Z Event - Tail of the Dragon - Labor Day Weekend!
08-11-2003, 07:09 AM
#1
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Z Event - Tail of the Dragon - Labor Day Weekend!
Tail of the Dragon Road Romp!
WHERE: Tail of the Dragon (duh!)
WHEN: Labor Day Weekend, August 30th – Sept 1st
WHO: Primarily 350Zs and G35s, but anyone who wants to join us is welcome!
A couple of 350Z drivers in Charlotte and Raleigh decided it would be fun to have a fall drive in the mountains. And what better place for a mountain road drive than Tail of the Dragon!. (For more info on the area, use the link.)
We have selected Labor Day weekend because it is a long weekend for most and because there are no major motorcycle events planned that weekend. We don’t mind sharing the road, but it’ll be much easier on us if we are not slowing down the bikers.
Because of the short notice, we don’t expect a large turnout, but would love to see as many people as possible show up for this event. The locale offers a good opportunity for Z owners across several regions to get together. If our turnout is favorable, we have talked about making this is an annual or semi-annual event. So come on out and see what your Z (or G) can do!
Lodging Info
- We are making our base of operations The Tapoco Lodge. So, you will probably want to reserve rooms there as soon as possible if you are coming. Regular rooms are in short supply, but I understand “attic rooms” are still available. These are pretty much a regular hotel room with a shared bathroom between two rooms.
- Otherwise, you probably can try one of the chain hotels in Robbinsville, NC. Here is a link to information about the Microtel in Robbinsville. It seems decent and is not too expensive
- If you don’t mind spending a little more cash for your stay, there are several other places in the area. Click this link for a map. More lodging info can be found on the Tail of the Dragon website. When booking your room, please note our rally point will be Tapoco Lodge, which is located in the upper left portion of the map.
Final Notes
- If you plan to come and book a room, please email me! That way we can better coordinate our gatherings.
- If you have any questions, first check out the Tail of the Dragon website. If you can find what you need there, email me.
WHERE: Tail of the Dragon (duh!)
WHEN: Labor Day Weekend, August 30th – Sept 1st
WHO: Primarily 350Zs and G35s, but anyone who wants to join us is welcome!
A couple of 350Z drivers in Charlotte and Raleigh decided it would be fun to have a fall drive in the mountains. And what better place for a mountain road drive than Tail of the Dragon!. (For more info on the area, use the link.)
We have selected Labor Day weekend because it is a long weekend for most and because there are no major motorcycle events planned that weekend. We don’t mind sharing the road, but it’ll be much easier on us if we are not slowing down the bikers.
Because of the short notice, we don’t expect a large turnout, but would love to see as many people as possible show up for this event. The locale offers a good opportunity for Z owners across several regions to get together. If our turnout is favorable, we have talked about making this is an annual or semi-annual event. So come on out and see what your Z (or G) can do!
Lodging Info
- We are making our base of operations The Tapoco Lodge. So, you will probably want to reserve rooms there as soon as possible if you are coming. Regular rooms are in short supply, but I understand “attic rooms” are still available. These are pretty much a regular hotel room with a shared bathroom between two rooms.
- Otherwise, you probably can try one of the chain hotels in Robbinsville, NC. Here is a link to information about the Microtel in Robbinsville. It seems decent and is not too expensive
- If you don’t mind spending a little more cash for your stay, there are several other places in the area. Click this link for a map. More lodging info can be found on the Tail of the Dragon website. When booking your room, please note our rally point will be Tapoco Lodge, which is located in the upper left portion of the map.
Final Notes
- If you plan to come and book a room, please email me! That way we can better coordinate our gatherings.
- If you have any questions, first check out the Tail of the Dragon website. If you can find what you need there, email me.
08-21-2003, 01:25 PM
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well guys...i cant go anymore. i feel really bad about letting you guys down on this one. i was on vacation when i replyed that i could go and didn't have the ole date book with me. guess i should have checked it first. i hope you have a great time. i am from that area, so i know first hand how fun those roads can be. i'll have to wait until sept. at VIR to get my thrills now.
sulking,
sean
sulking,
sean
08-21-2003, 06:52 PM
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well, since we have the best looking and most stunning color, maybe it is better idea to let everyone up there ease into it, instead of hitting them with too much at once. 
you guys have fun and play nice with the crotch rockets.
sean
you guys have fun and play nice with the crotch rockets.
sean
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09-01-2003, 06:27 PM
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FANTASTIC
What can I say? 318 curves in 11 miles! Incredible! Grins ear to ear the whole time!
