Tail of the Dragon - Fall Run
07-15-2011, 07:37 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: North Carolina
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Tail of the Dragon - Fall Run
Please forgive the length of the post - but I didn't know how to make it shorter and get all the details in. 
After we making the Diamondback run last Saturday I began thinking about planning a trip to drive the Tail of the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles). This will be a long day as it is 180 miles from Hickory to Robbinsville. I have looked at a couple options for the trip. One is drive out and run the Tail of the Dragon, turn around and drive it from the other direction (636 curves in 22 miles). The other option is to continue on to the Foothills Parkway going into Pigeon Forge, back through Gatlinburg and back home that way.
After we drove Diamondback we had lunch in Marion, NC and met a very nice couple from NC Stangs. They meet every Saturday night at Denny’s on Patton Ave. in Asheville. I thought since we are in the area, we could stop and hang out with them for the evening. They usually meet at 6.
Now the tough part, as noted above it is 180 miles to Tail of Dragon, whether we make the round trip through Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg or double back on the Tail of the Dragon it will be a 400 mile day. We have the option of spending the night somewhere in Asheville (if there is interest I will be glad to work on that as well).
If we left Hickory around 9 -9:30, we would be at the Tail of the Dragon around 1:00 depending on stops. We will go by Fontana Lake and can stop along the way for photo ops. We should have plenty of time and if we go the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg route we could stop somewhere along the way there as well. I would think our first stop would be just after we exited off of 1-40 at exit 27. This would be a good meet up spot for others coming from a different direction.
I thought if we went after Labor Day it would give people plenty of time to plan and it should be quite a bit cooler. I was thinking before the leaves changes as it will be so crowded then. Labor Day is on the fifth this year. So, the Saturdays after Labor Day are 9/10, 9/17 and 9/24. Give this some thought, offer opinions, other plans, etc. This is just to get us thinking about another great day of Mountains and Mustangs.
After we making the Diamondback run last Saturday I began thinking about planning a trip to drive the Tail of the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles). This will be a long day as it is 180 miles from Hickory to Robbinsville. I have looked at a couple options for the trip. One is drive out and run the Tail of the Dragon, turn around and drive it from the other direction (636 curves in 22 miles). The other option is to continue on to the Foothills Parkway going into Pigeon Forge, back through Gatlinburg and back home that way.
After we drove Diamondback we had lunch in Marion, NC and met a very nice couple from NC Stangs. They meet every Saturday night at Denny’s on Patton Ave. in Asheville. I thought since we are in the area, we could stop and hang out with them for the evening. They usually meet at 6.
Now the tough part, as noted above it is 180 miles to Tail of Dragon, whether we make the round trip through Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg or double back on the Tail of the Dragon it will be a 400 mile day. We have the option of spending the night somewhere in Asheville (if there is interest I will be glad to work on that as well).
If we left Hickory around 9 -9:30, we would be at the Tail of the Dragon around 1:00 depending on stops. We will go by Fontana Lake and can stop along the way for photo ops. We should have plenty of time and if we go the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg route we could stop somewhere along the way there as well. I would think our first stop would be just after we exited off of 1-40 at exit 27. This would be a good meet up spot for others coming from a different direction.
I thought if we went after Labor Day it would give people plenty of time to plan and it should be quite a bit cooler. I was thinking before the leaves changes as it will be so crowded then. Labor Day is on the fifth this year. So, the Saturdays after Labor Day are 9/10, 9/17 and 9/24. Give this some thought, offer opinions, other plans, etc. This is just to get us thinking about another great day of Mountains and Mustangs.
07-15-2011, 10:51 AM
#2
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 7,051
I forgot a couple links you might find useful-
http://www.tailofthedragon.com/
and
http://www.ncstangs.net/
http://www.tailofthedragon.com/
and
http://www.ncstangs.net/
07-16-2011, 07:37 PM
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 7,051
Robin with NC Stangs said they are going to do a Tail of the Dragon run in October. I think all that want to should just join in with them, she said they had about 20 cars the last time they had the run. She should have a date in the next day or so, once she lets me know I will post it.
07-29-2011, 01:54 PM
#9
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Just heard from the NC Stangs group.
They have set their date for the Tail of the Dragon run for October 15th. We will be meeting and leaving from Denny's on Patton Ave. in Asheville at 10:00.
If we have a group from the Hickory area I would guess we would want to leave the area about 8:30 (no later). I did not get many specific details on what they had planned, but there will be several photo stops on the way including Fontana dam. I iwll update as I hear more or you can check their Facebook page.
This will be a full day trip. For those who want to spend the night in the area, NC Stangs has a discounted rate at Fontana Village Resort - just ask for their rate.
Let me know your thoughts. I hope we can get a group together - this really sounds like a fun day.
They have set their date for the Tail of the Dragon run for October 15th. We will be meeting and leaving from Denny's on Patton Ave. in Asheville at 10:00.
If we have a group from the Hickory area I would guess we would want to leave the area about 8:30 (no later). I did not get many specific details on what they had planned, but there will be several photo stops on the way including Fontana dam. I iwll update as I hear more or you can check their Facebook page.
This will be a full day trip. For those who want to spend the night in the area, NC Stangs has a discounted rate at Fontana Village Resort - just ask for their rate.
Let me know your thoughts. I hope we can get a group together - this really sounds like a fun day.
07-29-2011, 02:14 PM
#10
If you have never been to TOTD or the surround Blue Ridge Parkway area, I HIGHLY suggest it!
Some of the most scenic, beautiful and fun roads I have ever driven are in the TN/NC Blue Ridge Mountains!
Have fun everyone and make sure you keep your brakes, fluids and tires serviced as, depending upon how you drive, the Dragon can eat right through them!
Some of the most scenic, beautiful and fun roads I have ever driven are in the TN/NC Blue Ridge Mountains!
Have fun everyone and make sure you keep your brakes, fluids and tires serviced as, depending upon how you drive, the Dragon can eat right through them!