Fuller from Austin, Texas. According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Phillip Warren, the woman was riding south on a section of Calderwood Highway commonly known as the "Dragon" with a friend from Texas. About five miles from the North Carolina border, Fuller lost control of her motorcycle as she exited a right-hand curve entered into a left-hand turn. The motorcycle crossed the center line and went off the left side of the road, Warren said. Fuller was apparently able to get her motorcycle back onto the highway but, "just never did get control back," he said. Her motorcycle left the road on the right side of the highway and traveled about "half way down the mountain," Warren said, estimating the distance to be about 150 feet. The motorcycle continued to travel and was found about 100 feet from the woman's body in a creek. According to the rider she was traveling with, Fuller was an experienced rider, Warren said. It did not appear that speed, recklessness or intoxication contributed to the accident, he said. The Blount County Sheriff's deputies were the first on the scene, Warren said, and members of the Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to help retrieve Fuller from the mountainside. Rescue workers were performing CPR on her as she was being brought up the mountain, Warren said. She was taken by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to Blount Memorial Hospital. Fuller's condition at the time of her transport was not available, but it was later released that she had died from her injuries. The Blount County Fire Department also responded to the scene. Tuesday's traffic fatality was the fifth for Blount County in 2009 and the second on the "Dragon."
3rd Death of Police State 2009 Knoxville News Sentinel TALLASSEE — A woman from Canada was killed this afternoon in a motorcycle crash on the stretch of highway in Blount County known as “the Dragon,” according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Julie A. Beacock, 52, of Ontario, was driving a 2009 Suzuki motorcycle northbound on U.S. Highway 129 about 4 p.m. today when she ran off the left side of the road and hit a tree, a THP report said. There were no indications of alcohol or drug use and she was wearing a helmet, the report noted.
By Jessica Stith
A Lenoir City man was in critical condition Thursday after he was thrown off his motorcycle while riding on the Dragon. Jesse Matthew Tremaine, 49, Lenoir City, was taken by Lifestar helicopter to University of Tennessee Medical Center following the wreck. According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper James Dalton, Tremaine was riding a black 2008 Ducati Hypermotard southbound on Calderwood Highway and "entered a curve going too fast" near mile marker 2.8, at an area known as "Gravity Cavity."
"He locked up his back brake, causing the motorcycle to skid," Dalton said. His motorcycle left the edge of the roadway, causing the bike to go sideways and Tremaine was thrown off. Tremaine hit the roadway about 15 feet away from where the motorcycle was found, Dalton said. Dalton said Tremaine was wearing a helmet and full protective gear. He was riding a section of Calderwood Highway known as the Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of road with 318 curves between Tab Cat Creek and Deals Gap, N.C. A witness reported to Dalton that they saw Tremaine come through that section of the Dragon several times and he was "getting a little faster each time." Rural/Metro Ambulance Service personnel, Blount County Sheriff's deputies and members of the Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad all responded to the scene. A landing zone was set up, where the medic helicopter picked up Tremaine and took him to UT Medical Center. By Chloé Morrison The Dragon has claimed its fifth life this year. Jesse Matthew Tremaine, 49, Lenoir City, who had been hospitalized since his Aug. 13 motorcycle accident, died Saturday, Trooper James Dalton with the Tennessee Highway Patrol said Monday. Tremaine was thrown off his motorcycle while riding the 11.1-mile stretch of road that runs from Tab Cat Creek Bridge in Blount County through 318 curves to Deal’s Gap, just over the line in North Carolina. “He landed face down and never moved again,” Dalton said. “He never came out of the coma.” The accident happened at about 11:40 a.m. when Tremaine was riding a black 2008 Ducati Hypermotard southbound on Calderwood Highway and entered a curve going too fast near mile marker 2.8, at an area known as “Gravity Cavity,” Dalton said at the time of the accident. Tremaine was taken by helicopter to UT Medical center and eventually moved to St. Mary’s Residential Hospice in Knoxville, where he succumbed to his injuries, Dalton said. Tremaine was wearing full protective gear at the time of his accident, Dalton said. The Dragon attracts motorcycle riders from across the world. “We have people come from overseas,” Dalton said. “A group of 15 will come over and rent motorcycles. (The Dragon) keeps us busy in the summertime.” The Tennessee Highway Patrol, Rural/Metro Ambulance Service personnel, Blount County Sheriff’s deputies and members of the Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to Tremaine’s accident. A number of agencies respond to accidents on The Dragon and currently two North Carolina counties are working to reach an agreement about responding to the motorcycle drag. Graham County is threatening to quit answering emergency medical service calls to the quarter-mile section of The Dragon and to the 10-mile section on N.C. 28 known as the Hellbender in Swain County. Negotiations are ongoing between Graham and Swain County officials about who will respond to this area.  JULY 2009 - Two years after DealsGapDragon.com asked TDOT to post DIP warning signs on the Dragon and especially Gravity Cavity TDOT finally complies in northbound lane but southbound causes more crashes. Beware defective signs with sharp edges that chop off bodyparts, rather than biker-safe round poles. Too bad the sign also needs to say BLIND APEX, since illiterate Amerikans don't know what an apex is.