I was late getting to the Dragon on Sunday so I was unable to hook up with the others. That sucked. I was really looking forward to it. I managed one run up and back on the Dragon before it started raining. It was crowded up there with bikes, but I did manage drive it about 75% of the time wide open without having to wait on some camper or suburban to pull over. :-) Oh man it was great. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Just to note. Wednesday a Prowler when over the edge to miss a stalled car. Saturday a "test" Viper wrecked on the Dragon. Both according the the web site www.tailofthedragon.com After mentioning these factoids to the wife, she's not real thrilled on me making this trip. :-)
I left Greenville SC around 7am Sunday, figuring I can make it to Tapoco in 3.5 hours to meet the others. Mistake. The route I took was more back road, twisty, etc. than I expected. But fun too. ;-) Stopped at the Bridal Veil Falls and at Fontana Dam for some pictures. So I got to the Tapoco Lodge an hour and a half late. (FYI 178 to Rosman. 64 to Franklin. 28 to Deals Gap aka Tail Of The Dragon)
We made one run up and back on the Dragon. Now I've never really and truly pushed any car to it's limits, but not this time. The more curves the Z devoured the more confident I got, and I was determined this day would be remembered! ;-) I was taking alot of turns at roughly 25-30 MPH. I'm talking 10 foot elevation change in a tight 180 degree hairpin type turns! WHAT A RUSH! Only once did the back end step out a little. (Note: I'm staying in my lane, with plenty of oncoming motorcycle traffic thrown in for fun. ;-) And police, more on that later.) I pretty much stayed in 2nd gear the whole time. The "straightaways" were not very long. ;-) Only once did I get the 3rd. I think top speed then was 62 MPH. I had one scrappy BMW 330i on my butt for a coupe of turns. Don't worry. I didn't disrespect this forum. I left him. ;-) It was during this that the back end stepped out on one curve. Nice. I had a couple of bikes pass me. Couldn't do anything about that one sorry. And I wasn't about to try! 8-p I did pass one Ford Ranger had two Dodge Caravans pull over to let me pass. Sweet.
There were alot of groups of people on the sides of the Dragon taking pictures and just watching the action. My brother-in-law "navigator" was able to see a few thumbs up and nods of respect for the passing Z. ;-) We got our picture taken numerous times. I would LOVE to see them as we were unable to take any ourselves.
Another thing that was really cool about my first time run on the Dragon was the navigation system in the Z. Zoomed all the way in, my "navigator" would tell me the type of curves coming up. That helped a bunch, especially on the numerous blind curves. Couldn't tell me the elevation changes, but it helped none the less. 8->
The Z handled like a dream. Completely predicable with no real surprises. Always controlled. Definitely "corners on rails". Accelerating out of the corners was a blast. Steering, braking, tire noise, etc were perfect. She always kept me informed with whats going on. ;-) I have alot of respect for my new car. I really do.
The funnest thing I saw:
Just after the start of our run on the Dragon. A police car traveling about 15-20 MPH. WITH ABOUT 25-30 PISSED OFF BIKES BEHIND HIM! LOL
The Scariest thing I saw:
Aftermath of a Volkswagon Rabbit and a Yamaha sport bike meeting on a blind curve. This was on 28 before getting to the Dragon. Ambulance and rescue crew, plus tow truck. No police yet though.
As I said, it started raining after the first run. We decided to eat at the Tapoco Lodge restaurant. Overpriced. Still raining and a long ride back we decided to skip the Cherohala Skyway and start back. Drove to Cherokee on 28 and 19. Lost $40 at Harrah's. Then continued on 19 to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Now if you've never been on the Blue Ridge Parkway, plan a trip. Beautiful. Made a couple of stops to enjoy the view and take a couple of pictures. Then we took 276 back to Greenville, also making a couple of stops, at Looking Glass falls, Twin Falls and Bald Rock to take pictures.
In all, my 8 hour trip turned into a 13 hour one. But it was worth every minute. I had a fantastic time on the Dragon. I will go back to the Dragon. Definitely. I recommend you guys go. You owe it to your Z.
