Deal's Gap, US129, Tail of the Dragon w/e you want to call it..

There's more than a few of us on this board that have been there, and there's a few of us that are in love with the road itself.

Last time I was up at the gap, (Sparta can attest) I was almost run off the road by a semi. I stopped for him and even then he cut across a nearly straight section and would have hit me if I hadn't pull straight right and onto the very edge of the road.

A mile or two later..he hit a lady on a motorcycle.

A few days ago a similar story happened, but the gentleman enjoying everything that this N. Carolina/Tennessee road had to give, was killed by a semi. I share the sentiments that many of the locals have, that all semi's should be REQUIRED by law to have an escort down this road. There is literally no way they can take some of these turns without entering the opposite lane. This is the most reasonable course of action.

Not exactly aligned to this, but close enough, this petition asks that no semi's be allowed and is a great chance to show support for restriction of any kind on US129.

http://www.change.org/petitions/restrict-use-of-us-highway-129-to-non-commercial-vehicles

 

Screw the escorts! Make them find an alternate route around.

If escorts are the only way, the trucking companies should have to pay for it out of their pockets. The local law enforcement should not be doing it for free.

 

wtf there is no way a semi can even drive on this road....i've never seen any when i've gone up there for a ride...thank God

 

I saw one attempting Wolf Pen Gap. I got around him and made sure to flash my headlights at the bikes that were headed his way. The semi driver was grinning like a geeked out monkey!

Are there other roads that have restrictions for semi traffic? How are they enforced and published so that the truckers know not to take them?

 

Well if they would stop having landslides on Interstate 40 then most wouldn't be on 129.

 

The truck drivers usually have no idea what they've stumbled upon until they are there. There's very few places to turn around for them.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=35.43382,-83.693848&spn=1.148005,2.367554&z=9
^^Look at this map. DON'T zoom or anything. Look for the major highways/routes crossing that area. I can see a US 441 to the north. In the middle I see US 129. All other roads could be dirt/shit, why take that chance. So they go US 129, a US highway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_129_map.png


As for the semi on wolf pen..aren't there signs? That isn't really a main road. Also, :clap: for the escort

 

Looks like they should be heading through Telico and down toward Murphy to get around.

 

anyone take 129 all the way down to FL? are the roads that way all the way?

 

Every time I have encountered one there has been an escort or at least someone flagging people to slow down but without that I would have no idea they were there.

They should definitely not allow semi trucks on Tail of the Dragon. I feel just one death should be enough to warrant this change.

 

They know it's there, they ride their Harleys on it

 

Signed

 

yeah im more on the side of making them find alternate routes

ala 285. there are plans for a new interstate that would probably come near there (augusta to knoxville IIRC, I-3) that may eliminate traffic all together.

but thats a big IF

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_3

rumored to possibly REPLACE the dragon according to wiki.

who knows if it will ever happen period

 

Stainless scrap is at an all time high, and well Renault engines can't be worth anymore than any EJ so just scrap that too.

 

are those really all your deloreans? care to sell one?...working or not. i'll get cool points just for having a back to the future car

 

http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html

 

:|

 

Don't forget this one...

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/Orderpage.aspx?pi=04RK012W010000&po=0&pc=74

 

HA! I just noticed this thread... and have kind of a funny story regarding a truck.

My brother briefly drove for trucking company (I *think* it was Landair), and his navi system sent him on the "shortest route" into North Caroline. Yep- it sent him up the dragon, and the poor guy had NO idea what he was getting into until it was too late.

I'll admit, my brother is a Hell of a driver; he has every certification you can think of, and if it has wheels, he'll get it there in one piece. In this case, a complete stranger on a motorcycle passed him and started flagging traffic for him. I think by the time it was over a couple of other bike riders joined in.

He said he stopped somewhere near the end (maybe it was a restaurant?) and a bunch of bikers started applauding him. :rofl: He also remarked he had never been that worn out or driven such a ridiculous road. You can be assured he never followed his Garmin's advice on that route again.

Anyway, yes, many the truckers you see on that route are there by mistake, but once they realize what they've done, there's no turning back.

Last time I was up there I was in a 300ZX tagging along with some Miata enthusiasts. It'd be nice to go back in my WRX eventually. Just seems like it's cop central nowadays, and I'm not in the mood for any speeding tickets.

 

just as paved perfectly?

 

might want to change the wording on that honda boy

 

You should tag along when Matt and I go up that way. We have lots of fun and don't even have to go near the "Dragon".

 

Once we get to know each other better (us129). Getting there. I never have a problem with cops/traffic at night.

 

Better. I followed swede on Nasioc to some town last time I was there in the Subaru. We had way more fun on that road than the Dragon. Matt can probably name the road. We stopped at a restaurant that swede said is almost NEVER open but was this time for us. It was a Sports Bar type restaurant.

 

That's it! That road was VERY FUN.

 

Ah, I've heard stories of better roads, but not as paved in the immediate area.

Honestly, each trip I've taken up there has had added some personal meaning to. I've driven on better roads, but there's more than that and it's kind of hard to argue without saying "you had to be there". It becomes more subjective once you throw in driving style and character of the road.

 

You didn't go up on my last run or december run (not mentioning the other), I wouldn't know how well that actually means you know it.

 

That's it...enough of this "my road is better bs". I guess we have to go up...drive all of them...then decide. That seems like the only way to really settle this.

 

:naughty:

 

Is this a 4T thread? What's going on here. Matt you need to share these roads.

 

Wayah Rd runs from 19/74 down to Hwy 68 just west of Franklin,NC. It is between the US129 and US28 intersections on 19/74.

Not hard to find honestly.

 

Here is a video of Wayah done at 500% speed. I will upload the normal speed version later today or tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQPxOcamZ4M

I am not the one filming. This was one of the Orlando crew that went up this past spring at the same time Matt and I went.

 

looks like a great cruising road. Like i said before, i think it depends on what you intend to do on the section of road. 70% of that had houses/cabins/people lining the sides within close proximity. The 500% speed increase makes me wonder how long those curves were too.

If you upload normal, just do like 5:00->7:00, that section looked good

 

I already have the video to upload at normal speed encoded. I will upload tomorrow.

 

Posted below...

 

video is private

 

Yeah, I forgot to change it. It should be working now.


Also, Premiere did something screwy to the video. I am re-encoding and will upload the fixed one tomorrow.

 

Ok, the complete run is uploading. I will post a link later. I hate it when Premiere does stuff like that and I don't catch it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIN7iUcrBbM