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Who wants to run their Porsche on 'Tail of the Dragon'?
Would anyone be interested in doing Tail of the Dragon 2nd weekend of March? Figure the weather will be warming up by then - this is a bucket list item i've not checked off yet. Thoughts/comments?
March is questionable weather at best. I usually spend a week in the area in mid to late April. Last 2 years in a row there has been light snowfall even at that late date. The following picture from killboy was taken yesterday and it is snowing much more today.
I'm headed there right after the Indianapolis MotoGP with a group of friends from Toronto. We go every year and this year I'm taking the Porsche along with my MV Agusta F4. I'm looking forward to the running the Cherohala Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and the Devils Triangle in the Porsche
Much as I want to try that. the carnage of wrecks and police keep me away.
lol...what carnage? I've been there for 4 years in a row and ave yet to see any 'carnage'. As for the cops, well they don't really bother you provided you're not a goofball.
Best to go during the week vs the weekend ... less traffic and less law enforcement presence.
Agreed. Though more important is time of day. Even during the summer, if you time it right and arrive right at dawn, 7:00am ish- you have a great chance to run free with zero traffic. Over the last 2 years I've had 5 full runs without getting held up by a car or bike. 2 hours later it is packed with bikes.
Here's a photo of my dad and I from 2013. That's my Dad in the grey Boxster S following me in the 997.1 C2S. Great fun.
Damn, that looks like fun...never knew about that. Drove within 30 miles on my home from picking up my car in Nashville. Now that would have been a great christening.
Agreed. Though more important is time of day. Even during the summer, if you time it right and arrive right at dawn, 7:00am ish- you have a great chance to run free with zero traffic. Over the last 2 years I've had 5 full runs without getting held up by a car or bike. 2 hours later it is packed with bikes.
Here's a photo of my dad and I from 2013. That's my Dad in the grey Boxster S following me in the 997.1 C2S. Great fun.
Nice pic.
As for me, love to on the on the 'tail' but I read conflicting reports about it. Some say its wonderful and some same its all hype due to the traffic with other cars, motorcycles, etc, you never get to run on it freely.
Is it all based on the time of day that you will get the best run on the 'tail' or is it hype? I'm in NJ so it will be a far trek for me but I'll consider it a driving bucket list item....if its really worth it.
As for me, love to on the on the 'tail' but I read conflicting reports about it. Some say its wonderful and some same its all hype due to the traffic with other cars, motorcycles, etc, you never get to run on it freely.
Is it all based on the time of day that you will get the best run on the 'tail' or is it hype? I'm in NJ so it will be a far trek for me but I'll consider it a driving bucket list item....if its really worth it.
The dragon US129 is not hype, I promise. Everyone has heard its specs- 318 corners in 11 miles, which is pretty unreal, but the most amazing part of the dragon and its surrounding roads (Moonshiner 28) is that they have zero driveways and access roads, so you are never concerned about someone pulling out in front of you.
The secret is definitely out re: the dragon and there is a lot of traffic in the summer, especially on weekends during the day. Though even weekends in warmer months can be fun, so long as you're an early riser. Bikers apparently prefer to sleep in, they're almost never out before 9:00am.
I've stayed in Knoxville before on my way to visit friends in Ashville, NC; and I've left Ashville at 5:30 am and arrived at dawn and had unobstructed runs through the entire 11 miles, 318 corners. I'm a nationally certified PCA instructor, and the dragon is as close to track driving as you'll find on the street- that being said: it IS a street, and I don't condone wreckless hazardous driving.
If I were you and going that distance, I'd mix in some time in Asheville, NC (awesome town with great beer and food, Wicked Weed is a favorite) and time for the Blueridge Parkway, which provides breathtaking views.
Timing is everything when it comes to driving the tail of the dragon. Not just calendar dates or time of day but simply observing trends. Traffic on the road can become parade like from time to time but, like all parades, there is a beginning and an end. If you find yourself in a parade situation where vehicles are grouped up behind slower traffic, pull over and wait a few minutes for clear space to develop. Pro tip: Stop at the store or the overlook and observe before beginning your run. If nothing passes for 5-10 minutes, you can bet you will have a clear path for several miles at least.
Killboy did a neat series of videos a while back; 12 minutes on the dragon. He would film around 2-4 pm on a saturday afternoon for 12 consecutive minutes. It would be car after car after bike etc. for a few minutes followed by deafening silence and tranquility. A little observation will have you running in the gaps even on the busy days.
I've always wanted to drive the dragon, but I almost never have time to.
I almost always end up cashing in my paid time off at the end of the year! Maybe this year ... I have almost three weeks to use ... Sometime during the weekday.
I've always wanted to drive the dragon, but I almost never have time to.
I almost always end up cashing in my paid time off at the end of the year! Maybe this year ... I have almost three weeks to use ... Sometime during the weekday.
A word of advice from an idiot that has worked 100+ hour weeks for the last 40 years and who is sitting on nearly a year and a half of vacation that will not get reimbursed ... Go drive the Dragon.
Note: I'm not prone to refer to myself in the third person, but looking back at vacation lost and time on the road, how can I not? Please, while you are young, take a moment to absorb that.
Carmichael, there is a reason you get vacation. I expect pictures before the end of the summer!
02-25-2015, 06:22 PM
Who wants to run their Porsche on 'Tail of the Dragon'?
