To Dragon or not to Dragon...
#26
07-30-2007, 04:21 PM
#28
07-30-2007, 04:41 PM
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#29
07-30-2007, 04:50 PM
#30
07-30-2007, 04:55 PM
4th Gear
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I downshifted in sport manual mode between 2nd and 3rd, using the brakes as little as possible. Smooth was definitely safer, and less vomit inducing, than braking. I was amazed at the constant brake lights I saw on the 325i I was following.
#31
07-30-2007, 07:35 PM
That's a great post..
I live about 2 hours away. I'm there quite a bit... more and more lately. A few tips from locals (most of these have been given to me by some one else)
1) Don't cross the line. It's tougher then it sounds. Generally you will find yourself not crossing it but getting quite close. A good tipe is to watch the white line instead to judge your cornering line.
2) There have been police every weekend about half way down for the last few weeks. They pretty much are there to remind people to slow down but will give you a hard time if you ask for it.
3) Don't base your stopping distances off of any car in front of you. A lot of decreasing radius corners... Lots of modified cars out there means that there is no one size fits all way to drive it... trust no one but yourself
4) The first time through take it easy. Don't get on it as hard as you might like. This will help for multiple reasons as it's as close to "walking the track" as you are gonna get. many people over heat there brakes here when if they knew the corners a bit better they wouldn't need nearly as much brake force.
5) slow your butt down near the lookout. Lots of action going on there... people turning around... even if it looks clear just creap through.
6) don't let people behind you push you to drive faster. They may stay close to you. There is a general understanding that it's not really tailgating here. just ignore them and watch in front of you. if they are genuinly faster wait for an appropriate time to let them by. In doing so slow down so they can pass quickly and just point your left index finger out the driver side window. They will know what it means. A blinker before you dive to a pull off is a big help. As mean as it sounds... the burden of the pass is on them if you do these things... if they pull out and meet some one coming head on... you have done what you can... hold your lane and brake as safely as possible... you dodging to the ditch means you go down about 100-200 feet in some places.
7) pull offs... Very hot brake parts... nicely surfaced road... pumping addrenaline... transition to gravel. All the makings of a crappy situation... Be very very carefull
8) going towards nc is much harder then going towards tn... going up is easier to have fun doing... going down can be interesting if you find a little push in some of those decreasing radius hairpins.
9) if your bake pedal starts to push to the floor... do not put your hand brake on when you are cooling off @ the top of bottom... don't ask me how i get reminded of this by my own stupidity often.
10) have fun... be safe, make sure it isn't at the epense of locals. It's a playground to a lot of us... a road to others. It's not really rude to remind people of the rules... but some people are just passing through.
11) extension of #10... There are 2 things you need to watch for with the on comming bikers... they will signal when something scary is going on... sitting up straight and tapping their head... means police officer ahead... A slow riding rider sitting up waving his arms or again tapping his head... can also mean a semi is coming through. They commonly escort them because these a-holes will take up both lanes on just about every corner.
1) Don't cross the line. It's tougher then it sounds. Generally you will find yourself not crossing it but getting quite close. A good tipe is to watch the white line instead to judge your cornering line.
2) There have been police every weekend about half way down for the last few weeks. They pretty much are there to remind people to slow down but will give you a hard time if you ask for it.
3) Don't base your stopping distances off of any car in front of you. A lot of decreasing radius corners... Lots of modified cars out there means that there is no one size fits all way to drive it... trust no one but yourself
4) The first time through take it easy. Don't get on it as hard as you might like. This will help for multiple reasons as it's as close to "walking the track" as you are gonna get. many people over heat there brakes here when if they knew the corners a bit better they wouldn't need nearly as much brake force.
5) slow your butt down near the lookout. Lots of action going on there... people turning around... even if it looks clear just creap through.
6) don't let people behind you push you to drive faster. They may stay close to you. There is a general understanding that it's not really tailgating here. just ignore them and watch in front of you. if they are genuinly faster wait for an appropriate time to let them by. In doing so slow down so they can pass quickly and just point your left index finger out the driver side window. They will know what it means. A blinker before you dive to a pull off is a big help. As mean as it sounds... the burden of the pass is on them if you do these things... if they pull out and meet some one coming head on... you have done what you can... hold your lane and brake as safely as possible... you dodging to the ditch means you go down about 100-200 feet in some places.