 By Iva Butler TALLASSEE - A Wisconsin man became the fourth fatality of 2009 on the section of U.S. 129 known as the Dragon. Albert Green, 66, of Waukesha, Wis., was killed in a motorcycle crash at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Green was riding with his son, John Green, 43, three friends from Wisconsin and one from Florida. The Dragon is the 11.1-mile section of U.S. 129 (Calderwood Highway) that has 318 curves, running from the Tab Cat Creek bridge in Blount County to just over the North Carolina line at Deal's Gap. The group got on the Dragon in North Carolina and had reached the 8.4-mile point when the accident occurred. The location was less than a mile south of the scenic overlook on the road. Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Phillip Warren said Green came out of a left hand curve, entered a right hand turn, ran off the road and rode in the ditch before the bike overturned. The white Honda Gold Wing motorcycle and its rider wound up back in the road in the northbound lane. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed on Green, but was unsuccessful. Green was declared dead at the scene by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service personnel and transported to the medical examiner's office at Blount Memorial Hospital. "So this is the Tail of the Dragon?" asked one of the Wisconsin friends of Green. "We were trying to be careful, but this road's a beast." Known by locals both as the Dragon and the "Tail of the Dragon," it is a world-renowned destination motorcycle ride. "That's just a challenging ride," Trooper Warren said. "If I ever had a desire to ride a motorcycle, I don't any more after working accidents on the Dragon." The accident occurred during overcast skies on a dry road. This is the seventh traffic fatality in Blount for 2009 and the fourth on the Dragon. "We will have extra troopers working on the Dragon this weekend," said Sgt. Randy Huckeby, supervisor of troopers in Blount and Monroe counties. "We will be trying to keep people safe and slow people down some. We will be enforcing the rules more since this is the Labor Day weekend." Also responding to the crash scene Tuesday were Blount County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department and Volunteer Rescue Squad.
"Everybody claims it is the "crotch rockets" that are getting killed. However usually it is the big cruisers like this that are getting killed and they are always well below the speed limit. I have passed them on my bicycle up there once (seriously)." "The Police State Surge has killed 4 bikers on the Dragon this year, by luring rookies and boycott by skilled riders. Did Rural Metro kill by 4-hour rescue time? Did this biker know that bikes steer in the opposite direction compared to cars? Did his old Harley have rotted fork seals and rusty steering bearings? Did he know how to drag his pegs at 15 mph in a parking lot? Did he wear full-body armor and neck brace (of course not)? Ordinary sports kill 5 times as many as killed by car crashes, and doctors kill 50 times more than car crashes. Lets ban sports and doctors!" "Once again, its with great disappointment that I must report our 4th fatality on the Dragon this year. 60+ year old cruiser rider from Wisconsin had some issues negotiating a turn just north of the 8mm, and succumbed from his injuries on scene. Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones. Special thanks goes to all that helped with this accident. I would like to use this opportunity to touch on something thats becoming much more prevelent lately, and that is inexperienced riders coming here thinking they are ready for one of the most challenging roads on the eastern seaboard. Yep, it is just another road, but the difference is the length of time you must stay focused and the incredible amount of variations that you will have per pass on the Dragon. Basically, this is not the place for a beginner rider AT ALL and anyone that thinks otherwise is speaking from inexperience. My thoughts on it are simple. Weve seen a rise in these types of people because they feel its safer now that all the police are around. Ive heard from many that they never thought of coming up here til they heard that the THP has been scaring off all the experienced riders. Reality is that those experienced riders kept many of the others in check and they actually helped with the safety in and around the area. Now with an increased presence many do feel safer, but the reality is that its a false sense. Being able to control yourself and understanding what you can and can not get away with will surely help more than seeing some officer on the side of the road. I hope this message gets out to any and all new riders that think of coming this way. End rant." Obama will straighten the Dragon out!
