2014 Ride

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Took off this morning for the mountains of east Tennessee and western North Carolina to kick off 2014 with a nice ride in the twisties. After going to the Gulf Coast after Christmas it was so awesome to be back in the curves. I wouldn't trade my mountains of east Tennessee for all of Florida and Alabama combined . Weather was in the 30's when I rolled out and warmed into the 50's as the day went on. I made two runs at The Dragon and I owned that place today with very few cars and even fewer motorcycles. Anyone that wants to really test The Dragon now is the time to come do it.






Its been since Sept. 2012 that we shared Paul ( Thumper ) with the mountain over looking Calderwood Lake on The Dragon and today he is still there.






Deals Gap is a portion of U.S. Route 129 in Blount County, Tennessee, which also lends its name to a small unincorporated community and motorcycle resort situated in a gap in Swain County, North Carolina, on U.S. 129 at the Tennessee state line. The community has an unofficial population of 6, as posted on a welcoming sign. The community's approximate elevation is 1,756 feet above sea level.







Deals Gap is a popular and internationally famous destination for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts, as it is located along a stretch of two-lane road known since 1981 as "The Dragon" . The 11-mile stretch of the Dragon in Tennessee is said to have 318 curves. Some of the Dragon's sharpest curves have names like Copperhead Corner, Hog Pen Bend, Wheelie Hell, Shade Tree Corner, Mud Corner, Sunset Corner, Gravity Cavity, Beginner's End, and Brake or Bust Bend. The road earned its name from its curves being said to resemble a dragon's tail. The stretch bears the street name "Tapoco Road" in North Carolina and "Calderwood Highway" in Tennessee and is signed entirely by U.S. 129. State Route 115 is included on maps, and is the name used by Tennessee Department of Transportation for highway contracts.





I took this about mid-way on US 129 The Dragon.












So many " Money Shots " so little time.

[BradValk48237]

Lucky Bastard...........



B

[cookiedough]

I would agree with you although never been to East TN, yet anyways.  Driving thru KY and TN even if was mostly on the west edge down into Alabama and Florida I tend to agree totally with you.  The scenery in terms of trees/hills are better.

But, the beaches and babes on the beachea in gulf shores AL and Florida are better in terms of that type of scenery/hills.  Sorry, no pics! 

[trout dude]

Nice joe we got rained on all day wish I was there with riding looked like not many people out today at the dragon glad you had a good day man
   Dennis

[HayHauler]

I'm coming back to the Dragon one of these days Joe. Might have to do it in the off season.  
Great money shots. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[eric in md]

great report and pics joe.   best part of the day was the phone call i got today it was just awesome dude .. happy new year

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

great report and pics joe.   best part of the day was the phone call i got today it was just awesome dude .. happy new year

After Presley talked with you she said "  Your friend is nice, Pop's "     I love her so much.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I would agree with you although never been to East TN, yet anyways.  Driving thru KY and TN even if was mostly on the west edge down into Alabama and Florida I tend to agree totally with you.  The scenery in terms of trees/hills are better.

But, the beaches and babes on the beachea in gulf shores AL and Florida are better in terms of that type of scenery/hills.  Sorry, no pics! 

West Tennessee is a pancake compared to beautiful East Tennessee across The Great Smoky Mountains and The Appalachian Mountains.

[alph]

gee, thanks joe......





HEY, just to let you know, Monday's high temp (that's the warmest it'll get for the day) is expected to be a whopping negative thirteen!  that's thirteen degrees BELOW zero!  - 13* Fahrenheit! for you Celsius people it'd be -25*

IT'S FRICKEN GOING TO BE COLD ON MONDAY!!
I'm just glad I don't live up north, it's colder up there!!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

gee, thanks joe......





HEY, just to let you know, Monday's high temp (that's the warmest it'll get for the day) is expected to be a whopping negative thirteen!  that's thirteen degrees BELOW zero!  - 13* Fahrenheit! for you Celsius people it'd be -25*

IT'S FRICKEN GOING TO BE COLD ON MONDAY!!
I'm just glad I don't live up north, it's colder up there!!

It's raining here this morning ( Thursday ) and they claim snow this afternoon and the temp's are going down as well.... They claim we'll be 7 degree's Monday night    Sure glad I've rode over 1500 miles since Christmas to get my fix .