Your Humble Driver,
DoubleAgent
I was late getting to the Dragon on Sunday so I was unable to hook up with the others. That sucked. I was really looking forward to it. I managed one run up and back on the Dragon before it started raining. It was crowded up there with bikes, but I did manage drive it about 75% of the time wide open without having to wait on some camper or suburban to pull over. :-) Oh man it was great. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Just to note. Wednesday a Prowler when over the edge to miss a stalled car. Saturday a "test" Viper wrecked on the Dragon. Both according the the web site www.tailofthedragon.com After mentioning these factoids to the wife, she's not real thrilled on me making this trip. :-)
I left Greenville SC around 7am Sunday, figuring I can make it to Tapoco in 3.5 hours to meet the others. Mistake. The route I took was more back road, twisty, etc. than I expected. But fun too. ;-) Stopped at the Bridal Veil Falls and at Fontana Dam for some pictures. So I got to the Tapoco Lodge an hour and a half late. (FYI 178 to Rosman. 64 to Franklin. 28 to Deals Gap aka Tail Of The Dragon)
We made one run up and back on the Dragon. Now I've never really and truly pushed any car to it's limits, but not this time. The more curves the Z devoured the more confident I got, and I was determined this day would be remembered! ;-) I was taking alot of turns at roughly 25-30 MPH. I'm talking 10 foot elevation change in a tight 180 degree hairpin type turns! WHAT A RUSH! Only once did the back end step out a little. (Note: I'm staying in my lane, with plenty of oncoming motorcycle traffic thrown in for fun. ;-) And police, more on that later.) I pretty much stayed in 2nd gear the whole time. The "straightaways" were not very long. ;-) Only once did I get the 3rd. I think top speed then was 62 MPH. I had one scrappy BMW 330i on my butt for a coupe of turns. Don't worry. I didn't disrespect this forum. I left him. ;-) It was during this that the back end stepped out on one curve. Nice. I had a couple of bikes pass me. Couldn't do anything about that one sorry. And I wasn't about to try! 8-p I did pass one Ford Ranger had two Dodge Caravans pull over to let me pass. Sweet.
There were alot of groups of people on the sides of the Dragon taking pictures and just watching the action. My brother-in-law "navigator" was able to see a few thumbs up and nods of respect for the passing Z. ;-) We got our picture taken numerous times. I would LOVE to see them as we were unable to take any ourselves.
Another thing that was really cool about my first time run on the Dragon was the navigation system in the Z. Zoomed all the way in, my "navigator" would tell me the type of curves coming up. That helped a bunch, especially on the numerous blind curves. Couldn't tell me the elevation changes, but it helped none the less. 8->
The Z handled like a dream. Completely predicable with no real surprises. Always controlled. Definitely "corners on rails". Accelerating out of the corners was a blast. Steering, braking, tire noise, etc were perfect. She always kept me informed with whats going on. ;-) I have alot of respect for my new car. I really do.
The funnest thing I saw:
Just after the start of our run on the Dragon. A police car traveling about 15-20 MPH. WITH ABOUT 25-30 PISSED OFF BIKES BEHIND HIM! LOL
The Scariest thing I saw:
Aftermath of a Volkswagon Rabbit and a Yamaha sport bike meeting on a blind curve. This was on 28 before getting to the Dragon. Ambulance and rescue crew, plus tow truck. No police yet though.
As I said, it started raining after the first run. We decided to eat at the Tapoco Lodge restaurant. Overpriced. Still raining and a long ride back we decided to skip the Cherohala Skyway and start back. Drove to Cherokee on 28 and 19. Lost $40 at Harrah's. Then continued on 19 to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Now if you've never been on the Blue Ridge Parkway, plan a trip. Beautiful. Made a couple of stops to enjoy the view and take a couple of pictures. Then we took 276 back to Greenville, also making a couple of stops, at Looking Glass falls, Twin Falls and Bald Rock to take pictures.
In all, my 8 hour trip turned into a 13 hour one. But it was worth every minute. I had a fantastic time on the Dragon. I will go back to the Dragon. Definitely. I recommend you guys go. You owe it to your Z.
Your Humble Driver,
DoubleAgent
09-02-2003, 11:33 AM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
The other Dragon review! Part 1 (long)
Nice coverage and pics, DBL... now, I'll add my impressions and some pics...
First, let me say that Tail of the Dragon is everything it is built up to be and more! ... but... if you ever make it up there, don't make the mistake of thinking that is all. There are many great driving roads. Following is a full review. This will be long, so bear with me… you won’t want to doze off anymore here than I would have wanted to on the hairpins this weekend!
