The 11.8-mile-long stretch of U.S. Highway 129 that traverses the North Carolina/ Tennessee border, called "The Dragon" by those in the know, is probably the most revered sportbiking road in America. And packing an honest to goodness 318 turns--each more diabolical than the last--into less than 12 miles, it's probably the twistiest stretch of tarmac as well. Laid out like God's own private back road, Ye Ol' Dragon is a seemingly endless succession of impeccably paved, perfectly cambered corners that practically demand you dip a knee or loft the front wheel over the next rise.
If it's soul-stirring sportbike action you're looking for, you'll find plenty at Deals Gap any time between April and November. The cafe at the Crossroads of Time at the south end of the Dragon is constantly packed with serious sportbikers, making it a target-rich environment for benchracing, tire kicking or hooking up for impromptu rides. Just make sure you spoon on fresh tires before you go, pack some extra knee pucks and toe sliders and keep your ego in check--as you can see from many of these photos, this dragon breathes fire.
Not to be confused with the...
Not to be confused with the Hall of Fame is the Tree of Shame standing in front of the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort and Campground. Etiquette says that if you toss your bike at the Gap you don't leave the pieces littering the woods--you pick them up, sign and date them and affix them to this tree.
A yellow Gixxer makes its...
A yellow Gixxer makes its way up aptly named Wheelie Hill.
When you see this sign, you...
When you see this sign, you know you've arrived in sportbike nirvana.
Curves, yes; runoff, no. A...
Curves, yes; runoff, no. A roadside memorial to a fallen rider.
Full racing leathers are a...
Full racing leathers are a common sight (and a good idea) at the Gap. "They oughta just close 129 on both ends, make it one way and station corner workers out there on weekends," was our favorite overheard comment.
Carousel Corner at mile-point...
Carousel Corner at mile-point 5.8.
The sign says it all--packing...
The sign says it all--packing 318 curves in just under 12 miles, the Tail of the Dragon is hardly ever straight. It's also hardly ever flat, hardly ever crowded with cars (though syrup-slow Harleys can be a problem) and nearly perfectly paved. Although there's no speed-limit sign here, you're lucky to ever get your bike up over 60 mph--it's that tight.
A typical afternoon at the...
A typical afternoon at the Pace gas station. Check out the tiny bikes in the far left of the picture--three Yamaha RD60 (as in 60cc) cafe racers, all owned by Jack Parker of nearby Knoxville, Tennessee. These are the perfect tools, Parker says, for slicing and dicing slow-moving lines of Hardly-Ablesons.
Another shot of Wheelie Hill,...
Another shot of Wheelie Hill, an R1 doing the honors this time.
U.S. Highway 129 lies smack...
U.S. Highway 129 lies smack in the heart of Appalachia, with the border between western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee passing at the 11.1-mile mark-roughly 299 turns in, if you're riding the Dragon southbound.
The famous Tail of the Dragon...
The famous Tail of the Dragon Overlook at mile-marker 2.5. Calderwood Dam and man-made Calderwood Lake lie a few hundred feet below. A wise rider slows down and enjoys the view through this section--traffic is always heavy, and it's a common speed trap, too.
Bikes 1, Cops 0; a humorous...
Bikes 1, Cops 0; a humorous posting on the bulletin board inside the gas station at the Gap.
This is absolutely not the...
This is absolutely not the recommended way to break in your brand-new Gixxer: throwing it off a curve. Nail that sucker to the Tree of Shame!
The Dragon claims another...
The Dragon claims another.
Never mind the po-po or the...
Never mind the po-po or the occasional 18-wheeler that mistakenly wanders up U.S. Highway 129, the real enemy of forward progress here is the Harley parade and they never pull over to wave a "rice rocket" past. A one-wheel pass is obviously the only appropriate response.