Jump to content
Objectivism Online Forum

A Boy And His Bike

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

My wife and I have been planning a motorcycle trip now for a couple of months. Now that we are two weeks away, I thought I might share some of the story so far.

When I started riding again last summer, I dove into all sorts of information about riding, motorcycles, where to ride, etc. I have some decent roads to ride around here. It's nothing for us to hop on the bike and drive 50 or 100 miles to go eat lunch in Moyock, NC or Nags Head, NC. These are fun afternoon or day trips, but like anything they can become redundant. A friend of mine recently drove to Philly with a group of his friends. Their purpose? A cheesesteak. They ate lunch then rode back to Virginia. This exemplifies the idea that it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Cliche perhaps, but so true.

I'm fortunate to live on the east coast in that I'm not very far (around 525 miles) from one of the best motorcycle roads in the country. Coursing through the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee is US 129. There is a particular 11 mile stretch of road on 129 affectionately known as "The Tail of the Dragon". Quite an omninous name though it is well earned from what I understand. The Dragon boasts 318 curves in it's 11 miles. 318 glorious, fun-filled "twisties" as motorcyclists call them.

They say you can't run it without "scraping the pegs (or boards)" at least in some parts. "Scraping the pegs" refers to having to lean the bike so far in a turn that the footpeg drags the pavement. This is particularly easy to do in sharp reverse grade turns but it can also be accomplished in level sharp turns as well. If you aren't expecting it, it can be quite unsettling. My bike has footboards but I have more ground clearance and lean angle on my Harley than I had on my previous bike. I have yet to scrape these boards even once on the Harley whereas I scraped the boards several times on the VTX. Here are two links; one is to the Dragon's official website and the other is to a photography website that specializes in taking photos of folks riding the Dragon.

We are making our trek so that we are there during the weekdays in the hopes that the traffic is minimal. The speed limit on the Dragon is 30 MPH, though I understand that enforcement of that speed is frequently inconsistent. No matter to me as I intend to stick to it (or less). Unlike many who seek to tame the dragon by running it as fast as they can, I seek to cruise it's length. Obviously I didn't buy a touring bike so that I could get from A to B as fast as possible. This is also reflected by the fact that we are not riding straight to the Dragon. There are several stretches of road between here and there I want to ride, not the least of which is a substantial portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This should provide a "warm-up" for the Dragon.

Now, I really enjoy riding in the wilderness at times. But what will be equally interesting is some of the technology that makes it possible for me to enjoy it in the manner I choose. The best example of this is the Linn Cove Viaduct. I was unaware of this "Modern Marvel" until today when I saw a segment on the History channel about mountain roads. It is alleged to be the most complicated concrete bridge built to date. The origin of this technological accomplishment is rooted in an effort to preserve one of the world's oldest mountains. Whether or not one argues over the value of preserving an old mountain, at the very least the "good" that came out of it was a modern engineering masterpiece.

Given the significant attraction that area has to motorcyclists, the innovative merchant was not long to recognize a means to ply a niche trade. There are numerous motels in the area that fashion themselves as motorcycle friendly establishments. Of particular interest to me was the Two Wheel Inn. Each room has an attached motorcycle garage which is securable from the inside of the motel room. At $64.95 a night for double occupancy, I found the place to be perfect for our needs while we are in that area.

There is also your standard fare of T-shirts and memorabilia based on the Dragon theme. You can bet I will be able to say, "Been there, got the T-shirt" by the time I return home. :D Bikers love T-shirts and pins (for their vests or jackets).

The other major road attraction in that area is known as the Cherohala Skyway. Otherwise known as "The Mile High Legend", it is a 36 mile stretch of mountain road that connects Telico Plains, TN and Robbinsville, NC. If you live on the east coast, you'll understand why a "mile high" is legendary. We don't have the "real" mountains that folks out west have. According to most westerners I've spoken with, we have "foothills". :)

The anticipation of this trip is both exhilarating and to a lesser degree scary. Both the Dragon and the Skyway have their share of accidents and fatalities. So far this year the Dragon has only claimed one life. I'm not sure about the Skyway. Never the less, I'm learning as much as I can now about what not to do while on those roads. The big thing is; stay away from the center line. Trucks, cars and motorcyclists alike try to straighten out the curves (many or which are blind) and meeting someone in the middle like that can ruin your whole day.

