Tail of the Dragon drive?? Anyone interested? | FerrariChat

Tail of the Dragon drive?? Anyone interested?

Discussion in 'South Central - USA (TN, MS, AL, GA)' started by ATLSIGNGUY, Jan 20, 2018.

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  1. ATLSIGNGUY

    ATLSIGNGUY Karting

    Mar 10, 2017
    78
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    PJ Houser
    I'm wanting to go an have some fun with this little area. I've heard it's the spot to go with my Ferrari. Looks like about 3.5 hrs to get there and back. Anyone done this before? Any interest to plan a trip sometime there.
     
  2. andy308

    andy308 Formula 3

    Jan 16, 2005
    2,020
    Sarasota, FL
    Full Name:
    Andy
    Not this time of year, lots of salt and sand on that road. Don't do it. Wait until spring rains wash it all away.
     
  3. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2008
    1,657
    Engine Bay, Georgia
    Full Name:
    George C.
    I would be interested in something early spring. I have never driven this road. My driving is fairly conservative, but with gusto. As always, safety first. what is the latest word on police presence and looking for nice cars to pull over. I recall from Tom's post several years ago an issue with being harassed up in the Ga. Mountains by police trying to make a ticket quota and having to be dragged into court to prove error on the police side.

    Maybe an afternoon drive up to Brasstown Valley Resort for lunch would be more enjoyable with great roads to and from.

    Ciao,
    George
     
  4. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    Everyone should do it....once. Oncoming traffic not being respectful can make it a bit crazy.

    Personally, it's too many curves. You work the whole time (there is literally no rest from turning the wheel), and if you have a passenger, they don't really appreciate it. It's a great experience, and if I ever go up again, i'd make it a loop with the Cherhola (sp?) skyway.

    sjd
     
  5. ATLSIGNGUY

    ATLSIGNGUY Karting

    Mar 10, 2017
    78
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    PJ Houser
    Would it be better to hit up Hwy 76 blairsville to Clayton? I've driven it before and we pretty decent. I'm kind interested in doing a drive with other Ferraris not by myself sorta thing.
     
  6. atlshaver

    atlshaver Formula Junior

    Feb 21, 2004
    284
    Atlanta, GA
    Awesome drive and certainly something you should experience. But as already said, do not do it this time of year unless you want to sand/gravel blast your car.
     
  7. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    The loop I would run was start at lake Zwerner in Dalhonega, run 19 up to 60, 60 into suches, either continue on to 76, or make a right at the gas station and run wolf pen gap (180) to 19, then down to the Appalachian trail then down 19 to where you started in Dalhonega, lunch somewhere along the way. It made for a nice day.

    I live on the far side of the world now in west cobb...I thought the drive from Lawrenceville was terrible...

    sjd
     
  8. cheesey

    cheesey Formula 3

    Jun 23, 2011
    1,921
    #8 cheesey, Feb 20, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2018
    weekends have the most traffic on the road. also most cops

    Don't take a passenger with a weak stomach, it will ruin the experience

    it is frustrating to drive with a lot of traffic, either the car ahead is too slow and will not use the pull off areasto allow for passing or you are the car that is holding the traffic by holding up someone trying to set a new personal best...

    be aware that the road is a high incidence area, fatalities occur, there are many cars on the wrong side of the road... a lost trucker will find they cannot negotiate the curves without blocking both lanes...

    not a friendly road for sightseeing and sane cruising... many frustrated race car drivers driving over their heads diminishing the experience of the road... there are a couple of internet sites that document the incidents
     
  9. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
    Full Name:
    Bill Tracy
    Tail of the Dragon is a good road (technically called Deal's Gap), but as noted, police presence, and some dumb drivers tend to bring the experience down to a level of frustration more than fun. If you go at night or on a weekday there is far less traffic and it is more fun. Other roads in the general area are far more fun in my opinion (NC 28, 215, and 281 as an example). SteveD has a good route for someone new to that type of driving. 180 between Suches and 129 is a bit tight, but probably the best technical road in Georgia. I enjoy lots of roads in the area, and generally make my route 4-7 hours and 200-350 miles total (starting in the mountains near Murphy, NC). Add about 100 miles total to get to and from a mountain starting point. Ferraris are a bit large / wide to really attack most of these roads, so something with a bit more relaxed radii would probably be preferable. US 76 is a good one, Cherahola Skyway is another. BRP is fun, but the park rangers have no sense of humor. Actually, I have only had one fun conversation with the police up in the mountains.

