Kawasaki Concours Forum
Riding => Rides and Stories => Topic started by: Jeremy Mitchell on August 30, 2011, 06:16:07 AM
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I have been on leave for the last two weeks and my 19 month old son has gotten pretty attached to me to the point of ignoring my wife. So she told me that I need to get out of the house for two or three days. She told me to go ride and not come home till Friday. I am leaving for Nashville this morning and will spend the night there and wake up early to hit the Dragon and The Devils Triangle tomorrow. Any other roads in the area that I can't miss on Wednesday and Thursday? I also need to get a new front tire, any of you have suggestions on good dealers that won't gouge me on the price.
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You get all the luck! Enjoy and be careful!
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What were her exact words?
Something like 'take a hike'?
;)
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Any other roads in the area that I can't miss on Wednesday and Thursday?
You named the only roads I actively try to Avoid in the whole region. I couldn't tell you where the best roads are because I found them by just turning onto random roads. No GPS, no map, just getting lost and staying off roads I know/recognize. Seriously, it's easy to find good roads all along that area, takes no effort at all. And the best part is that you're not going to have some squid tossing their bike at you/coming over the center line/ruining your vacation.
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Any other roads in the area that I can't miss on Wednesday and Thursday? I also need to get a new front tire, any of you have suggestions on good dealers that won't gouge me on the price.
The Cherohala Skyway out of Robbinsville
Hwy 28 south from the Deals Gap store is a great road, especially past Hellbender Gas Station
Ride north on the Dragon then take a right on Foothills parkway, a nice sweeper road, then at the end turn right and stay on that road till it dead ends and turn right towards Cherokee and another great road. So long as it is during the week, don't even go close to Cherokee durning the weekend
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Hopefully the squids and pirates are few and far between since I will be riding the area on Wednesday and Thursday. Thanks for the tips guys.
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And with a CLEAN bike? For shame ;)
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When you get tired of the tourist trap roads and being held up by hardly-ablesons everyone will suggest, run HWY 28 between Hwy 74 and Franklin. You won't forget it ;D
28 is Northwest to Franklin, and not far where you will be.
Look Northwest on this map. Pan the map further Northest a few miles and you'll see the area you've already mentioned.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4TSND_en___US426&q=franklin,+nc&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&ion=1&biw=1920&bih=876&wrapid=tlif131472111546410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8859251b3c341e5b:0x7d6abd5c00dca225,Franklin,+NC&gl=us&ei=MA1dTpuJH9KXtwevzOHIAw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CDUQ8gEwAg (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4TSND_en___US426&q=franklin,+nc&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&ion=1&biw=1920&bih=876&wrapid=tlif131472111546410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8859251b3c341e5b:0x7d6abd5c00dca225,Franklin,+NC&gl=us&ei=MA1dTpuJH9KXtwevzOHIAw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CDUQ8gEwAg)
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Forum is hosing my link up! google map Franklin and look to the northwest LoL
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click the area you're interested in.
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/nc.html (http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/nc.html)
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I'm heading in that direction on Friday afternoon and will be there all the next week. Can't wait to hit several of these great roads. Only problem is that my bike is the "least sporty" of the bunch and my cajones aren't as big as theirs. (Pretty crazy for a bunch of old guys.) But, they don't mind waiting at the next turn or stop sign for me to catch up.
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missed you by a week, will be up there on the 10th and 11th
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Plenty of options. 28 from the gap south, Warwoman rd, 215, 276, 209 to Hot Springs.
Wheelers has a good selection of tires and is quick and has good prices.http://www.wheelersperformance.com/ (http://www.wheelersperformance.com/)
Have fun, I'll be in the area next week. Steve
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Plenty of options. 28 from the gap south, Warwoman rd, 215, 276, 209 to Hot Springs.
Wheelers has a good selection of tires and is quick and has good prices.http://www.wheelersperformance.com/ (http://www.wheelersperformance.com/)
Have fun, I'll be in the area next week. Steve
and wheeler has an outdoor couch and TV! And a hose to wash your bike off (free) (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I got a tire in St Louis from No Mar (great place by the way) for $150 including mount and balance. I will take off from nashville first thing in the morning and head towards fontana dam and I wikk make a loop through Robbinsville, Telllico plains, and Reliance. There are so many great roads in the are I just hope I can ride half of them in the time allowed. Hopefully the traffic is thin tomorrow and maybe I'll seee some skilled riders.
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And with a CLEAN bike? For shame ;)
a semi clean bike. The bugs were out in full force yesterday, I must have killed five pounds worth of thos nasty suckers.
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Heading out for the Dragon area on Friday Sept 2. Should make the area in 3-4 days. Plan to stay approx 3-4 days around Asheville as a home base. Any better home base suggestions? Places to eat? Things must do?
