SCMC/Dragon Run -- October 10, 2010 -- Knoxville, TN

[jdscott74]

Tony asked me to start a thread and gauge interest in this year's Dragon Run, scheduled for Sunday, October 10, 2010, the day after the Ted Russell show in Knoxville, TN.

The Dragon consists of 318 curves in 11 miles and is located on Hwy 129 between TN and NC.

Find out more information about the Dragon by going here, www.tailofthedragon.com (http://www.tailofthedragon.com/).

Last year, after meeting around 7am in west Knoxville, we gathered everyone together and took the ~45 minute trip over to the start of the "Dragon" (Deals Gap, Robbinsville, NC). We'll probably head out early again this year, to beat the crowds to this very popular road.

There's a shop immediately after the twisty bit, so we can catch our breath and buy some souvenirs.

After the curves, things are wide open, depending on the group's wishes and how much time everyone has. We could drive the Cherahola Skyway, like we did last year. We could stop and visit the Fontana Dam. We could head back to Knoxville via the Foothills Parkway. Or do everything and make a full day of it! :D

If you're interested, contact me by e-mail/PM, or by replying below. Let me know how big of a trip you're looking for, and preference on meeting time and location.

If you have questions, shoot those my way too, and I'll do my best to answer them! :thumbsup:

[jdscott74]

For inspiration, here's a link to a few pictures from last year's Dragon Run... :)

http://www.ozzy.net/jdscott/gallery/v/2009/q4/scmc/dragon/

If you go one level up to "SCMC Weekend", you'll also find some pictures from the Ted Russell show, if you're interested.

[manfredi]

We are game for any time to meet and for an all day run! :thumbsup:

[jdscott74]

Let's plan on meeting at 7am on Sunday, at the Krystal on Lovell Road...

410 Lovell Rd, Knoxville, TN 37934-1909 (http://goo.gl/oYgx)

We'll head off toward 129S at 7:30am, drive through the Dragon, and stop just over the TN border, in NC, at the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort (http://www.dealsgap.com/).

After a break for chotchkies and a reverent gaze at the Tree of Shame (http://goo.gl/MhxI), we can make a group decision on what to do after that.


We could take 28 over to the Fontana Dam (http://goo.gl/0iTr), where we can make another pit stop.
Or continue on 129 and head over to 143, ending up at the Cherohala Skyway (165).

(http://www.cherohala.org)
Or simply turn around, run through the Dragon a 2nd time, and take the long way back to Knoxville, through the Foothills Parkway (http://goo.gl/9w0t).
Fontana Dam is a nice site, but a little out of the way. The Cherohala Skyway is a very scenic drive, but sometimes unpredictible, as far as the weather is concerned (last year we saw snow (http://goo.gl/8J1G)!). Driving through the Dragon twice is always fun, and on the way back the photographers (http://www.killboy.com) might be out, since it'll be later in the morning.

I'm flexible. :thumbsup:


See you all this weekend!

[rs16]

Looking forward to the cruise, weather should be excellent.......no snow. Prefer the Cherhola Skyway.

Steve

[SonicBlue]

Re-running the Dragon would be the shortest route back.

Moonshiner 28 to Fontana is a fun ride too - especially if you have room to open it up a little. If we did that, what route would we take home? Back up the Dragon? Or around and through the Park?

Cherohala Skyway is ideal for cruising. What if we took Foothills Parkway to the Dragon and Cherohala back to Knoxville?

[jdscott74]

Good ideas, SonicBlue! I think it'll depend on what time people need to get back to Knoxville, and how much driving everyone wants to do.

A trip there and back would be shortest in miles and time.

But I like your idea of the Foothills Pkwy, Dragon, Cherohala, then back to Knoxville. Lots of great roads, and about a four hour drive, not counting the time we'll spend at the motorcycle resort.

We'd be back around lunch time, probably. 12-1pm, if I had to guess.

[jdscott74]

We made some plans today, at the end of the Ted Russell show...

Most of us will meet up at Krystal @ 7am, as planned. At 7:30am we'll take Pellissippi to 129, past the airport, and a few cars from Maryville will join our parade.

We'll get down to the lake, before the start of the Dragon, and stop at the gravel parking lot on the right (just past the turn for the Foothills Pkwy). This lot has some bathrooms, and will give us a chance to wait for some more people to join us, between 8:30-9:30am. Sounds like we'll have 13-14 cars at this point.

We'll hit the Dragon, stop at the Deal's Gap resort, and then decide what to do next.

I'm leaning toward a straight shot to Cherohala from the Dragon. Then we can take 75 back to Knoxville, and be back in time for a late lunch.

Gas up before you meet up tomorrow! We'll probably run through a full tank, and there's nowhere to get gas in the mountains. See you in the AM!

[cobrabitn]

I hope you guys have a lot of fun and be sure to take photos. Be careful and make sure you get back with your sheet metal intact. Wish I could have stayed overnight but I have to watch Carolina win their first game tomorrow.

A special "thank you" to you Josh for stepping up and making some things happen in eastern TN!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[jdscott74]

Thanks Tony! And thanks for your work in organizing the show yesterday. I really enjoyed it!

We had a great "spirited" drive through the mountains today. We managed to do it all... Foothills Pkwy, Dragon, Fontana Dam, Cherohala Skwy, and lunch.

Thanks to everyone for the help, and sorry for the mix ups at the beginning (missed some folks on 129 after we ended up making a last second change and went to the pkwy, then we got impatient at the gravel lot and missed a car that came at 9:30, after we'd split - luckily everyone caught up in the end!).

The Tellico Plains police even gave us a hand, suggesting a new restaurant after our first choice turned out to be closed. :D

[jdscott74]

Forgot to say we had 19 cars, at the peak. Not bad! :thumbsup:

I'll post a link to my pictures as soon as I can go through them and get them online. I'll stick the link in the "Pics and Video" section, like I did last year.

[SonicBlue]

Here's my pics of the run - as far as Fontana Dam. Had a great time! See y'all next year.

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0002.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0002.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0012-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0012-1.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0027.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0027.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0089-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0089-1.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0095.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0095.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0106.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0106.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0107.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0107.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0108-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0108-1.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0109-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0109-1.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0130.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0130.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0127-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0127-1.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0138.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0138.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0135.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0135.jpg) http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/th_aIMGP0133-1.jpg (http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/Mac-Guy/2010%20SCMC%20Show/aIMGP0133-1.jpg)

[rs16]

Great pix guys, thanks.

I give the day a 99.5. Wish we'd stopped at the top of the Skyway to take in the view, been there a few times but I don't think it's ever been clearer. The wife and I will be there Sunday, weather permitting. :thumbsup:

[manfredi]

We had an amazing time again! 3rd year and can't wait until next year already!!
Thanks for a great day!

[jdscott74]

Pictures from our run through the mountains!

http://www.ozzy.net/jdscott/gallery/v/2010/q4/scmc/dragon/

[Red03]

Great pics guys! Had a blast on Sunday already countin the days until next year.