Morris and I met up around 10:30 on Friday and commenced our journey to Deal’s Gap. On the way, we hit our first twisty road, HWY 221 from Boone to Asheville.
Road Run #1 – HWY 221
This is a great little stretch of road between Boone and Asheville. Plenty of sharp rights and lefts, nice back and forth S-curves, and the occasional straight away. In my opinion, this road really allows you to see what the Z can do. The curves are sharp enough that you have to respect them and the straights allow you to run up through the gears a little. Unfortunately for us, it rained pretty heavily prior to our run on 221. We had to take it easy the first half of the way. After stopping for a photo shoot, we found the road dried out pretty well and we were able to open it up pretty good. Traffic was light and Johnny Law was nowhere to be found. Overall, we stayed mostly in 3rd gear going around 221. Some curves required a downshift to 2nd to have decent revs coming out and on other occasions you could hit 4th on straights. In fact, on some straights, if you don’t hit forth you wind up holding at high revs in 3rd for a pronounced stretch. Overall, a very nice run… and unfortunately, our only fun for the day since the rest of the day was consumed getting to Deal’s Gap.
Hwy 221 ratings…
Curves: 4 (out of 5)
Straights: 3 (out of 5)
Shifting requirement: High (Low, Medium, or High)
Observed Law Enforcement: none (none, light, medium, heavy, or “Don’t Dare Speed!!!”)
Traffic: Light (none, light, medium, heavy, or gridlock)
OVERALL: 5 (our of 5) – a very fun road to drive!
Accomodations – Tapoco Lodge
All I can say is… don’t expect much, you’re in the middle of nowhere at this point. The lodge isn’t a dump, but it’s not the Ritz-Carleton either.
If you are truly here to hit the roads, it is fine. The rooms provide a decent place to sleep, but there is no phone or TV in the rooms, only in the lodge. The lodge food is okay, but pricey unless you get the meal plan… and as we learned, the meal plan does not always guarantee a good meal if you get there late. We actually skipped dinner the second night at the lodge and drove to Robbinsville to eat instead. The downside… the nearest restaurants are about 30 minutes away. On the plus side, the lodge is right at the base of Tail of the Dragon which is a nice place to start the day! 
Okay, enough of that… Day 2….
Road Run #2 – Tail of the Dragon Uphill
We started Saturday morning by hitting Tail of the Dragon first. Starting at the Tapoco Lodge, you are mostly going up the mountain, so I have dubbed this the Uphill pass. On this first pass, the weather was great and Morris took the lead. The Dragon is absolutely brutal! From beginning to end, you get a non-stop barrage of curves, switchbacks, and hairpins… a very fun road in the Z, but I imagine it is biker’s wet dream come true! There are almost no straights and the ones you do hit are short, so you’re not going to go beyond 3rd gear. On this first pass, I did a lot of bouncing between 2nd and 3rd, often feathering into 2nd on downshifts… so a good bit of clutch action. I believe Morris ran mostly in 2nd. It seems my approach was a bit more prudent on the first go around. Being behind Morris, I had the benefit of seeing what he was doing and being able to shoot the curves based on what I saw him doing. The combination of being the lead car and riding mostly in second took a real toll on Morris’ brakes (neither of us have the Brembos). At the end of the Dragon, we stopped briefly to get our bearings and Morris’s brakes were putting smoking pretty badly from the heat. We promptly hit the road at a relaxed pace to allow them time to cool down. He did say, despite the smoke, he experienced no fade. I had no problems with my brakes at all.
We did this run at around 11am and there was a fair amount of traffic on the Dragon at this time. Most cars that you get behind will pull off and let you by. We did have two instances where we pulled off to create some distance between us and the cars blocking our path, though. No issue with bikes heading our way, but Morris had a few scares around curves with bikes coming very close or slightly across the double yellow. Johnny Law was nowhere to be seen on this run…
Tail of the Dragon Uphill Ratings…
Curves: 5… you want curves, you got ‘em!
Straights: 0… straights?! What straights?
Shifting requirement: Low… an occasional shift to 3rd, but you could theoretically do the whole thing in 2nd.
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Heavy… we had 2 pull-offs to create space
OVERALL: 4 (our of 5) – If your thing is curves, then this is a 6 out of 5. Personally, I like a little more balance. It was a blast, but a road with a few more open stretches would be even better.
