Think you're hardcore? THIS is hardcore!

[Indy_Guy_77]

Taming the Dragon in a Kia minivan, baby!

Woot!

-J-

 

[Black_Wolf]

Is that R-129 in NC?

Been there many times.

Wicked piece of pavement.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

He's been to Gatlinburg. If that's what I think it is, I had to replace the brakes on the 2003 Malibu after that.

 

[revolvers&w]

I've seen Bikers wearing "Taming the Dragon T shirts" is that near Gatlingburg?

 

[littletommy]

He's been to Gatlinburg. If that's what I think it is, I had to replace the brakes on the 2003 Malibu after that.

That's why we always rent a car when we head down there.

 

[CountryBoy19]

He's been to Gatlinburg. If that's what I think it is, I had to replace the brakes on the 2003 Malibu after that.

I encountered a road similar to the tail of the dragon on the east side of the park, but it's much shorter, much more curvy, and very little traffic (didn't pass a single car while I was on it).
From Gatlinburg, if you wish to take I40 south, you take 73/231 east out of Gatlinburg. Once you get to 32 you can either follow the signs to I40 and go north, then back south again on I40, or you can follow the stupid GPS and go south on 32. It's only 9 miles to the Interstate right? It took 50 minutes to travel that 9 miles and I don't think I ever got up over 35. I decided to start counting curves, in the last 2 miles I counted 40+ curves. One word of caution, if you follow your GPS it will most likely take you down a one-lane gravel road that is extremely steep and looks like it's right out of some "backwoods horror movie". I was glad that there were two, well-trained, well-armed people in the car JIC. You can continue on 32 if you would like and get to I40.

I think that road would be gorgeous in the fall... It borders the park on the right side (traveling south), and the other side is just like the park almost.

ETA, just counted the curves in the 8.9 miles curvy stretch of 32. I'm not really sure what the definition of a curve is, but I will say it is any time there is a straight stretch that begins to turn, or a turn that changes directions to turn back the opposite way. I got 123 curves in 8.9 miles, that is more than 1 curve per tenth of a mile...

 

[Benny]

***Raises hand***

I'm confused.

 

[7th Stepper]

***Raises hand***

I'm confused.

Bennie, do you actually mean to tell us that you've never seen the classic movie "Deliverance"? Think....Dueling Banjo's. Then think of the phrase... "Let's make him sssqqquuueeelllll like a piggy!"

7th Stepper

 

[Benny]

***Raises hand***

Still confused.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

"Row faster. I hear banjos."

 

[A_Brit_In_Indy]

The dragon is a very cool road, but if you want to be scared try the snake pass in England, now that's a road, However, it's nothing compared to "The Hardknot Pass" in the lake district, took me 45 minutes to do 11 miles (up and down a mountainous road) barely 8 ft wide and I didn't see another car (thank God)

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Benny (and for any of youse in Putnam County),

I'm referring to the Tail of the Dragon, a section of US 129, in East TN near the Smokey Mountain National Park.

Deals Gap, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Roughly 318 curves in 11 miles.

And we drove it 1 & 1/5 times!

We were at Cades Cove getting entirely 100% frustrated with the bumper-to-bumper slow crawl traffic through there. So we bailed out via Parson Branch Road. If anyone dares to visit Cades Cove, I highly urge you to seek out Parson Branch Road and drive it out to US 129. BEAUTIFUL drive. High warning: it's a 1-way gravel/dirt road that fords 15 or so different creek crossings. Wet periods will make this route almost impassible by all passenger cars. It had rained a few days before we were through there - some of the slopes were rather greasy, but all the creek crossings were cake.

Once we got to 129, we headed south to get to the end, made a big loop down through Robbinsville, NC, then headed back up north via another route in order to drive the entire thing S to N.

And yes, for you motorcyclists out there - I pulled over/off as many times as I could in order to let faster vehicles by!

All-in-all, the van did fantastically. Glad that it has a 5-spd "auto stick" transmission. Really saved my breaks that way.

-J-

 

[hotfarmboy1]

Very nice drive! I really want to get my car down there when I get it back together and solid enough I think it will make the trip ok. Although that dirt road sounds like something I'd enjoy driving my bronco through after a nice rain

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Oh... And even more hardcore? I had my 8-month old & wife with me.

1 slept the whole way...1 tried not to throw up.

 

[85t5mcss]

Would love to tame the Dragon in my car, but traffic and local laws prohibit that. Still a nice drive through.

Empty the bladder before starting so you can enjoy it all at once.

Bernie, check out YouTube and you will find vids of bikes and/or Miatas running the Gauntlet.

 

[Smokepole]

Yep, seen it, drove it, enjoyed it, got the T-shirt. Did it this time of year too. Man I love the Gatlinburg area.

 

[Kagnew]

Shoot. That can't compare to the stretch of old 135 through the Milport Knobs between Salem and Brownstown.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

never officially did the dragon, but found lots of roads that made me say "whee" in the maggie valley/cherokee/hayesville areas when i lived in nc. was always on 4 wheels, some faster than others, but lots of fun. almost made my sister puke when she came to visit.

on a semi threadjack, what year sedona, and how do you like it? asking a little late (just picked one up today), but would still like a user review. feel free to pm if you want to keep this on track. thanks

 

[Titanium Man]

Pikes Peak-we took the train so we wouldn't hurt the transmission or burn up the brakes.

 

[Scutter01]

Mountain roads are ridiculously easy to drive without tearing up your brakes. The only time I have a problem is when the guy in front of me doesn't know how to do it and can't keep his foot off his own brakes. People think you can drive them like any other highway but you can't.