Off to see the Dragon, need suggestions...

[TK421]

... for a good route through Georgia.

I'm heading to the Deal's Gap area in late March from the Tampa area.  I've got Hawk Hagebak's excellent book for the target area, but I'm looking for suggestions for the ride there.  My current plant is to take 2 days (ok, maybe 1 1/2 days) to get there.  Can anybody suggest any good northbound routes through GA?  

I'd love to hear any suggestions, including routes, any detours I might want to take to find some fun roads, good eats, cool places to stop and see, etc.  The one thing I am already planning is to ride GA 60 when I get to the northern part of the state.

Thanks in advance, all ideas will be appreciated, including tips from you experienced Dragon-slayers!

[HawkH]

Here's an idea to try; Once you get to the Northern part of GA, work your way toward Dahlonega - north of Gainesville, GA. Follow Hwy 60 north to Suches - T.W.O. campground is here and serves lunch "in season". Turn right on Hwy 180 (Wolf Pen Gap Road) and follow it to Hwy 129. Turn left and follow 129 all the way to Deal's Gap.

There are plenty of good roads in North GA, but this one will get you to where you're going.

Ride safely.
Looking to the skies,
Hawk

[TK421]

Here's an idea to try; Once you get to the Northern part of GA, work your way toward Dahlonega - north of Gainesville, GA. Follow Hwy 60 north to Suches - T.W.O. campground is here and serves lunch "in season". Turn right on Hwy 180 (Wolf Pen Gap Road) and follow it to Hwy 129. Turn left and follow 129 all the way to Deal's Gap.

There are plenty of good roads in North GA, but this one will get you to where you're going.

Ride safely.
Looking to the skies,
Hawk

Thanks for the suggestion Hawk.  I was planning to detour to ride GA 60, and will be staying in Robbinsville NC, so that route sounds good.

Are you the author?  If so I must compliment you on your books.  I love how the map/ directions for each section are on facing pages.  It makes a nice one-page photocopy which fits perfectly in my tankbag's map window.

Cheers,
-TK

[solman]

I can suggest to you as what not to do when you get there.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dragon+crashes&search=Search

Also be very careful when/if passing.  I also just watched a video of a Hardley passing on the dragon and ended up going off the road.

[its840]

hey thats l;ooks like a freaking blast!!!!   if you are looking for a partner to ride with i should have my bike done by then let me know... i live in sarasota county...

[Bantana]

From Suches, Ga. GA60 north to TN68 to Tellico Plains. Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville. That is the traditional route from TWO to Deals Gap. Once you visit the dragon take NC28 to Franklin then Wayah (Bald) Road northwest back to 19 west to 129 north back to Robbinsville.

60/68 is a great ride and 28 is very nice. Wayah Road is a good one that always has a little gravel in the corners.

The dragon is worth a few minutes of your time, but there are so many other fantastic roads in the area that are just as good and less crowded.

[TK421]

Thanks Bantana.  Cherohala Skwy is definitely on the list, and I'll take a look at the other roads you suggest.

[El Bandito]

Right on target..  I'd be sure to take 60 from Dahlonega up past t.w.o and continue to Mineral Bluff, take the 60 SPUR (easy to miss!) up to 294, to 68, then the Cherohala.. (age old debate amongst my riding group.. Cherohala or Deal's.... I'll take the Cherohala ANY day!)
 From there you can either shoot up 129 directly to the Gap, or continue on 143 to 28 and head back west to the Gap.
  That's not a bad day of riding, and there's a little campground/motel/store/gas station at the SE end of the Dragon..   Or, Run the Dragon, turn around and run it again, and continue down 28 to Stecoah, NC and crash at the Kickstand Lodge.  Fred and Mo at the Kickstand are pros at hospitality. I can't say enough about my experiences with them and the Kickstand.

 Either way, plan ahead to stop and pick up some beer if you're so inclined.. The spot at the end of the Dragon is in a "dry county".. but there's a lodge-type place right down the hill on 129.. Just south of the big crazy dam..big fancy place, but go around back and there's a tiny little walk-in where you can (sort of illegally) pick up beer to take back to camp.
 Similarly, you have to go to Bryson City or Robbinsville for beer if you stay at the Kickstand.

 If you plan to hang out around the smokies, avoid taking 441 up through the park itself.. it tends to have some pretty heavy traffic and isn't a whole lot of fun.

