Death On the US129 Dragon

[BigAl]

Last Wednesday a fatality. One vehicle invloved a Motorcyclist lost it.

Was there Yesterday about 2pm, just past the last slide area another apparent bad accident.

It did not look good the ambulance did not even have its emergency lights on and the road was blocked completely, I just turned around and went back

to K-Town and sat around with ole Mad Dog and Family.

http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Motorcyclist_dies_on_The_Dragon_157752575.html

[BigAl]

Just as I suspected, another fatality on Friday.

Guy Riding a Road King on the Dagon at mile marker 6 failed to Negotiate a turn, on the Dragon,

hit multiple obstacles and dies.

Dragon =  Good Fun or swift death in the same location.

Despite LEO's all over the place,

He was from Naples Florida a  place I visisted on the way to Key West.

Its' a shame and tragic. Lost another biker.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/16/florida-man-dies-in-motorcycle-wreck-on-the/?partner=RSS

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Took my first ride across that road on a motorcycle in 1979 or 1980 . The store was nothing more than a gas station then with a few soft drinks and some old crackers with dust on them. I can't count the rides I've took across that mountain and it's only just about got me once when I blew a rear valve stem on my Suzuki Bandit 1200 S.All you can do is gas on it and hope the dude coming the other way can stay on his side of the road.

[thumper]

I love the Dragon and ride it every chance I get.

I respect the Dragon every time I ride it.

Great stretch of road but very unforgiving.

[solo1]

Yeah, I worry about my oldest son.  Every year he takes a week off to go down and ride the Dragon on his Honda Pacific Coast.  All season long he rides to work and back here in flatland NE Indiana and then rides the Dragon for one week.

He has over 135,000 miles on his PC so he does ride a lot but mostly on straight roads.  Evidently he still has something to prove.

He's now using my trailer to transport his PC down to Bryson City where he stays.  He has back trouble and no longer can make the ride down there at 56 years old.

As a dad, I still worry about him but that's the way life is.   

Solo1

[Jakesboss]

I love riding TN and NC but it sure is tough on my chrome



but you still need to respect the roads if you want to ride again tomorrow

[BF]

Just as I suspected, another fatality on Friday.

Guy Riding a Road King on the Dagon at mile marker 6 failed to Negotiate a turn, on the Dragon,

hit multiple obstacles and dies.

Dragon =  Good Fun or swift death in the same location.

Despite LEO's all over the place,

He was from Naples Florida a  place I visisted on the way to Key West.

Its' a shame and tragic. Lost another biker.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/16/florida-man-dies-in-motorcycle-wreck-on-the/?partner=RSS

I hate to sterotype, but I'd imagine that most folks from Florida that don't routinely ride those kind of roads (and we DON'T have those kind of roads here) and have the kind of skills that Smokin' Joe and BigAl have because they do ride those kind of roads on a regular basis......probably shouldn't be testing their skills out on roads like the Dragon without extreme caution. 

I know I don't have those kind of skills and if I ever do get up there to ride the Dragon, it sure as hell ain't gonna be balls out testin' my skills on it.  Be looking for the guy on the black standard ridin' the Dragon like someone's grandma and that'd be me. 

[Skinhead]

Last year coming back from the Fall color ride we rode 129 on the way home.  Some dude on a black valk passed me as I was takin' my time.  I guess he was in a hurry.  Personally, when I'm that far from home, I'm extra cautious.  If I'm gonna spend time in the hospital, I'd prefer it be close to home.  That way my wife can fetch me some clean undies once in a while.

[Willow]

...  If I'm gonna spend time in the hospital, I'd prefer it be close to home.  That way my wife can fetch me some clean undies once in a while.

What!??  You're s'posed to wear undies in the hospital?  Now you tell me.