7) pull offs... Very hot brake parts... nicely surfaced road... pumping addrenaline... transition to gravel. All the makings of a crappy situation... Be very very carefull
8) going towards nc is much harder then going towards tn... going up is easier to have fun doing... going down can be interesting if you find a little push in some of those decreasing radius hairpins.
9) if your bake pedal starts to push to the floor... do not put your hand brake on when you are cooling off @ the top of bottom... don't ask me how i get reminded of this by my own stupidity often.
10) have fun... be safe, make sure it isn't at the epense of locals. It's a playground to a lot of us... a road to others. It's not really rude to remind people of the rules... but some people are just passing through.
11) extension of #10... There are 2 things you need to watch for with the on comming bikers... they will signal when something scary is going on... sitting up straight and tapping their head... means police officer ahead... A slow riding rider sitting up waving his arms or again tapping his head... can also mean a semi is coming through. They commonly escort them because these a-holes will take up both lanes on just about every corner.
#32
07-30-2007, 09:24 PM
What I wrote for the Mercury Marauder forum in 2003:
Too much fun!
So, I’m in Tennessee and one of my goals is to get up to the Smokey Mountains and drive the Marauder on a stretch of US 129 called the “Tail of the Dragon” http://tailofthedragon.com/ This stretch of road is well banked and paved and boasts 318 curves in 11 miles.
Monday was driving rain all day but Tuesday came up clean and clear. The wife and I drove up to Gatlinburg on Monday night so that she could get an early start on shopping. Gatlinburg may be one of the major centers of crap distribution in this country. With a target rich environment like that you can sleep easy knowing that she didn’t go away empty handed.
She finished shopping and we left town to the sound of shop owners crying and asking her to hurry back. We filled up the car (thank God and Shell for credit cards) and headed south on the Foothills Parkway.
The Foothills Parkway is a very nice piece of pavement. It’s scenic and well maintained with light traffic. There are scenic overlooks periodically. Some of them were spectacular in the clear air following the rain.
I drove briskly but not fast enough to get a squeak out of the passenger seat. I don’t think that the tires squealed once.
The Foothills Parkway ends at US 129 where you head west into Tennessee or east into North Carolina. 129 is much twistier than the parkway.
Eastern Tennessee is interesting in that most of the major roads run fairly straight from northeast to southwest, paralleling the ridges. These are linked occasionally by very twisty roads that run east/west. US 129 is one of these.
After a few miles of 129 where I began to warm up the tires and brakes we reached the overlook that is considered to be the start of the Tail of the Dragon. When I arrived there were 4-5 motorcycles and a newer BMW 3 series. The bikers were from Michigan and we chatted while I waited for the Bimmer to start his run. The record from the overlook to the store, 9 miles away is 11 minutes on a motorcycle. I had no idea what the MM would do but I knew that it would do it better without the wife in the car. Where to leave her without causing a fight?
I gave the Bimmer three minutes and went in chase. We pushed hard, but smart. I didn’t know the road and didn’t have a rhythm yet. My wife wasn’t yelling yet so I know that I wasn’t as fast as I could go.
This is the only car I’ve ever driven where my speed was limited by the seats. As large as I am I was sliding around and could not stay centered in the seat. I don’t know what the skinny guys do. When I arrived at the little store 16 minutes later I knew that I had to fix that problem.
I offered my wife the chance to wait at the store and have a Coke. Then I went into the luggage in trunk and grabbed a couple sweatshirts from the suitcase. I rolled them into a sausage and jammed them between me and the console and between me and the door. Now we have something.
I promised to be right back, rolled the windows down, and turned up Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Growl” on the stereo. I waved, clicked the OD defeat switch, did a mild brake torque and headed back toward the overlook.
The first few corners aren’t too tight, enabling you to build up a rhythm and get comfortable tossing the car around. By the time I hit Crud Corner, a very tight 180 degree left hander, I was getting into it. You can see across this corner and down the road for a few hundred feet. Entering Crud is slightly downhill. The front tires made a little noise as the corner tightened and it began to understeer. Then I floored it and the rear came around gently and we were in a nice four wheel drift for a hundred feet or so.