We actually did not make a return on TotD this day. Instead, we proceeded into Tennessee and hit what is known as the Telico Plains loop… a series of 4 highways that make a big circle and put big grins on the faces of 350Z drivers who drive them!
Road Run #3 – Hwy 68
This road is the milder version of Hwy 221 describe above. There are some nice curves, but none that really jump up and surprise you. A couple of nice long straight stretches allow you to really get on the accelerator. The scenery is pretty nice and, unlike the two runs described above, you can actually take your eyes off the road long enough to take an appreciative glance at your surroundings.
Hwy 68 Ratings…
Curves: 3… enough to keep you busy, but not a real workout…
Straights: 4… a couple pretty good stretches
Shifting requirement: Low… you actually change gears quite a few times, but not in rapid succession
Observed Law Enforcement: Light… saw one or two cops on this road
Traffic: Light… no significant traffic encountered
OVERALL: 3… this is your average windy road. A fun drive and worth hitting if you already in the area, but not something you would drive hours to take on.
Road Run #4 – Hwy 64 West
From the bottom of Hwy 68 , we caught Hwy 64 West. This road could be really fun… if it weren’t for the traffic and law enforcement!
There seemed to be a nice number of twists and turns to this stretch, but it was hard to get a good feel for it due to all the interruptions to our driving flow. I don’t know if this highway is always this busy or if it was partially due to the Labor Day weekend, but there were a lot of other cars on the road. Also, the highway parallels the Ocoee River… so there were a lot of pull-offs and businesses along the route devoted to the White Water rafting crowd. For the most part, our experience is that this road was nothing more than a connection to our next run. 
Hwy 64 West Ratings…
Curves: 3… enough to keep you busy, but not a real workout…
Straights: 3… enough to balance out with the curves
Shifting requirement: Low
Observed Law Enforcement: Medium… several sightings on this stretch
Traffic: Heavy… at least 2 instances where we came to a grinding halt as we waited on White Water traffic to clear out of the way.
OVERALL: 1… again, the road has some potential, but the traffic and law killed our fun.
Road Run #5 – Hwy 30 & 315
I put these two together because they pretty much rate the same way. The road winds uphill from Hwy 64 into a national park-like area. After a bit, it breaks out next to a river area where the curves are not as extreme. After a bit, you cut across the river and head back into the hills… and the curves. Finally, you break out of the mountain terrain and hit some open stretches that eventually bring you back very close to you starting point for Hwy 68 (mentioned above). This road is pretty demanding most of the way with a couple spots that are a bit easier to let you catch your breathe.
Hwy 30/315 West Ratings
Curves: 4… an impressive array of twisties, particularly when you get away from the waterside roads
Straights: 2… a couple of places where there are few curves and you can “relax” a few minutes
Shifting requirement: Medium… the pace and severity of the curves are not very even. I found myself shifting a lot in the 2nd-3rd-4th range on this road.
Observed Law Enforcement: none… we saw no police on this stretch
Traffic: Medium… We actually did not hit a lot of traffic on this road, but when we did, we were stuck behind it for miles. Without traffic, this road would be a real blast!
OVERALL: 4… a fun run, but I’d definitely take 221 or the Dragon over this one.
Road Run #6 – TN Hwy 165/NC Hwy 143 – Cherohala Skyway
I can sum this one up in three words… Blue Ridge Parkway… it is basically the same thing. Very scenic… a nice, gently winding road… heavily patrolled… touristy.
Cherohala Skyway Ratings
Curves: 3… some nice ones, particularly toward the end going back into NC
Straights: 4… lots of long stretches here and there.
Shifting requirement: Light… you’ll be mainly up in 3rd-4th-and even 5th land on this one
Observed Law Enforcement: Heavy… Be careful out there, people…
Traffic: Medium… but not bad. Mostly, due to the law presence, everyone is moving about the same speed.
OVERALL: 1… Boring… if you are out for scenic, it’s okay (BRP is better), but for a good drive, don’t waste your time.
First, let me say that Tail of the Dragon is everything it is built up to be and more!
... but... if you ever make it up there, don't make the mistake of thinking that is all. There are many great driving roads. Following is a full review. This will be long, so bear with me… you won’t want to doze off anymore here than I would have wanted to on the hairpins this weekend! Morris and I met up around 10:30 on Friday and commenced our journey to Deal’s Gap. On the way, we hit our first twisty road, HWY 221 from Boone to Asheville.