nf_ekt This is one of the worst days of my life. I was expecting to come home and tell everyone what a great time I had, but that is not the case. I met up with Raul on 68, at the end of the Cherahola Skyway, had a quick breakfast and caught up a bit. I had my friend Andy with me and another rider we met at the gap. Everything was shaping up to be an amazing day, and in the beggining it was. Raul took us down some great roads and kept a spirited, but safe riding pace. I had ridden with him back when he lived in Florida and knew what to expect. He was the sort of guy that would only pass cars when it was safe and pretty much cruised on the straights. He knew we were unfamiliar with the roads and kept the pace sensible. It wasn't untill we reached one particular section that he started to "turn it up" a bit. He rides so smooth that sometimes it can be deceptive as to how quick he really is. He left us a bit in some fast, sweeping corners, and it wasn't untill I went around the downhill right-hander at the end of one large S-curve that I knew something was wrong. I saw dust in the air and immediatly slowed to a stop.... we all ran to the spot where he came off the road, thinking he would be laying close by. What we found instead was the bike, and Raul, at the bottom of the slope (about 30 ft down) laying in the water. He was face down. We made our way down as fast as possible, pulling him out- he wasn't showing any movement at all. We (Andy and myself) performed CPR and were able to revive him about 4-5 times. Somewhere in the middle of all the chaos the EMT's arrived on the scene and took over from there. He had regained a pulse and some breathing/movement and I was feeling at least some sense of hope for him. It's hard to decribe how I felt when it all happened, and even more difficult to tell everyone how I'm feeling right now. I'm in absolute shock. How this happened I just don't know, I didn't see anything until after he had wrecked. A local that said he heard it happen described it basically like this: Two fast downshifts, followed by the sound of the rear tire hopping badly. He also said he thought he heard the chain skipping of the sprockets. The tire marks leading up to the scrapes matched his decription... 2-3 long, segmented tire marks followed by orange paint and scratches on the pavement from the pegs/bars, ect. I can only guess that it wasn't that he came in too hot, but that the bike itself locked up and he was tossed off of it. It was so unexpected and happened so quick. The guy was so good that I just can't see the reason being due to rider error. Dave (BuckwheatJ) called me today as I was heading back to Florida and told me the news. Being out of cell-phone range while at the gap it difficult to follow up on everything... the news just crushed me. He was such a good guy, so cool to talk to and a great rider. I don't know what else to say. We had started to plan future rides before we had even left the restaurant that morning. He was just one of those positive, vibrant types of people that you couldn't help but to have a good time around. This is a hard loss. R.I.P Friend...
2009 Kawasaki Z1000 lacks slipper clutch Kawasaki Z1000 has tire chatter problems on corner entry - "But the Kawasaki comes up short in the suspension department. The second-tier componentry is decidedly on the soft side, and rolling pavement will have the Z1000 wallowing and taking a moment to compose itself as you set it into a turn. The excellent front brakes, while not quite as powerful as the Aprilia or Suzuki binders, are easy enough to bottom the fork, which will set the suspension to chattering if you're too enthusiastic going into turns. Same with the rear brake-get it close to locking up and it will set off a major chatter." - SportRider Trike rider killed on UNC28 at Deals Gap - Yet again, Im sad to report yet another fatality on #28 just around the corner from the store, just past the dumpsters. Southbound Trike didnt negotiate the turn very well and went straight off the side of the mountain in a place that is not very forgiving. Driver passed on the scene and we are following the passengers progress in the hospital. Our thoughts go out to everyone involved. Special thanks to the Graham County first responders as well as the EMS, NCHP and Graham County Deputies for their quick response. DealsGap.com, 24 September 2009 "Not sure how many folks are following the continued drama between Graham County and Swain County for support of the Deals Gap area. The basics are Deals Gap is in Swain County not Graham however; Graham County has the closest emergency services. So for many years their has been a mutual aid agreement between the two that Graham provides support for Deals Gap while Swain provides services to a part of Graham county. Now as far as the Deals Gap area goes we average 15-20 calls a year while Swain County receives 50 calls from the Graham County they service. Well as Graham County looks at ways to increase their budget they want an additional $100,000 a year to continue the agreement. This even though the emergency services make 90-95% back on all calls so no one is sure how 20 calls = $100,000 is losses. Bottom line it does not. Of course this is being spear headed by Steve Odem a county commissioner is Graham County. We all remember him, a little over 10 years ago he was the Sherriff in Graham County who called the BMW rally at Fontana Village a bunch of hooligans and brought in Helo's and created a task force to shut it down. To this day BMW will not do a rally in Graham County. So in a vote as of Jan 1 2010 Graham County will not longer provide any support the Deals Gap area even though they are closer and you may die waiting on a farther service to arrive. Well Swain county will not allow this to happen and things are already in motion to prevent that. But please remember this when you are spending money in Western NC who supports you and who could care less about you and more about a few $$$$. They are basically putting a price on how much a human life is worth. Again they are not loosing much money if any and you bring allot of income to the area, far more that the little difference their are loosing. Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort is in Swain county and are proud of how are commissioners are stepping up to insure your safety. At the end of the day we hope that a better solution happens but we do not see it anytime soon. Maybe Graham county citizens will see the damage their current board is doing and vote in a crew that supports us and sees the big picture on where their tax money comes from. Until then we can no longer in good faith recommend you provide any support to a county who does not wish to help you. Again, their will be medical support at Deals Gap this will not interrupt coverage. On the TN side by Blount County and on the NC side by Swain County, both counties are motorcycle friendly and welcome you."