    :)
    BT
     
    steved033 likes this.
  10. kurtbob

    kurtbob Karting

    Jun 2, 2013
    64
    Augusta, GA
    Full Name:
    Kurt
    That's definitely a fun area. I used to run The Dragon at least twice a year when I had my Miata. ("Tail of the Dragon" is a business that was started to take advantage of all the visitors). Never tried it with the Ferrari. A car as small as the Miata is definitely an advantage with that narrow road. Of course, as mentioned, many of the other roads in the area are fun as well.
     
  11. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 27, 2004
    15,924
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jim Pernikoff
    As noted, GA-180 between Suches and Vogel State Park, the Wolf Pen Gap Road, is a good one.

    Another one to try is GA-52 between Chatsworth and Ellijay. It has the advantage that US-76 also goes between the same two points, and most of the "common" traffic takes 76. Think of 52 as the "high road" and 76 as the "low road". (And I'll get to Ellijay before ye!) If coming from Atlanta, you can get there on I-75 going one way and come back on GA-515/I-575 the other way.
     
  12. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
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    Steve D.
    good call on 52...i think i've only been up that way once.
     
  13. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
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    Bill Tracy
    GA 52 is much more fun going west than it is going east. Take 515 up to Ellijay, go west (the downhill part after Fort Mountain is awesome!), and then head south. I can give you some real fun roads on the way back between Adairsville and Canton if you want.
    As they say 'Drive fast, take chances!'.
     
  14. kaamacat

    kaamacat Formula 3

    Jun 13, 2004
    1,623
    Cumming GA
    Full Name:
    BobR
    Bill... What about 9 into Dawsonville... out to 183 and to left on 136...take towards TalkingRock, right on Yukon to bottom of Ellijay, loop up 515 and around back onto 52 and left onto RoyRd into Doublehead into Newport into/up Aska...and up-around the lake...etc. (More fun sweepy stuff)
     
  15. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
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    Bill Tracy
    That would probably be a fun route in a Ferrari compared to the really tight stuff I like in the S2000.

    BT
     
  16. ATLdoghouse

    ATLdoghouse Formula Junior
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    Sep 3, 2016
    368
    Atlanta
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    Cody L
    That stretch of 136 is one of my favorites as my mountain house is just off 136 at Tate Mtn Estates. I'm game for that run anytime :)
     
  17. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
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    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
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    Bill Tracy
    Yeah, that stretch of 136 near the top by that little lake is real nice. A friend got ticketed there for going 67, seems kind of lame. It is amazing that you can see downtown ATL from the pull off, probably about 70 miles away.
     
  18. ATLdoghouse

    ATLdoghouse Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2016
    368
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Cody L
    That little lake is where my house is. If we do organize a drive, we could stop there for lunch or just for a break.
     
    BT likes this.
  19. Patek

    Patek Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2006
    1,904
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    John Milton Denton
    Image Unavailable, Please Login I live up in Hiawassee and use to run the dragon about every Tuesday or Wednesday to keep out of weekend traffic. I have had my 458 , 308GT4, and 550 on it. But the most fun is in my 160 hp Abarth. But we can go up some week day if you can. A friend of mine who lived up the was kill on the dragon last spring. That sort of took the wind out me and the dragon. It will hurt you.
     
  20. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 15, 2012
    33,713
    Texas/Colorado
    Full Name:
    George Pepper
    I've done The Gap on my Beemers back when I lived inside the Beltway on the MD side. There are just a ton of excellent roads in the area. My personal fave is Thornton Gap, which runs across Skyline Drive much further north. That was the first road I memorized, and I used to embarrass squids on sport bikes by passing them on the outside on my K12ooLT. It wasn't a stock LT though. :)

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Wilburs Race Shocks, Euro Windscreen, K1200RS Mirrors (Four mirrors!), aftermarket exhaust I made with a glass pack. :D

    About 40 pounds lighter than stock.
     
  21. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 27, 2004
    15,924
    Georgia
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    Jim Pernikoff
    I've always wanted to go up there, but my enthusiasm has waned. Just about anyone who talks about the Dragon lately says: too crowded, too heavily enforced, not much fun. The excellent mountain roads here in Georgia are good enough for me.

    Considering that the Dragon is a U.S. numbered highway, which would normally mean a truck route, I'm amazed that a modern, high speed alternate route has not been built to bypass it.
     

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