 As for riding the gap.. there's a lot of nut jobs up there. Ride your own ride. Let the speedfreaks pass you; they'll take you on the double yellow in a heartbeat, and some of them run white-line to white-line making it their own personal track day.  There's a lot of dangerous shit going on up there and if you're not aware and/or careful of it, you canget in some real ugly shit.  
  The Dragon is an interesting road, and lots of fun if you get a good run,, just respect it for what it is and have fun!

  You're heading to one of my (and many other rider's) favorite places on earth. Enjoy!

-EB

[TK421]

Thanks El Bandito, great suggestions.  I think you are dead-on about how to approach the Dragon mentally, and I have no delusions of grandeur about my knee-dragging abilities (or lack thereof.)  I also have no intention of treating a public highway like a race track.  Regrettably, a brief search of youtube shows many don't take the same approach, and unfortunately, we all get lumped in with the idiots by the non-riding public.  Mind you, as a rule I don't care what people think, but reinforcing the negative perception that a lot of people have about sportbikes does have consequences, like bad laws, high insurance rates, etc.

I'm really just looking forward to getting back into the mountains.  I used to live about an hour west of the Blue Ridge Mts. in VA, and living in FL I miss the hills!

[El Bandito]

You know, also don't forget that you can't feel the bass without this modification.. it bumps up another, 3 or 4, quads per channel.. but that's technical talk...


  On a serious note, I just learned last night that Fred at the Kickstand Lodge passed away a couple of weeks ago.. A real loss for humanity. Fred was truly a wonderful person.
 The other side of this loss, of course, is that it has left Mo to run the Kickstand..  So, Please stop and see her if it's at all convenient for you. The Kickstand is a great place to crash (and they even have a "community" beer cooler full of other people's left overs.. buy a bag of ice for a dollar and donate it to the community cooler and drink up!)
 
  And pass it on.. Support the Kickstand Lodge!

   I've made a couple of trips to that area, and will actually be making another one in the first week of April.. You still going to be in the area on April 4th or 5th? Maybe we can hook up for some riding!
  If you have any other routing questions or anything, drop a line!


 *banned domain*.com
-EB

[RobRobinson]

Fellow Sunshine Stater, if you want to get up thru GA on the best backroads, I can help.  Once you get up in that area, the guys above have told you straight about some of the best roads.

One new thought though, it only takes me a day to get from just south of Daytona (Edgewater) to the Dragon area.  Don't even think about longer than that unless you have tentacles.

  [/b]

[orionburn]

Hi-jacking this thread instead of starting another one.

I'm pondering the thought of making a short trip sometime mid-August. I realize it's not the coolest of months to go, but it's the only time frame that will work for me. Basically I have a 3 week window in August before I start up the fall semester at school which is going to be hell. Lot depends on work as well, so right now I'm thinking sometime between Aug 20-24th. Figure during the week would be better since traffic would hopefully be reduced some.

It's about a 500-600 mile trip for me. My plan would be to try and make it down there in a day. Ride the Dragon and surrounding area for a day, then head back the next day (quick 3 day trip). I'd like to stay longer, but budget won't allow for it and I've been putting this off for 3 years now. Have to at least ride the damned thing once  

Main question I have is about lodging down there. I've seen the links on the Deal's Gap website, but looking for personal recommendations from you that have stayed there before. Don't have camping gear (nor the luggage to carry said gear anyway) so looking for a hotel that's cheap but not a flea-bag either.

[speedytriple]

there is a microtel in robbinsville around 40 bucks a night. there is also the san-ran motel right next door mom and pop run clean and around the same price, stayed at both and liked the san ran due to covered pourch that loyd let us pull the bikes under at night and the bike is right outside your window. where as microtel is 3 stories and lot is in front not good for keeping and eye on your ride. there is also the phillips motel in robbinsville, ever consider staying a bit south say in north GA and doing a day ride to the dragon? there is t.w.o they have a bunk house that is clean and cheap also there is high valley right on rt 180 that has nice bunk houses for 40 a night split it with a buddy and it gets as cheap as camping with out the stuff to haul. there is fontana village on 28. and a whole bunch of other places. check on tailofthedragon.com they have a lot of places listed there. the san ran is 18 miles from the gap and my first choice in robbinsville.