Road Run #1 – HWY 221
This is a great little stretch of road between Boone and Asheville. Plenty of sharp rights and lefts, nice back and forth S-curves, and the occasional straight away. In my opinion, this road really allows you to see what the Z can do. The curves are sharp enough that you have to respect them and the straights allow you to run up through the gears a little. Unfortunately for us, it rained pretty heavily prior to our run on 221. We had to take it easy the first half of the way. After stopping for a photo shoot, we found the road dried out pretty well and we were able to open it up pretty good. Traffic was light and Johnny Law was nowhere to be found. Overall, we stayed mostly in 3rd gear going around 221. Some curves required a downshift to 2nd to have decent revs coming out and on other occasions you could hit 4th on straights. In fact, on some straights, if you don’t hit forth you wind up holding at high revs in 3rd for a pronounced stretch. Overall, a very nice run… and unfortunately, our only fun for the day since the rest of the day was consumed getting to Deal’s Gap.
Hwy 221 ratings…
Curves: 4 (out of 5)
Straights: 3 (out of 5)
Shifting requirement: High (Low, Medium, or High)
Observed Law Enforcement: none (none, light, medium, heavy, or “Don’t Dare Speed!!!”)
Traffic: Light (none, light, medium, heavy, or gridlock)
OVERALL: 5 (our of 5) – a very fun road to drive!
Accomodations – Tapoco Lodge
All I can say is… don’t expect much, you’re in the middle of nowhere at this point. The lodge isn’t a dump, but it’s not the Ritz-Carleton either.
If you are truly here to hit the roads, it is fine. The rooms provide a decent place to sleep, but there is no phone or TV in the rooms, only in the lodge. The lodge food is okay, but pricey unless you get the meal plan… and as we learned, the meal plan does not always guarantee a good meal if you get there late. We actually skipped dinner the second night at the lodge and drove to Robbinsville to eat instead. The downside… the nearest restaurants are about 30 minutes away. On the plus side, the lodge is right at the base of Tail of the Dragon which is a nice place to start the day! Okay, enough of that… Day 2….
Road Run #2 – Tail of the Dragon Uphill
We started Saturday morning by hitting Tail of the Dragon first. Starting at the Tapoco Lodge, you are mostly going up the mountain, so I have dubbed this the Uphill pass. On this first pass, the weather was great and Morris took the lead. The Dragon is absolutely brutal! From beginning to end, you get a non-stop barrage of curves, switchbacks, and hairpins… a very fun road in the Z, but I imagine it is biker’s wet dream come true! There are almost no straights and the ones you do hit are short, so you’re not going to go beyond 3rd gear. On this first pass, I did a lot of bouncing between 2nd and 3rd, often feathering into 2nd on downshifts… so a good bit of clutch action. I believe Morris ran mostly in 2nd. It seems my approach was a bit more prudent on the first go around. Being behind Morris, I had the benefit of seeing what he was doing and being able to shoot the curves based on what I saw him doing. The combination of being the lead car and riding mostly in second took a real toll on Morris’ brakes (neither of us have the Brembos). At the end of the Dragon, we stopped briefly to get our bearings and Morris’s brakes were putting smoking pretty badly from the heat. We promptly hit the road at a relaxed pace to allow them time to cool down. He did say, despite the smoke, he experienced no fade. I had no problems with my brakes at all.
We did this run at around 11am and there was a fair amount of traffic on the Dragon at this time. Most cars that you get behind will pull off and let you by. We did have two instances where we pulled off to create some distance between us and the cars blocking our path, though. No issue with bikes heading our way, but Morris had a few scares around curves with bikes coming very close or slightly across the double yellow. Johnny Law was nowhere to be seen on this run…
Tail of the Dragon Uphill Ratings…
Curves: 5… you want curves, you got ‘em!
Straights: 0… straights?! What straights?
Shifting requirement: Low… an occasional shift to 3rd, but you could theoretically do the whole thing in 2nd.
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Heavy… we had 2 pull-offs to create space
OVERALL: 4 (our of 5) – If your thing is curves, then this is a 6 out of 5. Personally, I like a little more balance. It was a blast, but a road with a few more open stretches would be even better.
