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It’s
a good thing road builders used to go around mountains
instead of just moving them like they do nowadays; otherwise,
there wouldn’t be many good motorcycle roads. Of course,
these road builders of the past tried to take the easiest
way around, turning and twisting, and finally cresting the
pass at one of the “gaps” in the mountain. That’s
why, at least in the Southeast, we have all these places with
gap in the name: Newfound Gap, Deep Gap, Aho Gap, Tuggle Gap,
Deals Gap. Ah, that last gap caught your interest, didn’t
it? Unless you are brand new to motorcycling, you have probably
heard of Deal's Gap and the famous Dragon with its 318 curves
in 11 miles. Maybe the most famous motorcycle road in the
United States, Deal's Gap attracts riders from all over the
world who come to test their skills on its long and winding
tail. It has been called the curviest road in the world.
Bordering
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at its
southwestern end, the Dragon begins just southeast of the
Foothills Parkway and roughly parallels Calderwood Lake until
US 129 intersects with NC 28. This is where The Crossroads
of Time Motorcycle Campground is located along with Sport
Touring Accessories, a business that caters to two-wheeled
enthusiasts. This stopping off point is where riders gather
to talk with their friends and often make new ones. Be sure
to check out the “Tree of Shame,” a makeshift
shrine to all of the bikes the Dragon has claimed. Maybe
if you are unlucky enough, you can hang a formerly expensive
piece of motorcycle bodywork on this tree and take your place
as one of the many who have been bitten by the Dragon.
 At
the northwestern end of the Dragon is a pull-off known
as “The Overlook.” This is the other gathering
place for riders (and sometimes police). It overlooks Calderwood
Dam and is one of the most spectacular views you could ever
hope to see. In between these two gathering places lies one
extra-swervy, newly-paved piece of asphalt. Turns of every
imaginable configuration await: decreasing radius, increasing
radius, on camber, off camber, esses. You name it and the
Dragon has it. An interesting feature of the Dragon is that
the changes in elevation are spread out over a long distance
giving the road more of a racetrack feel than a mountain-road
feel. But don’t be seduced into riding this road like
you would a track. Even a small mistake can result in a short
trip through the air (a la Superman), followed by a sudden
stop, followed by a longer trip through the air as you are
airlifted out by helicopter to the hospital in Knoxville,
an all too frequent occurrence of late. What’s such
great fun about the Dragon is the opportunity the road presents
to practice smooth cornering, precise lines, and severe lean
angles, all the while staying within sight of the recently
lowered speed limit (on the Tennessee side) of thirty miles
per hour. What’s not so much fun is the stepped-up law
enforcement that has occurred over the summer of 2002. Due
to the large number of severe crashes, some of them fatal,
Tennessee lowered the speed limit on 129 in Blount County
to 30 mph and increased both marked and un-marked patrols
along the Dragon, even running a sting operation using an
un-marked car and a video camera. This netted a large number
of riders who got busted for “Drag Racing”, a
major moving violation in the state of Tennessee. But all
is not lost; law enforcement activities are mostly limited
to the weekends in the warmer months, when bike traffic is
the heaviest, and a weekday run through the Dragon will not
only leave you exhilarated, but mostly alone except for the
occasional bike or automobile.
The
Dragon is close to Knoxville (home of the Honda Hoot),
Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge. All of these cities make great
places to stay and offer much to do as well as great restaurants.
For the more hardcore riders, Fontanna Village, The Cross
roads of Time Motorcycle Campground and Motel, and Robbinsville
NC, offer accommodations that are closer to the Dragon and
cheaper. No matter where you choose to stay, or what you choose
to ride, a trip to Deals Gap NC on two wheels is an absolute
must. At least once in your lifetime you have to make this
pilgrimage. Your less fortunate friends will be in awe, pestering
you for details of your trip to the Dragon. “What’s
it Like” they’ll ask. “Is it as great as
everybody says?” “Does it really have 318 curves
in 11 miles?” “Yes, yes, yes” you’ll
say, and at every retelling, you’ll get to relive your
trip to the Dragon, embellishing your story and establishing
yourself as a “Dragon Slayer”.
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