My Trip to the Dragon Pt 3

Apparently, I am not the first person to break my shift lever on the Dragon. Wheeler's Cycle back towards Robbinsville was just closing up as I got there right before 7pm Saturday night and had a new lever for me. Change it out and I back in business with the only casualties being my ego and a few scrapes on my boot from shifting without the peg.

Got up early and got a nice shot of the lake as I am headed back up. Really like the colors across the still water.



Made the Dragon without incident this time (passed like 6 bikes total at 8:30am) and got a picture of the dam.



The lake looks nice, but no swimming. The sign said so.



So heading up to the skyway there is a pretty red bridge, somehow I managed not to stare at it and run off the road.



Got a little foggy on the Skyway.



But what, me worry?



This has to be safe right? What could go wrong?



So after another run over the Dragon and back, I head home via 28, got a nice picture of the water station on the way home. Lots of great roads but decided to do more riding and less taking pictures.

My Trip to the Dragon Pt 2

So here's where it gets stupid. Or I get stupid at least. Keep in mind I have been on the road for about 8 hours, it's like 6pm and I figure I would get a quick run in before I set up camp.

I head up, enjoy a few turns and pass Deal's Gap, then see a sign for Dragon Works and I decide I need to look and see what it was (nothing, a stupid utility shed!). Look back to the road and Hey, what's that? The road turns to the left. Turns? Who could have imagined those on a road called Tail of the Dragon?

So remembering all my careful training, I realize the best thing to do is to slam on the brakes and fishtail the back end straight off into the gravel where I manage a cool BMX slide to a stop. The bike is leaning about 50 degrees when I stop and I decide it must be tired, so I lay it gently down on it's side. ****, quick, pick it up before anyone comes along and sees you! OK, that's better. Decided to exercise the better part of valor and turn around to set up camp for the night. First shift and the lever breaks off, must have bent it when I set it down. I wasn't even moving at the time! Not a scratch on the bike but the lever breaks off, grumble... Alright, turn around and get a couple pics for you guys to mock (who needs self esteem, right?)

Look, shiny red sign! You can just see my tire track off the road...



Speaking of the road, maybe I should look at that?



Note the cool S shaped fishtail in the gravel before I slide to the right. Nice, huh?



So my consolation prize is that I found a great campsite right on the lake and got to watch a beautiful sunset across the water.

My Trip to the Dragon Pt 1

I managed to get the weekend free and rather than mow the yard or do any of the other 1000 things I need to do, I decided I would head over to the dragon and do some riding.

So started out Saturday morning, not looking like a great start being drizzling out but it cleared up I was packed, let's go.



Headed into Franklin, NC. Great roads and not too much traffic.



Stopped and had lunch in Highlands, NC. Funny town, it's basically a hoighty toighty little town in the middle of the mountains. Had lunch at a nice little Inn. This early '70s Rolls Royce gives you an idea of the type of town it is. Awesome burger and the beer was great too (yes I had a beer, bite me).






Hey so I finally made it. Here's the plant at the bottom.