After Crud is one of the longest straits. It may be 600 feet long. I think I may have hit 65 mph by the time I had to brake hard but I was too busy to tell. A little over 2 miles down the road is a left-right-left combination with a rock wall on your right. Hearing the exhaust screaming in the right window and seeing the rock blur past is very invigorating.
Anyway, about 2.5 miles down the road is where I scared myself. There is a left hander, about 30 degrees or so, with a hump at the apex. The road falls away, just when you need the traction the most. This was the only place that I wondered if I was doing the right thing.
After that everything became a blur of trees, rock, G-forces and screaming V8. I arrived at the overlook 15 minutes later with a big stupid grin and real feeling of accomplishment. I parked the car and got out to drink a bottle of water and talk to some of the guys waiting there. One of the bikers said that he heard me coming down the hill to the overlook and wonder what was making that noise.
A few minutes after I arrived at the overlook we heard a motorcycle coming down the hill fast. We listened to the tires and this beautiful engine note. When he came into sight we saw a scarred Ducati 998 ridden by a smallish guy with ragged leathers. He looked like he rode hard. It turns out that he is a local and rides this road a lot. He was doing the road right.
After I finished the water it was time to head back and get the wife. I left when I hadn’t seen anyone leave for while but I must have missed someone. Just before Hog Pen I saw two full dress bikes ahead. Quicker than I would have believed I was on them and they were aware of me. They sped up, embarrassed that a car had caught up with them. Soon they were getting sparks from the footpegs and I was still gaining on them. Too cool.
They slowed down and let me pass and I floored the big black car and left them looking at the bumper.
Coming back across that hump was less dramatic than the first time. I made it back to the store in 13.5 minutes.
I can’t recommend this drive enough. It is the most fun you can have with your pants on.
So, I’m in Tennessee and one of my goals is to get up to the Smokey Mountains and drive the Marauder on a stretch of US 129 called the “Tail of the Dragon” http://tailofthedragon.com/ This stretch of road is well banked and paved and boasts 318 curves in 11 miles.
Monday was driving rain all day but Tuesday came up clean and clear. The wife and I drove up to Gatlinburg on Monday night so that she could get an early start on shopping. Gatlinburg may be one of the major centers of crap distribution in this country. With a target rich environment like that you can sleep easy knowing that she didn’t go away empty handed.
She finished shopping and we left town to the sound of shop owners crying and asking her to hurry back. We filled up the car (thank God and Shell for credit cards) and headed south on the Foothills Parkway.
The Foothills Parkway is a very nice piece of pavement. It’s scenic and well maintained with light traffic. There are scenic overlooks periodically. Some of them were spectacular in the clear air following the rain.
I drove briskly but not fast enough to get a squeak out of the passenger seat. I don’t think that the tires squealed once.
The Foothills Parkway ends at US 129 where you head west into Tennessee or east into North Carolina. 129 is much twistier than the parkway.
Eastern Tennessee is interesting in that most of the major roads run fairly straight from northeast to southwest, paralleling the ridges. These are linked occasionally by very twisty roads that run east/west. US 129 is one of these.
After a few miles of 129 where I began to warm up the tires and brakes we reached the overlook that is considered to be the start of the Tail of the Dragon. When I arrived there were 4-5 motorcycles and a newer BMW 3 series. The bikers were from Michigan and we chatted while I waited for the Bimmer to start his run. The record from the overlook to the store, 9 miles away is 11 minutes on a motorcycle. I had no idea what the MM would do but I knew that it would do it better without the wife in the car. Where to leave her without causing a fight?
I gave the Bimmer three minutes and went in chase. We pushed hard, but smart. I didn’t know the road and didn’t have a rhythm yet. My wife wasn’t yelling yet so I know that I wasn’t as fast as I could go.
This is the only car I’ve ever driven where my speed was limited by the seats. As large as I am I was sliding around and could not stay centered in the seat. I don’t know what the skinny guys do. When I arrived at the little store 16 minutes later I knew that I had to fix that problem.
I offered my wife the chance to wait at the store and have a Coke. Then I went into the luggage in trunk and grabbed a couple sweatshirts from the suitcase. I rolled them into a sausage and jammed them between me and the console and between me and the door. Now we have something.
I promised to be right back, rolled the windows down, and turned up Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Growl” on the stereo. I waved, clicked the OD defeat switch, did a mild brake torque and headed back toward the overlook.