[cookiedough]

gee, thanks joe......





HEY, just to let you know, Monday's high temp (that's the warmest it'll get for the day) is expected to be a whopping negative thirteen!  that's thirteen degrees BELOW zero!  - 13* Fahrenheit! for you Celsius people it'd be -25*

IT'S FRICKEN GOING TO BE COLD ON MONDAY!!
I'm just glad I don't live up north, it's colder up there!!

Alph,   you need to move to southern WI vs. upper WI.  This coming Monday the high will be -5 with low of only -18, much better????????????????? 

This winter is by far the coldest winter we have had that I can ever remember.  Not too many days above the 32 degree freezing point.    I may be ice fishing until April here in the south but am sure in northern WI ice fishing will be good until May 1st! 

I still remember about 18 years or so ago when I was afraid to drive my truck onto the bay of Green Bay.  We walked out and was shocked to find over 4 feet of ice below us my hand auger did not have an extension handle either and barely made it thru the ice down on my knees with ONLY a few turns of the handle to spare before I ran out of turning room where the handle would hit the top of the ice.  Needless to say the next trip out I drove my truck out there.

[old2soon]

gee, thanks joe......





HEY, just to let you know, Monday's high temp (that's the warmest it'll get for the day) is expected to be a whopping negative thirteen!  that's thirteen degrees BELOW zero!  - 13* Fahrenheit! for you Celsius people it'd be -25*

IT'S FRICKEN GOING TO BE COLD ON MONDAY!!
I'm just glad I don't live up north, it's colder up there!!

Is ya still wunderin as to the WHY of me movin out of dat country?? I lost track of how many times the boyz was lookin fer a warmer spot than I could give em.  I remember plugging in the block heater to make sure the truck would start so I could go to work!! And YES I do remember highs being in double digit negative numbers.  RIDE SAFE.

[G-Man]

You had directions to my house and didn't come visit?     

Great Pics!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

You had directions to my house and didn't come visit?     

Great Pics!

Not so sure I'd trust those " mileage " boards.... Don't know about New York but I'm damn sure its over 797 miles to Los Angeles,Ca from Deal's Gap , NC

[.]

Great looking pics Joe. I liked the ones you posted on the Gulf Coast ride too. I'm looking forward to seeing some of your neck of the woods from the Phat Gurl soon, hopefully before we get past the summer.

And yeah, I've driven around the country enough to think those mileages may be a little suspect.

[Willow]

And yeah, I've driven around the country enough to think those mileages may be a little suspect.

That sign was transplanted from somewhere very near Albuquerque, New Mexico.   

[3fan4life]

Doggone it Joe,

Now you've gone and caused me to add another place to my list of places to visit.


Your PIC reminded me of this:



It turns out that it is something that you can actually visit:

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=fbe1479a-312b-4427-bc21-59bae84817ab&lat=34.09975&lon=-118.8435&t=4&id=Oboler%20Gatehouse%20and%20Retreat

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

And yeah, I've driven around the country enough to think those mileages may be a little suspect.

That sign was transplanted from somewhere very near Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

I could agree with that... Someone took the Deal's Gap sign last year right out in front of the store. This sign was 5' X 5' and made of wood mounted on 6" X 6" treated in concrete. They took the whole thing.

[Willow]

And yeah, I've driven around the country enough to think those mileages may be a little suspect.

That sign was transplanted from somewhere very near Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

I could agree with that... Someone took the Deal's Gap sign last year right out in front of the store. This sign was 5' X 5' and made of wood mounted on 6" X 6" treated in concrete. They took the whole thing.

Wow!  That is some seriously determined thievery.   

[WNGD]

Great pics, thanks for posting those up. Helps to get through the PMS setting in this time of year

[salty1]

Great narration and pictures of your ride, as usual! You've spoiled us! 

[RainMaker]

Hard to believe how empty Deals Gap is at this time of year.  I've only seen it full of bikes, and that was on weekdays.

Thanks for the pics.  You have the greatest roads in the country there.

RainMaker

[flsix]

I was also surprised at the lack of bikes in front of the store. Usually it's packed. Us Florida folks tend to not stray into the frozen north to ride the mountains this time of year.