Tail Of the Dragon 2009
 

Is there any interest or anything in the works? There's nothing new in the 08 thread and the optimal time is fast approaching!!

My fiancee and I are really up for this years trip. We just got our porsche a few weeks ago!

I will be vacationing near Ashville (2 hours away) from October 31st ~ November 7th.

If someone wants to plan it at this time of year, I will show up in my BMW 550i and we'll see if a big V8 motor in the front of a Bimmer can keep up with a smaller flat 6 in the middle.

I know the owner of Two Wheel Inn in Robbinsville would love to host us again. They're great folks and the rooms are new, clean, and they have free wifi.

I'd be up for it again this year.
Although it would be nice to meet Randall when he's in the area, we'll see how the date works out.

Count Me In
 

I've run the Dragon on my Road King, but never in the Boxster. Sounds like fun.

August 22-24 is the jacksonville PCA weekend,
Sept. 18-20 is charleston PCA weekend
Nov. 6-8 is "Porsches on the Dragon" weekend


just saying...

http://www.pcafcr.org/events_detail.asp?event_id=105

http://www.pcapalmetto.org/newsitems/dragontailsept09.html

http://procon.bizland.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=20&sid=69820d2f7d90f2d7b00f6f69b88 18083

would anyone not be able to make the first full weekend in november? ( nov. 6,7,8 )

If you do the Dragon, make sure you run the "Twisted Pickle" too. Derb knows the way! Much better, faster, and less police than the Dragon.

Maps are in the 2008 thread for reference.

Do we want to settle on the first weekend in November (6, 7 and 8)?

no one's speaking up so my guess is those dates are fine. count me in. maybe we can make a run to the "twisted pickle" as well.

if you can make it, send me a PM so i can keep a head count and contact info for a loose schedule...

BEHOLD, the Twisted Pickle
 

Your front brakes, right foot and rear spoiler will love you for it!


:D

Well, it looks like we have a few people interested in a Dragon trip this year.
Anyone else?
Tony, thanks for requesting the head count PMs.
The road we named the Twisted Pickle after is like the Dragon but stretched out a bit- but with higher speed and very little traffic.

The Two Wheel Inn is where we have stayed for the past two years. Very nice owners.
http://twowheelinn.com/
I haven't checked for availability yet.

The Two Wheel Inn has plenty of rooms available that weekend.
Phone number: 828-479-4248 7am to 10pm Eastern time.
Internet address: www.TwoWheelInn.com

The Two Wheel Inn just emailed me that they have 18 rooms available for the November 6th weekend (if we book all 18 we get 10% off). Interest is low so far probably due to the late date- just 3 so far.
Anyways, thought I'd bump the thread up for some more exposure.
Maybe we could take a small detour and visit Jake's shop in Cleveland, GA...

Regards,
mike

Mike, have fun and drive fast! Watch out for the LEO's. Remember to warm up the tires too, and the white lines are a little slippery (Dale Jr taught me this excuse!). Say hello to the Pickle girl. :)

Ahhh, the Pickle girl...
I might not notice her if she's wearing that camouflage top again.

just a reminder...
 

just made hotel reservations for november's tail of the dragon run! hope more are coming.

first full weekend of november: 6, 7, 8.

If someone will take the initiative to schedule a place and time for lunch on Saturday the 7th, I will be heading home from Asheville with the wife and golden retriever in our BMW and would love to meet you all and enjoy a quick bite with you.

Since we're headed to Meridian, MS for the evening, I thought we could drive the Cherohala Skyway as it's heading kinda West-Southwest after lunch.

Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?

I'd hate to be in the area and not figure out how to see you guys while there!

I think I can make it. coolio!

Randall,
I'm sure we can find a place in Robbinsville to have lunch. What time will you be rolling through?

Can we make it 12.30 pm?

I think we'll have a little clean up to do before we leave on Saturday morning.

Randall,
12:30 it is.

i hear there's a waffle house nearby... :D

The Awful House of which you speak is one in the same as the establishment we visited at 7 am Saturday the first year... where I ate a small bowl of oatmeal and later that morning ... after two trips up and down the TOD ... regurgitated.

Who would have thought that driving one's own car up and down a hill could make one nauseous!

There's a couple of other crappy restaurants in Robbinsville we might try instead. That place in particular gives me the creeps.

Plus the service sucks.