The first few corners aren’t too tight, enabling you to build up a rhythm and get comfortable tossing the car around. By the time I hit Crud Corner, a very tight 180 degree left hander, I was getting into it. You can see across this corner and down the road for a few hundred feet. Entering Crud is slightly downhill. The front tires made a little noise as the corner tightened and it began to understeer. Then I floored it and the rear came around gently and we were in a nice four wheel drift for a hundred feet or so.
After Crud is one of the longest straits. It may be 600 feet long. I think I may have hit 65 mph by the time I had to brake hard but I was too busy to tell. A little over 2 miles down the road is a left-right-left combination with a rock wall on your right. Hearing the exhaust screaming in the right window and seeing the rock blur past is very invigorating.
Anyway, about 2.5 miles down the road is where I scared myself. There is a left hander, about 30 degrees or so, with a hump at the apex. The road falls away, just when you need the traction the most. This was the only place that I wondered if I was doing the right thing.
After that everything became a blur of trees, rock, G-forces and screaming V8. I arrived at the overlook 15 minutes later with a big stupid grin and real feeling of accomplishment. I parked the car and got out to drink a bottle of water and talk to some of the guys waiting there. One of the bikers said that he heard me coming down the hill to the overlook and wonder what was making that noise.
A few minutes after I arrived at the overlook we heard a motorcycle coming down the hill fast. We listened to the tires and this beautiful engine note. When he came into sight we saw a scarred Ducati 998 ridden by a smallish guy with ragged leathers. He looked like he rode hard. It turns out that he is a local and rides this road a lot. He was doing the road right.
After I finished the water it was time to head back and get the wife. I left when I hadn’t seen anyone leave for while but I must have missed someone. Just before Hog Pen I saw two full dress bikes ahead. Quicker than I would have believed I was on them and they were aware of me. They sped up, embarrassed that a car had caught up with them. Soon they were getting sparks from the footpegs and I was still gaining on them. Too cool.
They slowed down and let me pass and I floored the big black car and left them looking at the bumper.
Coming back across that hump was less dramatic than the first time. I made it back to the store in 13.5 minutes.
I can’t recommend this drive enough. It is the most fun you can have with your pants on.
Last edited by dwasson; 07-31-2007 at 05:08 AM.
#33
07-31-2007, 10:57 AM
I lead a scenic drive around the Smoky Mountains at MOTD 2006. Here's a link to the directions that might give you some spectacular roads on your way TO the Dragon (if you don't come across the Cherohala Skyway).
Page #4 of this PDF is a great article that I found posted here on NAM (that had been lifted from another source... cited in the PDF) about how to drive the Dragon safely!
http://focusoa.bizland.com/LeaderDirections.pdf
Enjoy and be safe!
Page #4 of this PDF is a great article that I found posted here on NAM (that had been lifted from another source... cited in the PDF) about how to drive the Dragon safely!
http://focusoa.bizland.com/LeaderDirections.pdf
Enjoy and be safe!
#34
08-10-2007, 06:52 AM
Join Date: Jul 2007
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I did it! I slayed the Dragon! Whoever said that it was the most fun you could have with your clothes on wasn't kidding. I could have spent the day there just making runs and talking to the bikers. I did it 4 times - once as pasenger and three as driver. Thanks to everyone for the tips! Didn't cross the double-yellow once. Davisflyer asked for a report when I got back, so here it is. Sorry it's so long:
I tagged along with my brother and his girlfriend on a trip up to Gatlinburg in his Subaru WRX. I told them about the Dragon the day before and they were both excited about doing it, so we took a detour there first. Never having been there, we weren't sure where it really began. Plus I left the map I printed from the website in the MINI. But once we passed the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort, we knew we were there. He powered through the curves faster than I expected, hitting 55mph at some points. So much for "walking the track". It was a lot of fun, even as a passenger. I trust my bro, but I felt a little nervous because I wasn't in control. I don't get carsick, but I can see how someone would. There wasn't a lot of traffic on it, but at one point we were passed by a pair of bikes who were going a lot faster than we were. Our picture was snapped somewhere along the way - we came around a turn and saw a guy at the corner of the next one with a telephoto lens, pointing and clicking as we went by. We weren't sure where the end was and we blew by the dam lookout at the top. We ended up stopping at the bottom for a quick break before heading on our way.