The boys at Killboy.com, the photography site linked above, have captured numerous accidents (mostly single vehicle) on film, including one involving one of the photographers. I have to give props to their photograpic skills. Some of their shots are amazing. The cool thing is that they catalog all their shots and you can go to their web site and buy photos they took of you as you passed by them.

Not to be daunted, I still feel the urge to "tame the Dragon", even if slowly and methodically. I've already told my wife that I plan on making the first run (assuming I will do more than one) solo so that I can scope the layout on the bike in it's most manueverable state. She's more than happy to oblige.

I definitely intend to share my adventures once completed.

If you made it this far, thanks for your time!

[Edit - Corrected Miles for Skyway - RB]

Edited by RationalBiker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this where "Deals Gap" is?

I've heard about this stretch of road - and seen the various "get offs" on Killboy.com too! :o

I think that road is a bit beyond my skills at this point, but it looks like fun!

Stay sharp, and I hope you wear the appropriate safety apparel - you pesky Harley riders and your vests full of flair. :P

I was planning on doing some weekend motorcycle camping this summer, but haven't so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this where "Deals Gap" is?

Yes, Deal's Gap is the same place as the Dragon. To be honest, I wonder if I'm up to the challenge. I suspect I can make it through by sticking at or below the speed limit, having to allow others to pass fairly often if there is any traffic. I don't presume to know your level of riding experience, and in fact it may be better than mine so If you already know the following, please excuse my comments. In the turns, especially the sharp ones, you just have to remember, don't look down in front of the bike, look ahead where you want the bike to go (or "look through the turn") and generally the bike will follow. The turns become much easier then and you can be surprised how much lean you can get even in slower speed turn. This can mean that sometimes you are even looking over your shoulder at the road ahead of you past the turn. Now obviously you still have to scanned the road in front of you for obstacles, but that can usually be done quite quickly and well before you need to look ahead. Sometimes I still find myslef looking down right in front of the bike and it makes turning sooo much harder. I think this is because your brain needs a larger frame of reference for balance.

I plan on wearing my sticker-laden half-helmet, full-fingered leather gloves, my unflared denim jacket, blue jeans and over the ankle leather boots. While not as good as leather or the more advanced kevlar stuff, it affords reasonable protection and still looks "right" on a Harley. But you are right about Harley riders, vests with "flair" are certainly the fashion for many of them. Unless you are on a V-Rod, the sport bike attire just doesn't work for a cruiser or bagger. Granted, alot of the sport bike gear offers more protection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been riding for a couple of years, also I took the MSF course and try to pactice good riding technique (looking through turns etc.) but as Harry Calahan said "A man's got to know his limitations" :lol:

I have a old BMW (1988) R100GS which I really like - I'm not much of a cruiser type, though the new m109 from Suzuki looks nice.

And, since I'm not on a cruiser, I get to wear textile jackets :) a mesh one in the summer, an insulated one in the fall and spring. Leather jackets are still much tougher than textile tho - but very hot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, what a lovely road! The pictures remind me a bit of nurburgring(never been there myself though, but when my car is finished...).

I have been lucky with the roads where I live. There are alot of old, twisting roads, without much traffic. One of my favourites is this one(pictures taken in early spring last year):

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img4253a2a4c0e1a.jpg

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img425396412e65a.jpg

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img42539625d4680.jpg

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img4253975e30d69.jpg

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img425395f43347b.jpg

http://200sx.kicks-ass.net/yes/img42539738a6068.jpg

I usually drive there at night, so I can see the headlamps of oncoming traffic. This road can be pretty dangerous even at the speed limit of 45mph. Those who wish for an early death could probably go around 110 at some places. Even well below the limits it´s a thrill to drive, and if you are cautious you can do so without hurting yourself or others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I definitely intend to share my adventures once completed.

If you made it this far, thanks for your time!

Sounds like a nice trip. :)

I look forward to reading about it.

I have come up with a title for your report, too: "Objectivism And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance" :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This road can be pretty dangerous even at the speed limit of 45mph. Those who wish for an early death could probably go around 110 at some places. Even well below the limits it´s a thrill to drive, and if you are cautious you can do so without hurting yourself or others.
That looks like a sweet road. I bet it's better in the summer, too.

Probably too slow for me, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Okay folks, I'll be away from the forum for the next week as the wife and I are off on our motorcycle adventure!! (Where's that dragon...?)

Hopefully I'll have some great pics and stories to share on my return.

Take care and happy days!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...