Food is terrible around the Dragon. Last year, Patrick, Mike and I found two good places. One was in Fontana Village, and the other was that restaurant/liquore store near the Dragon's south enterence. Both good burger & beer type places.

There is that BBQ place we ate at one night... the food was, as they say around there, "smack yo mamma good!"

What state is the tail in?? I would like to check it out but November is the time i store my Box as there is a thing called snow up here in Canada...

Is the road really that good???

if you would like more cars i am interested. i should be able to make it as of now. Will this be the date, i'll check my shop calendar, tommorrow

It's 129 in North Carolina, just north of Robbinsville.

And yes, it's really THAT good. I would drive 2 hard days each way from Houston just to run it for a day or two.

318 hairpin turns with 12 degree elevation changes between switchbacks, all inside 11 miles of road:

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_faq.html

All I can say is driving it is just about as much fun as a boy can have with his clothes on. :dance:

SStiebers: this is the date, the more the merrier. it's also the date for another group's outing, so this group won't be the only boxster / porsche related group on the dragon that weekend.

Just ran the dragon last week! The wife and I took a little trip to Helen, Ga in the 986S. Gorgeous drive through the Chattahoochie State Park. We had to slow suddenly to let 3 bear cubs crossing the road. Got to Helen, had some schnitzel and beers.

Went by Jake Raby's shop the next morning to say hi. Jake was gone but we met Dean and some of the other guys. Very nice folks, indeed. we headed up the Dragon. What a blast! I did have the back end step out on one of the really tight hairpins turns with the morning dew still on the road. When a fellow driver was messing up my groove, the wife looks at me and says, "Pass him, Honey!" I love her!

Anyways, we were on our way to Asheville and the Avic indash GPS sent us up 2 hours of incredible views and roads. We spent the afternoon touring Biltmore House and Gardens, pretty amazing as well.

We won't be able to make the trip with you guys this time as I will be on the road working but if you can go, GO! You won't be disappointed!

[QUOTE=Dino]the wife looks at me and says, "Pass him, Honey!" I love her!/QUOTE]

You married well. Congrats!! :)

Thanks Randall......maybe I will see you out there next summer. It is a long reach for me but looks like a must. How are the smokeys there

If by smokeys you mean police officers handing out speeding tickets, there are plenty.

However, it's quite difficult to exceed the speed limit of 35 mph in a boxster on the Dragon and not wreck your car or kill yourself or both in the process.

The switchbacks have sizable elevation changes, rock on one side and sheer drops on the other side, and then there's the oncoming traffic, which may or may not stay on their side of the yellow line.

There stretches of roads in other areas of the United States and Canada that are similar, but not nearly as long. That's what makes the TOD such a destination for bikers and sports car enthusiasts.

The LEOs are out for the crotch rocket riders who die on that road every year. They really are in place to enforce speed laws for safety, not just to make a buck for the two counties/state lines that the TOD crosses.

Before I make reservations I thought I would check first and see if anyone wants to share a room?

Once again I am going to miss the 986Forum TOD run. I heading for Australia!

*shakes fists* grrrr! :)

I-40 closed
 

We just returned from the Smokey's, Asheville and the TAIL last weekend. Fantastic scenery and great drives. Check out ZEE Photo or Killboy.com for photos taken on the TAIL. These guys are out there just about everyday.

NOTE: I-40 is closed at MM3 NC near the Tenn and NC border due to major rock slide. It could be closed for several months.

Our self guided detour included Rt 209 north to Hot Springs, NC then 25/70 to Newport, TN. Another great drive. Rt 107 may be equally exciting.

Its amazing how much fun these roads are with the right car!

Jay & Paula
99 Boxster

jdr,
Thanks for the heads up on the I-40 rock slide. I had heard about it but I hadn't checked to see if it was in the way for us on the way down. Must recalculate the route now which might end up being longer but looks like more twisty roads are involved.

Regards,
mike

OK folks, I'm already here waiting for you.

I'm just outside of Asheville with the wife and golden retriever. Nope, not in the box, in our 550i.

The roads leading to the cabin we're renting are excellent boxstering roads. Nice and twisty with some good elevation changes and switchbacks. Of course, the wife hollers every time I do anything fun or fast, so I'm really glad we didn't drive the box.

Can't wait to meet and eat with whomever can show up next Saturday in Robbinsville.

I'm now officially wanting to retire in this area of the country. Although I have no current interest in college football, this is a wonderful place to live.