The next day all of my family were heading home, including me, but I was taking the Cooper on a detour. I got up to Deal's Gap about 9:00am and gave the MINI a quick break while I looked around in the shop. There were a few people inside talking, but I only stayed a minute before I got back in the car. I headed up the hill and took the first run conservatively, not using sport mode. I was driving slow, so I thought that best. A bike in front of me let me pass at a turn out and I drove alone for a little bit, enjoying myself. I passed a few people going the other way, then got behind a group of three Harleys near the end. I pulled over at the bottom and gave the MINI a break with the bonnet open. Fifteen minutes later, I was back on the road. I got behind a slow car and decided to wait at the dam lookout for them to get way ahead. I talked to a few of the bikers up there, who were all really cool. Most of them said that the MINI looked like it would be fun, and I said that it was. They left a few at a time and after their head start, I took off again and ran it a bit faster, this time in sport mode. I definitely used the brakes less and stayed mostly in 3rd and 4th gears on the way back. There was no one else around, so it was great. I stopped again at the resort to give the MINI another rest and bought a couple t-shirts and a keychain. On my third and final run, I was determined to drive faster, so the MINI and I attacked it like a rabid wombat. I cornered a lot faster this time, even squealing the tires now and then. That is, until I got behind an Outback that was crawling along. I was hoping they'd pull off, but no luck, so I did. I gave them about a 10 minute head start before taking off again. The next few miles were what got me absolutely hooked. I don't know what happened, but I was flying. It seemed like I couldn't take turns fast enough and the MINI was glued to the road. It was a huge rush and it sealed the fact that I have to go back to this place. But I didn't make it all the way down. My "friends" in the Outback must have been lonely without me behind them and pulled over to wait for me, because I caught up to them again. The last two miles were really lame, and I really thought about going back one more time. But it was about 11:30am at this point and I needed to get back on the road for home. I was bummed about the way it ended, but very happy overall with my time there.
It was great fun and I hope to get back there sometime soon!
Davisflyer asked for a report when I got back, so here it is. Sorry it's so long:I tagged along with my brother and his girlfriend on a trip up to Gatlinburg in his Subaru WRX. I told them about the Dragon the day before and they were both excited about doing it, so we took a detour there first. Never having been there, we weren't sure where it really began. Plus I left the map I printed from the website in the MINI. But once we passed the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort, we knew we were there. He powered through the curves faster than I expected, hitting 55mph at some points. So much for "walking the track". It was a lot of fun, even as a passenger. I trust my bro, but I felt a little nervous because I wasn't in control. I don't get carsick, but I can see how someone would. There wasn't a lot of traffic on it, but at one point we were passed by a pair of bikes who were going a lot faster than we were. Our picture was snapped somewhere along the way - we came around a turn and saw a guy at the corner of the next one with a telephoto lens, pointing and clicking as we went by. We weren't sure where the end was and we blew by the dam lookout at the top. We ended up stopping at the bottom for a quick break before heading on our way.
The next day all of my family were heading home, including me, but I was taking the Cooper on a detour. I got up to Deal's Gap about 9:00am and gave the MINI a quick break while I looked around in the shop. There were a few people inside talking, but I only stayed a minute before I got back in the car. I headed up the hill and took the first run conservatively, not using sport mode. I was driving slow, so I thought that best. A bike in front of me let me pass at a turn out and I drove alone for a little bit, enjoying myself. I passed a few people going the other way, then got behind a group of three Harleys near the end. I pulled over at the bottom and gave the MINI a break with the bonnet open. Fifteen minutes later, I was back on the road. I got behind a slow car and decided to wait at the dam lookout for them to get way ahead. I talked to a few of the bikers up there, who were all really cool. Most of them said that the MINI looked like it would be fun, and I said that it was. They left a few at a time and after their head start, I took off again and ran it a bit faster, this time in sport mode. I definitely used the brakes less and stayed mostly in 3rd and 4th gears on the way back. There was no one else around, so it was great. I stopped again at the resort to give the MINI another rest and bought a couple t-shirts and a keychain. On my third and final run, I was determined to drive faster, so the MINI and I attacked it like a rabid wombat. I cornered a lot faster this time, even squealing the tires now and then. That is, until I got behind an Outback that was crawling along. I was hoping they'd pull off, but no luck, so I did. I gave them about a 10 minute head start before taking off again. The next few miles were what got me absolutely hooked. I don't know what happened, but I was flying. It seemed like I couldn't take turns fast enough and the MINI was glued to the road. It was a huge rush and it sealed the fact that I have to go back to this place. But I didn't make it all the way down. My "friends" in the Outback must have been lonely without me behind them and pulled over to wait for me, because I caught up to them again. The last two miles were really lame, and I really thought about going back one more time. But it was about 11:30am at this point and I needed to get back on the road for home. I was bummed about the way it ended, but very happy overall with my time there.