We actually did not make a return on TotD this day. Instead, we proceeded into Tennessee and hit what is known as the Telico Plains loop… a series of 4 highways that make a big circle and put big grins on the faces of 350Z drivers who drive them!
Road Run #3 – Hwy 68
This road is the milder version of Hwy 221 describe above. There are some nice curves, but none that really jump up and surprise you. A couple of nice long straight stretches allow you to really get on the accelerator. The scenery is pretty nice and, unlike the two runs described above, you can actually take your eyes off the road long enough to take an appreciative glance at your surroundings.
Hwy 68 Ratings…
Curves: 3… enough to keep you busy, but not a real workout…
Straights: 4… a couple pretty good stretches
Shifting requirement: Low… you actually change gears quite a few times, but not in rapid succession
Observed Law Enforcement: Light… saw one or two cops on this road
Traffic: Light… no significant traffic encountered
OVERALL: 3… this is your average windy road. A fun drive and worth hitting if you already in the area, but not something you would drive hours to take on.
Road Run #4 – Hwy 64 West
From the bottom of Hwy 68 , we caught Hwy 64 West. This road could be really fun… if it weren’t for the traffic and law enforcement!
There seemed to be a nice number of twists and turns to this stretch, but it was hard to get a good feel for it due to all the interruptions to our driving flow. I don’t know if this highway is always this busy or if it was partially due to the Labor Day weekend, but there were a lot of other cars on the road. Also, the highway parallels the Ocoee River… so there were a lot of pull-offs and businesses along the route devoted to the White Water rafting crowd. For the most part, our experience is that this road was nothing more than a connection to our next run. Hwy 64 West Ratings…
Curves: 3… enough to keep you busy, but not a real workout…
Straights: 3… enough to balance out with the curves
Shifting requirement: Low
Observed Law Enforcement: Medium… several sightings on this stretch
Traffic: Heavy… at least 2 instances where we came to a grinding halt as we waited on White Water traffic to clear out of the way.
OVERALL: 1… again, the road has some potential, but the traffic and law killed our fun.
Road Run #5 – Hwy 30 & 315
I put these two together because they pretty much rate the same way. The road winds uphill from Hwy 64 into a national park-like area. After a bit, it breaks out next to a river area where the curves are not as extreme. After a bit, you cut across the river and head back into the hills… and the curves. Finally, you break out of the mountain terrain and hit some open stretches that eventually bring you back very close to you starting point for Hwy 68 (mentioned above). This road is pretty demanding most of the way with a couple spots that are a bit easier to let you catch your breathe.
Hwy 30/315 West Ratings
Curves: 4… an impressive array of twisties, particularly when you get away from the waterside roads
Straights: 2… a couple of places where there are few curves and you can “relax” a few minutes
Shifting requirement: Medium… the pace and severity of the curves are not very even. I found myself shifting a lot in the 2nd-3rd-4th range on this road.
Observed Law Enforcement: none… we saw no police on this stretch
Traffic: Medium… We actually did not hit a lot of traffic on this road, but when we did, we were stuck behind it for miles. Without traffic, this road would be a real blast!
OVERALL: 4… a fun run, but I’d definitely take 221 or the Dragon over this one.
Road Run #6 – TN Hwy 165/NC Hwy 143 – Cherohala Skyway
I can sum this one up in three words… Blue Ridge Parkway… it is basically the same thing. Very scenic… a nice, gently winding road… heavily patrolled… touristy.
Cherohala Skyway Ratings
Curves: 3… some nice ones, particularly toward the end going back into NC
Straights: 4… lots of long stretches here and there.
Shifting requirement: Light… you’ll be mainly up in 3rd-4th-and even 5th land on this one
Observed Law Enforcement: Heavy… Be careful out there, people…
Traffic: Medium… but not bad. Mostly, due to the law presence, everyone is moving about the same speed.
OVERALL: 1… Boring… if you are out for scenic, it’s okay (BRP is better), but for a good drive, don’t waste your time.
Last edited by mcduck; 09-02-2003 at 11:35 AM.
09-02-2003, 11:34 AM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
The other Dragon review (Part 2)
That pretty much ended our Friday. A good night’s sleep on some budget Mexican dinner, then we were off again. Saturday started with a surprise visit from Robert who showed up in a CS 350Z. To oblige Robert’s effort (and because we couldn’t resist doing it again), the three of us headed for Tail of the Dragon!