By WHITNEY HOLMES TALLASSEE -- Almost every week, you probably hear of an accident on the Dragon which is a stretch of road on Highway 129 in Blount County going to the North Carolina state line. The Dragon is known by motorcyclists for its curves and its dangers. Last week, a Texas woman died on the Dragon. Police say crews had to use ropes to get to the woman who ended up down a near 150 foot embankment on the other side of the road. "People up here they are having fun but they forget about the dangers. I believe with our presence here, it's slowed them down some," said Blount County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Randy Ailey. Sgt. Ailey's taming the Dragon. "It's a lot of curves a lot of fun to drive through the dragon. It's just one curve after another," said Arkansas motorcyclist Gary Wiles. "The thrill of being on the open road, feeling the curves and the bike move with the curves, it's just the best free ride in Tennessee," said Maryville motorcyclist Tom Pritchett. Due to funding from the Governor's Highway Safety Office, Blount County and the Tennessee Highway Patrol now have officers to patrol the Dragon, catching speeders and reducing wrecks. Three years ago, without the funding, the Dragon was basically untamed. "At one time we were having so many wrecks up here, it was tying officers up for hours up here to work wrecks," said Sgt. Ailey. Between 2007 and 2008 the number of wrecks was cut by a quarter, according the BCSO. That's good news because response time to a crash can take up to three hours. "If someone has a wreck on the Dragon, there is no phone signal up here along the eleven mile stretch. You have to drive from one end to the other to call emergency personnel," said Sgt. Ailey as he spots a wreck along the side of the road. It's not an uncommon occurrence for Sgt. Ailey to find a wreck. Luckily this one was not serious. Sgt. Ailey says people come from around the world to ride the Dragon which in eleven miles has 318 curves. ] Many riders have their own strategies for taking the curves on while staying safe. "You have to be careful not to get to the center line," explained Wiles. "Stay within the speed limit especially if it's your first time," advised Pritchett. Sgt. Ailey works an overtime shift to patrol the Dragon. A motorcycle enthusiast himself, he knows why this stretch of road attracts so many riders. Just his being there is cutting down on the number of rides that start out on a motorcycle and end in an ambulance. "Our main focus is whatever it takes to make this place safer for everybody," he said. There have been two deaths along the Dragon this year. Since the funding, overall calls to UT Life Star helicopter have been reduced by about 67 percent. Along the Dragon there are about five tents set up by people who make a living selling pictures of the motorcyclists on their web sites. The first, killboy.com, was started about six years ago by Darryl Cannon. Cannon takes pictures of the riders and then the riders can buy those pictures online. He says he's seen a big difference since law enforcement started up there. "We see just about everything that happens out here and we've see the difference it makes when policemen are out here as opposed to it being wide open," he said. "It's pretty obvious impact that it has." Since starting six years ago, killboy.com now has a staff of four people. Comments: "Now if only we could get someone to enforce the laws BCSO and THP routinely break while patroling the Dragon "in the name of safety". I took my inlaws across to NC and shortly after Tabcat two BCSO's came flying up (no blues of course) and the lead unit rode my bumper the whole way. Funny thing this Silver Hummer coming the other direction just before the state line cut into the oncoming lane at Crud Corner. I had to stop to prevent a head-on and the trailing BCSO explored his anti-locks a bit. Did mr corner cutter even get a look from the two fine public servants tailgating me at an unsafe distance?...Nope. Both tailgated right on into NC an apparently pulled off for lunch. And by "lunch" I mean they were still parked there after we had gone on into Robbinsville spent some time eating and looking and then drove back a little over two hours later."
By Brittany Bailey It's a stretch of road known for its thrills and its dangers. Bikers and motorists come from miles around to test their skills on The Dragon, an 11-mile stretch of Highway 29 [sic] that runs from Blount County across the border into North Carolina. In just 11 miles, the road curves 318 times [sic]. "They talked about coming to Tennessee to slay The Dragon, and I said, 'I'm in,'" said Laura Stephens, who rode into Tennessee from Texas. She came with Ricky Lozano, who lost his brother in bike accident less than a year ago. "We were out riding about ten months ago, and we lost him on a Saturday morning," Lozano said. "He went down on a curve, just one of those freak accidents." The group brought along t-shirts memorializing Lozano's brother, Terry. Along the way, the riders got even more reminders that The Dragon can be dangerous. "There's markings on the trees from people that haven't made it in the past," Stephens said. "It's enough to remind you there's a reason why the speed limit's there and the warning signs are there." Last week, three people died in just two days on The Dragon. "It's probably the most dangerous, in America definitely, and maybe in the world," said Eric Overton, shift commander for the Blount County Rescue Squad. The rescue calls from The Dragon have become so frequent the Squad now keeps a second truck at the Punkin Center Store on Highway 129. The members set up shop in an apartment above the store so that they can be closer to the road and to the crashes. Overton stresses all drivers should slow down and obey the speed limit. It's a sentiment biker Cayce Webster shares. "The danger is judged by your right wrist, basically, that's all it is," Webster said. "You control what you're gonna do with your wrist, and if you turn it too much, you know, you're gonna pay the consequences." The Tennessee Highway Patrol has plans to step up enforcement on The Dragon soon [sic - THP Surge was already in effect for 7 days when these 3 deaths in 2 days happened, so the police Surge was statistically a proximate cause of those crashes]. Troopers hope their increased presence will slow down drivers. See also: ETR Forum: Tonight at 11, News Report POLICE STATE SURGE KILLS 3 BIKERS ON THE DRAGON IN 2 DAYS! FRIDAY THE 13TH MASSACRE ON THE DRAGON
Knoxville News Sentinel Respect the Dragon and you’ll likely live to tell the tale. Tempt it and you could very well end up in a trauma room or worse.