It was great fun and I hope to get back there sometime soon!
#36
08-10-2007, 07:00 AM
Great post.. glad you had a good time. It's also good to know that the over-zealous enforcement of traffic laws on the TN side of 129 by the TN HP must be a weekend only affair.
The lads you saw taking your picture are from one of two sites - www.killboy.com (check his site next Wednesday - he updates photos then), or another site that I can't remember right now. Somebody will post a link.
Regardless what you hear people say about the Dragon, it's a great road to test one's driving/riding abilities.
The lads you saw taking your picture are from one of two sites - www.killboy.com (check his site next Wednesday - he updates photos then), or another site that I can't remember right now. Somebody will post a link.
Regardless what you hear people say about the Dragon, it's a great road to test one's driving/riding abilities.
#37
08-10-2007, 07:02 AM
AdMINIstrator
You really shouldn't let a slow car get you upset. Rides on the Dragon are free and unlimited (subject to gas consumption, of course), so if you don't get a clean run, no big deal... just run it again!
So DredPyrate - are you coming to MINIs on the Dragon next year?
#38
08-10-2007, 07:03 AM
It's a public road, it will happen - count on it... but don't let it get to you. Either pull off and wait, as DredPyrate did, or simply get to the end, turn around and do it again!
You really shouldn't let a slow car get you upset. Rides on the Dragon are free and unlimited (subject to gas consumption, of course), so if you don't get a clean run, no big deal... just run it again!
So DredPyrate - are you coming to MINIs on the Dragon next year?
You really shouldn't let a slow car get you upset. Rides on the Dragon are free and unlimited (subject to gas consumption, of course), so if you don't get a clean run, no big deal... just run it again!
So DredPyrate - are you coming to MINIs on the Dragon next year?
#39
08-10-2007, 07:06 AM
6th Gear
Join Date: Apr 2007
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#40
08-10-2007, 07:10 AM
I live about 2 hours away. I'm there quite a bit... more and more lately. A few tips from locals (most of these have been given to me by some one else)
1) Don't cross the line. It's tougher then it sounds. Generally you will find yourself not crossing it but getting quite close. A good tipe is to watch the white line instead to judge your cornering line.
2) There have been police every weekend about half way down for the last few weeks. They pretty much are there to remind people to slow down but will give you a hard time if you ask for it.
3) Don't base your stopping distances off of any car in front of you. A lot of decreasing radius corners... Lots of modified cars out there means that there is no one size fits all way to drive it... trust no one but yourself
4) The first time through take it easy. Don't get on it as hard as you might like. This will help for multiple reasons as it's as close to "walking the track" as you are gonna get. many people over heat there brakes here when if they knew the corners a bit better they wouldn't need nearly as much brake force.
5) slow your butt down near the lookout. Lots of action going on there... people turning around... even if it looks clear just creap through.
6) don't let people behind you push you to drive faster. They may stay close to you. There is a general understanding that it's not really tailgating here. just ignore them and watch in front of you. if they are genuinly faster wait for an appropriate time to let them by. In doing so slow down so they can pass quickly and just point your left index finger out the driver side window. They will know what it means. A blinker before you dive to a pull off is a big help. As mean as it sounds... the burden of the pass is on them if you do these things... if they pull out and meet some one coming head on... you have done what you can... hold your lane and brake as safely as possible... you dodging to the ditch means you go down about 100-200 feet in some places.
7) pull offs... Very hot brake parts... nicely surfaced road... pumping addrenaline... transition to gravel. All the makings of a crappy situation... Be very very carefull
8) going towards nc is much harder then going towards tn... going up is easier to have fun doing... going down can be interesting if you find a little push in some of those decreasing radius hairpins.
