Most liked posts in thread: Another Person's View of The Tail Of The Dragon

wow, not sure where to start. I don't believe he is from the area, as the reference to the locals is not written in a tongue-in-cheek way, to my reading of it. It's very mean spirited, and completely untrue.

he obviously does not know how to drive a road such as the Dragon, "slamming on the brakes as you come into the next curve....you never get above 40mph"...running the Dragon is like a dance and rhythm is everything. The writer obviously does not understand what eyes-up driving is, looking well past the apex entry at all times. If you ever have to "slam on the brakes" when driving the Dragon, please get somewhere else as quickly as possible, as you are making it a dangerous drive for anyone around you.

IMO, The Dragon is a test of your ability to properly execute the handling dynamics of the vehicle you are in/on. It's an intense mental workout, and if done properly gives a strong sense of accomplishment when you are done. I know of nowhere else in the US that can provide such a test in a secluded environment-11 miles of NO intersecting roads/driveways, containing virtually every kind of sequence of turns and road undulations you will ever encounter, all in one place.

I have never driven the Dragon on a weekend or even on a weekday during the Summer months....Always in the late spring or early fall, during the week...any other times, of course, there will be traffic and a few "tourists", wondering what it is all about, and I have done it on both 2 and 4 wheels.

For pure driving entertainment(and a chance to actually look up from the road to see the scenery!), there are definitely better roads around the area. "The Moonshiner", RT 28 down to South Carolina is by far my personal favorite.

To me, The Dragon is one very exciting element of a driving vacation that takes several days to fully appreciate.

 

Well first he was a Porsche guy, that explains his arrogant treatment of the locals, and second a writer, which means he likes to hear himself.

Either way the Dragon is not a great road like the others nearby, but it is a challenge to drive and that is what makes it special.

If he was going there to drive like a maniac I would see his disappointment, but as a so called "car guy" to not even know the number of the road, no research, what a dumb ass....

 

It's entertaining writing and he has a point. It's not such a great road for many of the reasons he mentioned.

During MOTD I don't drive it after Wend AM till I leave unless I need to transit someplace else, like a donut run. There are so many other great roads in the area that fixating on that on 11 mile bit I think is silly.

 

I agreed with the writer, with the exception of speaking badly about local folks who have been so kind to us over the years.

As far as I am concerned the Dragon's fame has ruined it. Lots of great roads in the area, hope they don't gain the "fame" the Dragon has. :fingerscrossed:

 

Nice article but rather stupid. If said "author" would take on the Dragon during the week, he might find it more to his liking. If he would drive it early in the morning, before all the bikers and sightseers come out, again, he might find it enjoyable. Most of the cops are in abundance after an accident, but, hey, it's their job to protect the populace and uphold the speed limits...right?

Expecting to sail on through the Dragon on a weekend is just plain stupid. He has had access to some great vehicles but seems planted in his opinion that the Dragon is bad because of the traffic he has encountered during peak times of the day.

I agree that there are scads of other roads to motor on in the area, and that's why I take the Dragon on my way in to Fontana, and on my way out to my home. The other area roads are the ones that enthuse me in the meantime.

 

Sounds to me like he is stuck on himself. he si right there are a lot of great roads around the Tail that are more fun to drive. The Tail is what got those other roads noticed so if you go to the area you can't just drive around it, gots to go down it at least once while there. He must of been driving that landrover since he never got over 40mph!!!

 

Doug Demuro, I've enjoyed reading his stuff on other sites. I mostly agree with him about the Dragon, drop a 100-mile radius circle around the Dragon and there's SO many good roads to try instead.

From his other writing, he's either a longer-term southeast resident (ATL and north GA) or a native, so probably figures it's all in fun etc.

 

It seems like much of that article was written with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. It seems like I read three or four articles a year now about why the best driving roads aren't. The one about the Stelvio Pass on Jalopnik actually had some valid criticisms, whereas this one really just seems like a rant from a guy who got a speeding ticket and doesn't like hillbillies.

 

I found the article to be fairly accurate......mostly. :wink:

He did mention the surrounding roads as a much better alternative.

 

If I remember correctly the Dragon was pretty well an unknown road except to motorcycle crowds until Southern Living magazine did an article on it and the surrounding area. Some 15-20 years ago. Has gained in popularity ever since. Getting harder and harder to not run up one someone while on it.

 

I think of the Dragon like any other attraction (amusement parks, museums, etc.) - if you go over the weekend, it's going to be busy with both enthusiasts and the casually interested. If you're serious about getting the most out of it, you'll go on a weekday or in the early morning or late evening.

It's still a great road, and there are few others truly like it from a technical perspective. The traffic and popularity don't change that, they just make it more difficult to enjoy.