Left out around noon today headin' for the mountains and cooler temps. I passed Big Al going south just as I was getting into the section of US 129 known as The Dragon that's the first time I've seen him in several months
. The Foothills Parkway was empty this is a beautiful ride especially when you can push the envelope and let the Fat Girl loose.
The Foothills Parkway is a National Parkway which, if completed, will traverse the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. The 71-mile parkway will ideally connect U.S. Route 129 (US-129) along the Little Tennessee River in the west with Interstate 40 (I-40) along the Pigeon River in the east, passing through parts of Blount, Sevier, and Cocke counties. Large sections of the parkway will cross a series of high ridges running roughly parallel to the Tennessee boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and will offer unobstructed views of the Great Smokies to the south and the Tennessee Valley to the north.
The oldest unfinished highway project in Tennessee, the Foothills Parkway project has been continuously stalled by funding difficulties since Congress authorized its construction in 1944. As of 2010, only one-third of the parkway had been completed and opened to vehicular traffic. The longest open section consists of a 16.5-mile leg traversing the western flank of Chilhowee Mountain in Blount County, connecting US-129 along the Chilhowee Lake impoundment of the Little Tennessee River with US-321 in the town of Walland. The other open section is a 6-mile stretch traversing Green Mountain in Cocke County, connecting US-321 in Cosby with I-40 in the Pigeon River valley. The Gatlinburg Bypass, which traverses the eastern flank of Cove Mountain between Pigeon Forge and the national park, connecting to the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway at each end, is also considered part of the parkway.
Not a lot going on at the store other than selling t-shirts , hats and coffee cups hand over fist. I got two decent runs at The Dragon today .
Deals Gap is a mountain pass along the North Carolina–Tennessee state line, bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and near the Little Tennessee River. At .7 miles south of the gap is the unincorporated community that shares the same name, located at the intersection of US 129 and NC 28. The area is popular with motorcycle enthusiasts, who cross the gap into Tennessee to drive along the "The Dragon" famous for its 318 curves in 11 miles .
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 US 129.
Since part of the road is also the southwestern border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there is no development along the 11-mile stretch, resulting in no danger of vehicles pulling out in front of those in the right of way. It mostly travels through forested area and there are a few scenic overlooks and pull-off points along the route. The speed limit on the Dragon was 55 mph prior to 1992; it was reduced to 30 mph in 2005. The presence of law enforcement on the Tennessee portion has dramatically increased since 2007.
" The Money Shot " taken on Foothills Parkway. I've had this bike since June of 1998 and it runs as good or better than the day I bought it.... I love this old bike.