Thousands of motorcyclists and car enthusiasts come to East Tennessee every year for the sole purpose of riding the twisting, 11-mile stretch of U.S. 129 in Blount County.
Some wipe out in the two-lane highway’s hairpin turns. It’s so notorious at the University of Tennessee Medical Center’s trauma unit that nurses have worn buttons about it.
This year two local law enforcement agencies are using state grants to try to make it safer. Still, three riders have been killed in Dragon wrecks this month.
Why has it become so popular?
Who rides it? And who crashes?
Find out Sunday on knoxnews.com and in the News Sentinel.
COMMENTS
by PirateNews
Be careful, TN police state death squads want to arrest all photographers on the Dragon, and that includes News Sentinel employees:
Killboy Weekly Update - July 25, 2007
Hey folks! Photos from last week are uploading into Tha Store here.
Last few weeks have pretty slow, with last Friday being one of the slowest I have ever seen. We're starting to see more traffic during the week at times than on the weekends, so all of that talk about how much busier it is on the weekends over the past few years is starting to flip things around.
The police were out every day, and Blount County Sheriffs wrote a lot of tickets Saturday, mostly for speeding cars and cruisers in the straightest section...which, now that I think about it, is the safest place to drive over 30mph.
We're hearing rumors that TN governor Bredesen thinks photographers are responsible for most of the accidents out there, and wants to run us off by barricading all the pull-offs and making them emergency stops only. Pretty ironic considering we:
Never had one person get seriously injured or killed in front of us, despite being out there nearly every day for the past 5 years.
Maybe it's all just a rumor, but anytime you want to come sit with us and see what's really going on in your state Mr. Bredesen, I've always got some extra chairs.
Here's research fodder for your report on the Dragon, with details of the 3 fatal crashes caused by govt negligence (defective guardrail, Rural Metro slow response, and failure to regulate trucks with trailers), and the illegal police-state Surge that precipitated the deaths.
Rural Metro has only 10 crews in Blount County, with no time limit for response time. I asked the director of 911 Dispatch in Blount County how many crews Rural Metro actually has on duty at any given moment, and he replied that he has no idea, since Rural Metro has its own private dispatch at another location. Rural Metro Corporation is owned by a multi-trillion-dollar multi-national Global Healthcare Corporation that cares nothing about public safety and everything about profits.
Reality Check:
Warning to bikers: 225 bicyclists die in 1 city in 10 years
"The most stunning statistic, however, is that the total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year. Using Leape's 1997 medical and drug error rate would add another 216,000 deaths, for a total of 999,936 deaths annually. It is now evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the US."
By Ansley Haman
DEALS GAP, N.C. —Kevin Tillinghast lifted the remains of his rearview mirror from beneath the scratched, red sport bike. The broken metal became the Indiana man’s offering to the Dragon, a spiny section of Southern road named for its resemblance to the back of the mythical monster. “This is my ‘Tree of Shame’ ornament,” he told three buddies as they snapped photos of the ditch crash scene on one of the more than 310 curves in the 11-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 129 that ties Tennessee to North Carolina. Tillinghast donated the mirror to a shrine to Dragon spills — a part-covered sweet gum tree at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort in Graham County, N.C. Pieces of helmets, gloves, Big Wheels, engine parts and boots hang from its trunk and branches. “It’s our safety reminder to folks,” said resort owner Brad Talbott. “This is a conglomeration of parts from years and years.” The collection grows annually as tens of thousands of motorcyclists and car enthusiasts from across the globe make pilgrimages to the Dragon. Tillinghast, a single drop of blood spilling down his mud-caked arm, was lucky. Some riders — mostly from out of state — begin on the Dragon and end up in the emergency room. In the first 11 miles of Tennessee’s portion of the road, the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported at least 29 crashes by July 1 this year. Three people died within a week this month. Hairpin turns lure many to the Dragon. Wipeouts ensure some never come back. The Dragon's draw The winding, green-canopied highway along the Little Tennessee River gorge has been popular among locals for decades. The Internet has broadened its appeal. Ron Johnson, a retired firefighter from South Florida, first drove the Dragon in the mid-1970s on a family trip through the mountains. “I’ve loved the Dragon from the first time I went over it, even in a family car,” he said. He and his wife, Nancy Johnson, chose to retire in Graham County because they liked the area. In 2000 they bought bikes. The couple quickly noticed other riders’ interest in pins, patches and T-shirts. The Johnsons began selling souvenirs and formed a Web site, www.tailofthedragon.com. It contains safety information, tourism suggestions and maps drawn by Ron Johnson. At first, the site received five or six hits a month, he said. Now, it is up to about 1.5 million unique hits a year. The Johnsons’ business isn’t the only one booming. “This was a fried bologna and cheese sandwich shop 30 years ago,” Talbott said of his motorcycle resort, which now has an eight-week waiting list for rooms. Ben Steinberg, resort manager, said the Dragon is a worldwide destination now with groups from Brazil, Eastern Europe, North Africa and Israel. Paige