9) if your bake pedal starts to push to the floor... do not put your hand brake on when you are cooling off @ the top of bottom... don't ask me how i get reminded of this by my own stupidity often.
10) have fun... be safe, make sure it isn't at the epense of locals. It's a playground to a lot of us... a road to others. It's not really rude to remind people of the rules... but some people are just passing through.
11) extension of #10... There are 2 things you need to watch for with the on comming bikers... they will signal when something scary is going on... sitting up straight and tapping their head... means police officer ahead... A slow riding rider sitting up waving his arms or again tapping his head... can also mean a semi is coming through. They commonly escort them because these a-holes will take up both lanes on just about every corner.
keep your eyes open and have fun.
p.s. sorry for novel
1) Don't cross the line. It's tougher then it sounds. Generally you will find yourself not crossing it but getting quite close. A good tipe is to watch the white line instead to judge your cornering line.
2) There have been police every weekend about half way down for the last few weeks. They pretty much are there to remind people to slow down but will give you a hard time if you ask for it.
3) Don't base your stopping distances off of any car in front of you. A lot of decreasing radius corners... Lots of modified cars out there means that there is no one size fits all way to drive it... trust no one but yourself
4) The first time through take it easy. Don't get on it as hard as you might like. This will help for multiple reasons as it's as close to "walking the track" as you are gonna get. many people over heat there brakes here when if they knew the corners a bit better they wouldn't need nearly as much brake force.
5) slow your butt down near the lookout. Lots of action going on there... people turning around... even if it looks clear just creap through.
6) don't let people behind you push you to drive faster. They may stay close to you. There is a general understanding that it's not really tailgating here. just ignore them and watch in front of you. if they are genuinly faster wait for an appropriate time to let them by. In doing so slow down so they can pass quickly and just point your left index finger out the driver side window. They will know what it means. A blinker before you dive to a pull off is a big help. As mean as it sounds... the burden of the pass is on them if you do these things... if they pull out and meet some one coming head on... you have done what you can... hold your lane and brake as safely as possible... you dodging to the ditch means you go down about 100-200 feet in some places.
7) pull offs... Very hot brake parts... nicely surfaced road... pumping addrenaline... transition to gravel. All the makings of a crappy situation... Be very very carefull
8) going towards nc is much harder then going towards tn... going up is easier to have fun doing... going down can be interesting if you find a little push in some of those decreasing radius hairpins.
9) if your bake pedal starts to push to the floor... do not put your hand brake on when you are cooling off @ the top of bottom... don't ask me how i get reminded of this by my own stupidity often.
10) have fun... be safe, make sure it isn't at the epense of locals. It's a playground to a lot of us... a road to others. It's not really rude to remind people of the rules... but some people are just passing through.
11) extension of #10... There are 2 things you need to watch for with the on comming bikers... they will signal when something scary is going on... sitting up straight and tapping their head... means police officer ahead... A slow riding rider sitting up waving his arms or again tapping his head... can also mean a semi is coming through. They commonly escort them because these a-holes will take up both lanes on just about every corner.
keep your eyes open and have fun.
p.s. sorry for novel
Edit- Sorry, DredPyrate, just realized you've already been there, doh.
Sounds like we'll see you at MOTD 6!
Last edited by Big Daddy; 08-10-2007 at 07:18 AM.
#41
08-10-2007, 08:23 AM
The lads you saw taking your picture are from one of two sites - www.killboy.com (check his site next Wednesday - he updates photos then), or another site that I can't remember right now. Somebody will post a link.
Glad you had some good runs. It's a great road that seems like was built to compliment the MINIs driving fun.
Sounds like you had the right attitude about the traffic issues. It's easy to get aggravated about it, but I try to remember that I'm there to have fun. Driving the MINI is always fun, and if I get slowed down, it is just more quality time in the MINI.
This year's MOTD was our first trip to the Dragon, and I can't wait to go back. The only problem I had was we enjoyed meeting other MINI owners so much, we didn't drive the Dragon as much as I would have liked.
Last edited by Mishka; 08-10-2007 at 08:32 AM.
#42
08-10-2007, 09:32 AM
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#43
08-10-2007, 06:55 PM
6th Gear
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