Where I Trace My Bloodline - Helen, Georgia

 

This morning I woke up and prepped the bike for the Tail of the Dragon. There's a lot to be said for a road that has signs at the beginning that read "Extreme Danger" and "Caution: Dangerous Crash Area Ahead". I've wanted to ride the Dragon since I first heard of it, and even lived cloe enough that it should have been doable on a regular weekend. For what ever reason I had for not coming to the Tennessee/North Carolina boarder and try to battle the famed lizard; today there would be no excuse. 

The mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky are chock full of roads with names Like "The Moonshiner", "The Diamondback" and "Copperhead Road" and now you can find twisty blacktop tracks known as the "Head of the Dragon", "Claw of the Dragon", "Back of the Dragon" and the amazing road I took a few days ago, "The Dragon Slayer"; but they all must pay homage to The Tail of the Dragon. An 11 mile run that crosses the border between Tennessee and North Carolina on U.S. Route 129.

The Tail of the Dragon, part 1

The Tail of the Dragon, part 2

So, yeah, it's a beast! It was an incredible ride and while I did have to pull over to let a few guys on sport bikes get by and a couple of Fiat 500 Abarth's, I also had to pass a few bikes traveling slower than myself as well. I guess if I had to describe this road in one word, it would be respect. You have to respect those riders who can carve up this piece of asphalt in short order and you damn sure better respect the road itself. There's a saying on the Dragon's Tail, "Watch the road, not the scenery", because this road will bite you.

Photos of bikers biting it.

The Tree of Shame

Dragon Slayer

I left the dragon's lair behind and made way for the town of Helen, Georgia with one last epic ride through a picture perfect mountain setting, following the turns and switchbacks along the Nantahala River.

The Nantahala River

I made it to Helen, GA around 2:30, my shortest daily ride of this trip and spent the afternoon walking the town with it's Bavarian themed shops where every day is Oktoberfest. Tomorrow I will put these wonderful mountain roads behind me and start to make my way to the flat farm lands of south Georgia and the curves are few and far between. Two more days and I'll be home.

Helen, GA