Huston, a motorcycle safety instructor from Burgin, Ky., comes to ride as many as 11 weekends a year. She met her boyfriend, fellow sportbiker Mike “P.J.” Pijanka, on the Dragon. Their helmets feature matching Mohawks. They plan to move close to the road when Pijanka’s children finish school. Part of the road’s appeal is the camaraderie between sport bikers and cruisers, Huston said. “Everybody interfaces,” Talbott said. “They’ll switch out bikes in the parking lot.” Visitors are almost evenly split between riders of sport bikes and cruisers, Johnson said. People come to ride the Dragon as early as March if the weather is good, he said. He sets up his souvenir stand from April to October. At least 60 group motorcycle and car events are scheduled on the Dragon this year, according to the Deals Gap and Tail of the Dragon Web sites. In June, Honda Hoot drew more than 10,000 riders to the road on one weekend. “It’s the best road in the country,” Huston said. Wiping out Trauma nurses at the University of Tennessee Medical Center say they prepare for the weekend by checking Dragon Web sites for big events. Some keep buttons that say, “I survived ‘Beat the Dragon’ weekend.” Two years ago, Shelia Duncan, emergency services nurse manager at the medical center, and some co-workers made the badges after treating a number of motorcycle crash victims injured in one weekend event. Lifestar, UT’s aeromedical service, frequently picks up riders at the ends of the Dragon. UT’s trauma unit is a destination for many victims. Helicopters try to get patients to the trauma surgeons within a “golden hour,” said Lifestar Outreach Coordinator J.R. Gore. The drive from the Dragon takes about 45 minutes. The chopper flight is 10-12 minutes. This year the Blount County Rescue Squad created a satellite substation at the Punkin Center Motorcycle Resort near the roadway’s Blount County end to reduce response times, said Chief Tommy Bowers. Gore said there’s been a marked increase in motorcycle transports in the last five years. Most victims end up on spine boards. Some are combative. Some are unconscious. “The greatest thing we see is head injuries in our motorcycle crashes,” said Brian J. Daley, a UT trauma surgeon. Injuries to lower extremities are also common, and many riders lose layers of skin to road rash if they aren’t wearing Kevlar or leathers, Daley said. Treating a motorcycle victim’s broken leg costs about $50,000. That includes the airlift, treatment and hospitalization for three days, according to estimates from Daley and Rhonda McAnally, UT trauma coordinator. The figure doesn’t account for multiple injuries or a stay in intensive care. While many motorcyclists riding expensive bikes have insurance, Daley said the hospital generally absorbs costs of caring for those without it. Driver error is a common cause of Dragon crashes, he said. The speed limit for most of the roadway is 30 mph, which still proves difficult for some riders. “It’s usually not the people who are from here,” McAnally said. “They (locals) realize how windy the roads are.” Riding safely Many regulars of the twisting road say they appreciate police patrols, so long as their efforts don’t turn to bullying or targeting only motorcycles. “The presence is beneficial for the 5 percent who still think this is a racetrack,” Talbott said. Earlier this month the state’s Governor’s Highway Safety Office granted the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office about $60,000 each to step up patrols on the Dragon through the end of September. “We’re not trying to keep people from riding this road. We’re trying to keep people from riding this road illegally,” said Kendell Poole, director of the safety office. “You’re talking about saving lives. There’s no price on that.” In one of the first weeks of the new campaign, one motorcycle and two three-wheeled motorcycle riders died in two accidents on back-to-back days. Last year, there were 124 Tennessee Highway Patrol-reported crashes and two fatalities between miles one and 11. Of those crashes, 99 involved motorcycles and 50 involved cars. Drivers were from at least 15 states and two countries. “When you get a mix of that many motorcycles and that many cars, it’s just a recipe for disaster,” said Sgt. Randall Ailey, head of the Blount County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic safety unit. THP Capt. Raymond Fletcher said the recent spike in crashes “is a strain to local emergency services for 11 miles of Blount County.” While eliminating fatalities is the state’s goal, the greater challenge is reducing the high number of wrecks with serious injury, Ailey said. Ailey wants to reduce the Dragon’s cost in terms of crashes and hospital bills, but his purpose is not to stop people from legally enjoying themselves on the road. The Blount County officer loves the stretch of highway. Some summer afternoons he finds himself rambling down the Dragon’s spine on a motorcycle. Ansley Haman may be reached at 865-342-6341. Related Links
By Ansley Haman Trucking magazines warn drivers about the twisting tail of the Dragon. But some truckers unknowingly guide their rigs to the roadway before realizing that there is nowhere to turn around and no way to stay in a single lane through the curves. Truck drivers who choose to drive the road are rarely aware of the curvy nature of U.S. Highway 129, said Ron Johnson, co-owner of www.tailofthedragon.com. An average of one or two drivers attempt to navigate the road each day. “It’s a straight line on the maps,” he said. Sgt. Randall Ailey, head of the Blount County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic safety unit, said he has seen tractor-trailers “come through every curve from the state line to the bottom blowing their horns.” Though there are posted warning signs, Ailey said there could be more. Johnson’s wife, Nancy Johnson, led one driver from Tennessee to North Carolina on the road. The driver thanked her through tears. Ben Steinberg, manager of Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, said he and other staffers frequently lead drivers of 18-wheelers across the mountain, slowing traffic and stopping other drivers so that the trailers can clear the curves. Both Ailey and Tennessee Highway Patrol Capt. Raymond Fletcher said they had looked into having tractor-trailers banned from the road, but they cannot because the Dragon is part of a federal highway. Comments
