Drove from northern Ohio this morning, 500 miles to Alcoa just south of Knoxville, where we are staying. Unloaded the MINI and headed down US129. Nice afternoon ride then started to notice the twisties. Lots of 2nd gear (wished I had removed my rearview mirror as it was in the line of sight for the right line into the right hand turns). Pretty soon my sweetie is pulling her belt a bit tighter, clutching the left lower seat bolster and the upper right roof rail and saying things like "woop", "yeeha" and "oh...oh...". Swooshed past Killboy and then there we were....Deals Gap! Harley's, Ducati's, BMW's (bikes), Honda's, an acient Yamaha, a trio of pristine MGB's from Michigan, and bikes and bikes and bikes from Vermont and Wisconsin and Missouri and one MINI Cooper S. Us. They were as much interested in us as we were of them. Pulled the MINI up on the ramp for a pic, paid homage to the tree of shame, had a bite to eat, bought a t-shirt and then realized......we get to drive the Dragon back to the hotel!! So we bid farewell to Deals, we'll see them again on Wednesday.

I don't recall which turn it was in on the way back but there was some poor soul with his bike under the guard rail, him over the guard rail and rescue just jumping out of the squad. I was absolutely astounded to see so many skid marks heading right off the road into the side of the mountain in so many turns. I'm an ex-biker and so know the thrill, but my goodness!

Anyway, I forgot my camera cable so must wait until we return to upload pics.

We're off to Cades Cove (horseback riding) and 'Ol Smokey in the morning. Why? 'Cuz that's what the Mrs. wishes to do. She goes with me to Deals Gap and I go with her to ride horses and stand atop 'Ol Smokey. Besides, if she likes doing it I'll do what I can to make it happen.

Sorry for the long post....Les

 

I envy you. I'd love to drive the dragon for the first time all over again!

The MINI truly shines on that fantastic stretch of two lane blacktop

 

Glad you had a good time your first run. I can't wait to go back and run it again sometime soon. Fall run on the dragon anyone??

 

You can wait until fall? I sure can't!

 

Les, try this drive from Deal's Gap: take 28, past Fontana Village, to 143, turn right, motor into Robbinsville, where you can pick up 129 again, drive past Tapoco, and return back to Deal's Gap. 28 has been dubbed "The Hellbender" after an endangered lizard in the area. It's also an exciting and very fun ride!

 

Be sure to check Killboy's site and post pics of your passing through, sounds like a blast!

 

Great to hear you had a fantastic time. You really need to drive Hwy 28 at least as far as the dam the next time there. It’s a great stretch of highway.

 

STOP, STOP, I can't take anymore. I was just getting thru my withdrawals and now this thread

 

That's tomorrow. We'll slide past Deals and scoot onto Fontana and the Appalachian Trail! Yee Hah!!

....Les

 

I live near you... Please take me with you next time. Maybe by then i will have my MINI...

 

Close your eyes, slow controlled breathing, count backwards from 100. How are you feeling now....are you with us?



We can not wait for our Dragon "you know" to be popped.

 

Ok, we did the Cades Cove horseback riding thing this morning. The Mrs. had a grand time and I had a grand time with her. My horse, Target, had two speeds...very slow and slow. The wrangler advised me that I'd need to heel her shaprly in the sides to get her to go very slow and hard to get her to go slow. But we had a blast. Then it was off to Sugarland visitor center. Wow, what a sweet road and they only got better. Next was Newfound Gap and then Clingmans Dome. We went to the top and sang "On Top of Old Smokey".

But you know, the road up to Clingmans was awesome. In fact all these roads in this section of the Smokey's are awesome, the scenery is spectacular and incredibly quiet when you get out into the woods.

Tomorrow we do the Dragon again (yipee) and Fontana Dam and... well.... we'll see (hint hint Miniclo)!

 

If you are clever and want to take an extra run on the dragon, stop at the gas station at the cross roads of time and ask one of the nice cashiers to hold your sunglasses for you. Go drive the dragon and then, while you are cooling your brakes at the overlook, announce to your beloved wife that you forgot your glasses at the gas station and need to go back and get them!

 

^^ if my wife was sitting in the passenger seat while I was canyon carving,
she would probably puke within the first 5min.

 

Well we slid down/up the Dragon this morning with a brief stop at Deals. Met a MGB owner that said there was to be 1300 MGs and such for a 5 day event up in Gatlinburg. Then onto Fontana Dam and Village, saw an orange Mini with a LOUD horn. Geez, another bike down on 28 close to the dam of all places. Decison time at 143 resulted in a turn to the north to 19 and onto 441 and Cherokee. Not impressed with Cherokee. Just another Gatlinburg type tourist trap, at least on 441. But we got back into the Smokeys and the twisties and all was good with the world. Saw very cool scenery, dipped our footsies in the Little Tennessee, saw lots and lots of MGBs, MGBGTs, MGAs, MGTD(C)s, one TR6, 2 MINIs and durned near everyone of them waved! What a hoot!

So we're headed back north in the morning....cya.....Les

 

I was there in my 06 MCS today. I saw one MINI this afternoon. It was a blue one. It was around 5 pm to 6 pm. I was in the DS/B with the Xenons on. Those damn bikes kept holding me up.
Justin

 

Oops double post.