Road Run #7 – Tail of the Dragon Uphill #2
This time I led and, based on the experience of the prior day, I decided to try a more even pace. As we head up the road, I found 3rd gear and left it there for all but the most radical turns (where I shifted down to 2nd). I found this allowed me to approach the curves quick without having to brake too much going into them, remembering Morris’ smoking brake problem from the prior day. Everything else was as before, except much lighter traffic due to our earlier start. Morris and I agreed that this 2nd run was much better than the first because we had a better idea of how to drive the road. If you ever go, plan a “scouting” run to get a feel for things… makes for a much more enjoyable drive.
Tail of the Dragon Uphill Ratings #2…
Curves: 5… They’re still there daring you to take ‘em!
Straights: 0… still not a one to be found
Shifting requirement: Low… this run was mostly 3rd gear
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Light… and all of it going the other way. We had no stops or delays on the way up.
OVERALL: 4 (our of 5) – see prior rating
Road Run #8 – Tail of the Dragon Downhill
This is pretty much like the other TotD runs, but you will use more brake going back down to Deal’s Gap. Both ways are fun, but I found the uphill a little more enjoyable.
Tail of the Dragon Downhill Ratings… same as Run #7 above
Road Run #9 – Hwy 28
Alas… all good things must come to an end. It was now time to go home, but before we left we found one more road to hit that pointed us in the direction we were going to go anyway. Hwy 28 runs from the base of TotD back into NC. The drive is about as demanding as the Hwy 68 run, but is much more scenic. As we drove on this curvy road with open, tree-covered stretches, I couldn’t help but think that this would be the perfect place to shoot a 350Z commercial. A couple of nice stretches wind along the edge of river/lake, then you begin a gently winding decent out of the mountains. I would label this drive more relaxing than challenging.
Hwy 28 Ratings…
Curves: 3… None too extreme, but enough to keep you happy
Straights: 3… a couple cool straights with very mild S-curves… fun for high speed blasts!
Shifting requirement: Low… Occasional downshift for a curve, but mostly 4th gear driving.
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Light…
OVERALL: 3 (our of 5)
There you have it… the complete Tail of the Dragon and More review… now some pics…
Road Run #7 – Tail of the Dragon Uphill #2
This time I led and, based on the experience of the prior day, I decided to try a more even pace. As we head up the road, I found 3rd gear and left it there for all but the most radical turns (where I shifted down to 2nd). I found this allowed me to approach the curves quick without having to brake too much going into them, remembering Morris’ smoking brake problem from the prior day. Everything else was as before, except much lighter traffic due to our earlier start. Morris and I agreed that this 2nd run was much better than the first because we had a better idea of how to drive the road. If you ever go, plan a “scouting” run to get a feel for things… makes for a much more enjoyable drive.
Tail of the Dragon Uphill Ratings #2…
Curves: 5… They’re still there daring you to take ‘em!
Straights: 0… still not a one to be found
Shifting requirement: Low… this run was mostly 3rd gear
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Light… and all of it going the other way. We had no stops or delays on the way up.
OVERALL: 4 (our of 5) – see prior rating
Road Run #8 – Tail of the Dragon Downhill
This is pretty much like the other TotD runs, but you will use more brake going back down to Deal’s Gap. Both ways are fun, but I found the uphill a little more enjoyable.
Tail of the Dragon Downhill Ratings… same as Run #7 above
Road Run #9 – Hwy 28
Alas… all good things must come to an end. It was now time to go home, but before we left we found one more road to hit that pointed us in the direction we were going to go anyway. Hwy 28 runs from the base of TotD back into NC. The drive is about as demanding as the Hwy 68 run, but is much more scenic. As we drove on this curvy road with open, tree-covered stretches, I couldn’t help but think that this would be the perfect place to shoot a 350Z commercial. A couple of nice stretches wind along the edge of river/lake, then you begin a gently winding decent out of the mountains. I would label this drive more relaxing than challenging.
Hwy 28 Ratings…
Curves: 3… None too extreme, but enough to keep you happy
Straights: 3… a couple cool straights with very mild S-curves… fun for high speed blasts!
Shifting requirement: Low… Occasional downshift for a curve, but mostly 4th gear driving.
Observed Law Enforcement: none
Traffic: Light…
OVERALL: 3 (our of 5)
There you have it… the complete Tail of the Dragon and More review… now some pics…