See also: Tennessee Restricted Routes - Routes That Restrict Use By Motor Carriers
Knoxville News Sentinel
The stretch of U.S. Highway 129 known as “the Dragon” was expected to be shut down overnight as authorities clean up a tractor-trailer load of toilet paper that had spilled off the road, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said late tonight. The spill happened about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday when a tractor-trailer truck overturned on the winding road, spilling much of its load, according to a THP dispatcher. No one was reported injured in the crash, the dispatcher said, and it appeared as though the road would remain closed into this morning. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and Tennessee Department of Transportation were notified, she said. A TEMA official said late Wednesday the agency was aware of the situation but no state aid had been requested. The Dragon winds through the Smoky Mountains near the Tennessee-North Carolina border, boasting more than 300 curves in 11 miles. The challenging terrain makes it a popular and dangerous attraction for motorcyclists. See also: Here's the Tennessee law to ban commercial trucks on the Dragon:
"THP nabs one of the 'lawless' on Saturday. I was ticketed for holding a video camera while driving my car. Trooper Martin stated it is a television or similar device even though the video display was closed and there is no viewfinder to look through. According to the trooper cellphones, IPODS, Whoppers and drinks are legal to hold while driving, but video cameras are not. We go to court on November 1 ... we can't wait. The stop is fully documented on two video cameras and ready for presentation to the judge. Looks like THP doesn't like their pictures taken. As a photo journalist covering the news on the Dragon I resent this attack on my personal freedom. IT IS JUST MORE HARASSMENT BY THP. We are looking into filing a civil rights violation against Trooper Martin, THP and the state." U.S. Constitution - Amendment I
Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
"The Civil Rights Act of 1871 is found in Title 42, section 1983 of the United States Code and so is commonly referred to as section 1983. It provides that anyone who, under color of state or local law, causes a person to be deprived of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, or federal law, is liable to that person." Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 42 : Section 1983
Sec. 1983. - Civil action for deprivation of rights
Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress, except that in any action brought against a judicial officer for an act or omission taken in such officer's judicial capacity, injunctive relief shall not be granted unless a declaratory decree was violated or declaratory relief was unavailable.
FamilyRightsAssociation.com, Title 42 USC Section 1983 Information
SMR Forum: Dragon closed for toilet paper wipe out
BE PREPARED TO STOP ON THE DRAGON AND FIND ANOTHER ROUTE
"Today's weather doesn't matter much, as Deals Gap Is CLOSED today. Seems yesterday afternoon, a trucker decided to drive over the dragon loaded with recyclable paper. It was mostly newspaper and junk mail headed for a paper recycler, but the driver never made it past 2 square just south of the picnic tables. The driver took a turn incorrectly, and the trailer went off the road, taking the truck with it. The wreck was made worse by the wrecker drivers that were there to "save the day" by splitting the trailer into 3 pieces in their "technique" for flipping it back on its wheels. That is when all the paper started coming out of the trailer and all over the side of the mountain. It's quite the mess actually.... Anyhow, T-DOT is there, and they are trying their best to get everything back together, but I am sure it will be a few days yet. What else is there to say about today ?? Nothing... I will try to get a shot of it for the front page. Enjoy your day everyone. I am going to cut more grass. Be safe." "We had a truck wreck in the afternoon on Wednesday from a driver apparently trying to sneak past all the weigh scales between TN and GA. The truck was loaded with recycled newspaper and flipped over just south of the 7 mile marker in a turn called 2 square. To make matters worse, the crew at task to right the truck ended up splitting the trailer wide open allowing all the loose paper to free flow right down the side of the mountain in said corner. It was a mess to say the least." "Someone direct me in the right way, but last month when all of us were up there (the FL boys), the day the paper truck went off at 7.5mm and closed the gap for 2 days, the guy that was nearly hit by this truck on his motorcycle is head of the DOT for North Carolina! We sat at the campfire with him that same night. He had stayed in his lane and the truck had to cut back into his lane to not hit him, causing his trailer to go astray! He mentioned talking to the head of the TN DOT! Like I said, if this thread already started elsewhere, let me know...but did anything come out of this? He was going to address the obvious, forever long problems of trucks on the gap. Anyone else hear anything?" THP ILLEGALLY AT TABCAT BRIDGE AND PERPING CRIMES IN FEDERAL JURISDICTION - AUGUST 2007 "They met the quota to spend the money. Read it again and it'll make more sense. (past tense) And yep, they each got a grant, BCSO and THP separately. The documentation is public, and Ron Johnson requested copies of both. He was told they are about 50 pages deep, and the grant does run through 12/31." "Guys I read an email just yesterday from a source high up in the TN road safety. These statements are fact. Blount county recieved money for patrols but so did THP. The email stated that they will be there until the end of OCT. They also stated that there going to stop any commerical bussiness in the "corridor" Maybe Darryl and Z know more about that. THP troppers are very unhappy about getting chewed out by their bosses over the pics they are seeing. This was spoken by a trooper on the hill. What pic's im not sure." "Probably the ones of THP breaking the very laws they are ticketing. just my observation." "Well, there's a very simple way to avoid getting chewed out by your boss in this case. DON'T DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE DAMN ROAD!!!" "Good morning everyone. Things are getting back to normal here after all the excitement with the truck that flipped over. Admittedly, the clean up isn’t that great, and it took a lot longer than needed, but that’s how the ball bounces in TN sometimes. On that wrecked truck, it seems that with all the pressure from local law enforcement that this wouldn’t be such an issue, but that’s not the case. What’s bothersome, is that this truck had to have passed at least one cop to get up here, so my question is… In the thoughts of safety, why was there no escort for these trucks. I say trucks, because there were actually 3 trucks total. None of them got tickets until the first one flipped. Based on what I have seen over the last month, I would be willing to bet a weeks salary that they passed at least one cop. Having said that, this weekend will be 'saturation' weekend for THP. For some reason, they seem to think that sending 10 cars up here to cover 11 miles of road is something that the general public sees as very cool, and not a waste of taxpayers money. I hardly agree. In fact, since the Gov of TN has decided to make war with tourists in this area, I strongly suggest to all of you that you send him an email if you feel the same way. The worst part is that if the THP actually had a trooper or two to dedicate to all these bikers and have a more positive influence on them, or a better interaction, things would be much better for everyone. But in the meantime, we are under a police state on the TN side of the mountain. All I can tell you is that you and your bike should be legal. If you are, then there's no need to be concerned about the law. If you are here to break land speed records, or scare every other biker out there, expect to get a talking to." "The NC28 bridge across Cheoah Lake just a mile north of Fontana Village will be closed 4 to 6 weeks for repair. All visitors coming to Fontana Village and Fontana Dam from Tennessee will have to use NC143 from Robbinsville as a detour." "We have a bridge that is impassable right now, just north of Fontana Village on #28. The bridge is closed until further notice because of structural issues. We will keep you posted. If you are coming north on #28 from 19/74, follow the detour signs over #143, and into Robbinsville, then make a right onto #129 and carry on north until you get to the Dragon. Another way to go would be to stick to the Nantahala River on 19/74 and pick up #129 from there, to totally avoid the back up on #28. Any questions, email us, and we will help any way we can. Police Presence: THP are out again, as are the NCHP. Please ensure that you are completely within the law. Remember to be respectful if you get pulled over for any reason." "Even with the rallys in Cherokee and Maggie Valley it was a quiet weekend. Sunday was especially slow. The Wild Horses brought a little excitement. The THP is still at the Gap on weekends so watch you speed. Hang it up if you are stopped by Sgt Kim Ogle ... she can write tickets faster than you can get thru the Wendy's driveup. She must have a wonderful life ...... NOT."
By Adam Longo
BLOUNT COUNTY -- A stretch of U.S. 129, nicknamed "The Tail of the Dragon" is known around the world as one of THE places for motorcyclists to ride. But lately, it's also been known as one of THE places for traffic enforcement. The Dragon is an 11 mile stretch of road from with 318 curves from Tab Cat Creek to Deals Gap (sic). It's one of the most treacherous drives in East Tennessee, running through part of Blount County into North Carolina. So Tennessee troopers are on a mission to tame the Dragon. One rider from South Florida came to enjoy the ride and the view on Friday. But he got "...two tickets each, one for speeding and one for passing." The rider is leaving with $625 in fines. "Plus, they tow away the bike out of the park so we have to wait for a towing company to come tow the bike." Another rider, Adam Barnett, from Bloomington, Illinois, has this perspective. "The cops up here are slowing everyone down. That should be a good thing for all of us." But some riders don't see it that way, especially those whose jobs are to encourage area tourism. "We're concerned with the amount of pressure that's being put on them," says Herb Hanley, with the Smoky Mountain Visitor's Bureau. For the most part, Friday was a quiet day on the Dragon. But last weekend, troopers wrote 142 tickets. Eleven troopers are staking out the area and the state has authorized $60,000 in overtime for increased patrols. So Herb Hanley advises, "Kind of stay away from the Dragon and let things cool down there a little bit." In the meantime, the eyes of the law have their sights set on safety. SOUND OFF - JOIN THE DISCUSSION See also:
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