First experience on Tail of the Dragon

[Bob O]

My wife and I spent Thanksgiving in Myrtle Beach. I was mapping out the drive home to KC on Fri night and it dawned on me that TOD wasn't THAT far off the MapQuest suggested route. When I rerouted through TOD it was only 50 mi more...DONE DEAL. So.....

Myrtle Beach to TOD was about 300 miles or so, so I was pushing Honey Bunch to get her rear moving Sat morning so we woulnd't be driving it in the dark! Got away around 930 or so. eeeeekkkk We were gonna be pushing it to get there. Made the turn onto 28N and finally got to Deal's Gap around 450 . This is gonna be close. BUT...Deal's gap is "Closed for the Season". oh well..no T shirt.

Got going a little behind this Mitsu and some 4 door sedan. Waited a bit to let them get ahead and got after it. WOW....is this fun!! 318 (?) turns in 11 miles??? What a trip. The 30 mph speed limit is wayyyyyy too high for most "regular" vehicles. However, the Box was loving every minute of it. Caught up with the sedan about half way but he pulled over at the first stop..what a guy. I had talked a bit with a biker at Deal's Gap and he said there was a state trooper near the north end of the run and to be careful. I guess the cop got tired sitting there and left since there was no radar in sight. (BTW..the biker was from VA and said he makes the trip to TOD at least six times a year just to run it forwards and backwards for a few days. lol)

I'm sure there is some incredible scenery along the way but I didn't see much, if any, of it. My concentration was on the next corner.

Other than the Mitsu and the sdean there was NO ONE else on the road. Time of year? Time of day? Whichever, it was a lot of fun for 15 minutes or so! lol. Seemed like a lot longer to me. The curves just kept coming. I think a trip on the Harley is in order for this road. Heck it's only 900 miles or so from home!

if you're in the area at all, this road is a definite must-see.

OH..and as a side note..we did have a little issue with the Box. About half way up 28 the rear started making this awful clunking sound. We had just stopped at a scenic overlook on a gravel parking lot and I thought I had picked up a rock in the tire or the brakes. Stopped to look and nothing. Drove on and it got worse. Stopped again and discovered that the right wheel wasn't tight against the hub. hmmm loose lug bolts. Got out the lug wrench and the nuts on both sides were loose to the point of almost coming out. Now I always torque the lugs before I leave on a trip and I did so this time. I've run many many laps on the track and never had any come loose. We had only gone 2000 miles, all highway, on this trip and for ALL of them on the rear to be that loose was just not believable. The only time the car was out of sight was at night in the condo parking lot and the day before for a couple of hours at a shopping center parking lot in MB. I really think someone was trying to either steal the wheels and someone showed up or someone was pissed at there being a Porsche in the lot and just vandalized it. But who carries a 19 mm socket in their pocket??? I don't know but I'm convinced someone loosened the bolts for whatever reason. I've just never experienced anything like all 10 lug bolts coming loose at the same time and only on the rear! The fronts were tight. Fortunately I caught it in time to prevent a major problem and all was ok thereafter. Strange huh?

[thstone]

Great trip!

Here's how that would work in LA: Someone comes by and loosens up the lugs and then leaves to wait and see if anyone has notcied their presence. After all, if caught in the act, loosening lug nuts isn't likely to be a convictable crime. The perps might get detained and questioned, but if the wheels are still on the car, it would be hard to make a theft case stick.

Once the theives are convinced that the coast is clear, they'd return and (with the lugs already loose) make a quick grab and go of the rear wheels.

Someone or something spooked them from returning to finish the job.

[Jake D]

If they are broke loose, a cordless impact will zip those right off. I use my 12v 3/8 drive impact all the time to take lug bolts off and zip them back on then re-torque. Someone might have been ready to snatch your wheels.

But I also had a similar thing happen. I always torque my wheels down and then after a few days I check them again. When I went to change my tires out the other week, they weren't very tight. I'm not sure why they backed off/stretched some but now I check them more often to make sure they are good and tight.

[Johnny Danger]

Bob,

Do you want me to look into it ?

[Bob O]

It WAS a great trip. And sure Johnny...go for it! lol.

[Johnny Danger]

Originally Posted by Bob O

It WAS a great trip. And sure Johnny...go for it! lol.

Just give me the coordinates . And I'll have the area canvassed !

[WhipE350]

Bob - you didn't stop in Charlotte on your way did you .

[Bob O]

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

Just give me the coordinates . And I'll have the area canvassed !

I'll have to look those up! lol.

Whip....no didn't go to Charlotte. We did however make a day trip down to Charleston. Shopped some, had some great food, did some sightseeing. Fun day. Came back with wayyyy too many Pralines. lol. Wow those things are good.

[Pinarelloman]

OK. As we I am not from the USA, but get there about once every two years, where is the TOD.
Thanks.