First trip to the Smokies from Canada and want to make the best of it
ICBM
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Heading out for the Dragon area on Friday Sept 2. Should make the area in 3-4 days. Plan to stay approx 3-4 days around Asheville as a home base. Any better home base suggestions? Places to eat? Things must do?
First trip to the Smokies from Canada and want to make the best of it
ICBM
Winding Rivers and Roads rally will be starting Sept 9th at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Campground in Stecoah NC. If you're still in the area come on over. We'll be there till Sunday the 11th.
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While your up that way, how about the Blue Ridge Parkway???
Speeds are controlled and a bit slow, but supposed to be a great /scenic road.
Ride safe, Ted
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I am in Pigeon Forge and will be hitting Cherohola tomorrow and maybe a couple other roads before heading west towards Missouri. The roads were awesome and the views were spectacular. Thanks everyone for all the info.
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Here is the link to some pics killboy got of me today.
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204 (http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204)
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The Cherohala Skyway out of Robbinsville
Hwy 28 south from the Deals Gap store is a great road, especially past Hellbender Gas Station
Ride north on the Dragon then take a right on Foothills parkway, a nice sweeper road, then at the end turn right and stay on that road till it dead ends and turn right towards Cherokee and another great road. So long as it is during the week, don't even go close to Cherokee durning the weekend
+++++1, yes do as COGnosticat0r says. Awsome road and hit 360 too.
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If you (or anyone) needs any help while @ Deals or the Asheville/Hickory area, PM me and I will give you my phone number. Just a thought for added insurance.
And I know you are enjoying them pics!
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Here is the link to some pics killboy got of me today.
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204 (http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204)
Nice! Looks like you're draggin some pegs there.
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Here is the link to some pics killboy got of me today.
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204 (http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070124&po=124&pc=204)
draggin pegs, case and most everything else in some of those pics. 8) 8)
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The only thing besides pegs that actually touched down was my shifter and lower fairing on the right side. I will post some pics once I get back home. That was definitely the most lean angle I have ever had on my bike.
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The only thing besides pegs that actually touched down was my shifter and lower fairing on the right side. I will post some pics once I get back home. That was definitely the most lean angle I have ever had on my bike.
Now that's leaning it! :o :hail:
Time for some Top Block sliders Jeremy... ;)
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Now that's leaning it! :o :hail:
Time for some Top Block sliders Jeremy... ;)
Why would I need sliders? ;D Some of the pics from the dragon look like I had to be dragging my exhaust but I can't find a single mark on it. I knew dragging the lower fairing was possible since I saw a pic that (IIRC) Fretka posted. I never thought I would lean my bike that far, but it happened and I had a blast doing it. All of that was made possible by the 190/55. ;)
Here is the pic that I promised
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/IMAG0174.jpg)
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Here are a couple pics from the Dragon.
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/126261.jpg)
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/126257.jpg)
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/126258.jpg)
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/126260.jpg)
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/126259.jpg)
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Wish I could "still" do that.
(The Older I get, the "Faster" I wuz...) :nuts:
Ride safe, Ted
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Great pictures Jeremy and that lean angle is beyond me at this point....wow.
They would look better if your bike was black though. :stirpot:
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FANTASTIC PHOTOS! Thanks for sharing!
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Great form Jeremy!
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I would have hung off the bike but there are just so many curves that I didn't want to be throwing my weight around to much and possibly unsettling the bike. I am still working on my bike handling skills and don't want to get myself in trouble so I work on new skills in a parking lot or a familiar road. Four passes on the dragon wasn't enough for me to memorize all 318 curves. ;D
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I'll be going up for the first time in a couple of weeks.
Since I have no experience, I'm going to be taking it easy-- you won't see me leaning like that unless I've tipped it over in the parking lot!!! ;D
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This is a GREAT photo:
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070070&po=070&pc=204 (http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070070&po=070&pc=204)
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This is a GREAT photo:
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070070&po=070&pc=204 (http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1WPV005B070070&po=070&pc=204)
I wish I had a chance to talk to him (I saw him in the Deals Gap P/L) I had some questions about my friends that have lost legs that would love to get back into motorcycling.
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I spoke with him at Wheeler's 9/11. He had retired in early July and had been on the road since. I think he lived in Chicago and had been to California to ride Hwy 1, and then made his way to N.C. I asked how he had re-worked his rear brake. He looked at me kinda funny and said he didn't re-work it, he used front brake only. Seemed like a nice, easy to talk to guy. His positve attitude puts small problems into perspective. Steve
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I spoke with him at Wheeler's 9/11. He had retired in early July and had been on the road since. I think he lived in Chicago and had been to California to ride Hwy 1, and then made his way to N.C. I asked how he had re-worked his rear brake. He looked at me kinda funny and said he didn't re-work it, he used front brake only. Seemed like a nice, easy to talk to guy. His positve attitude puts small problems into perspective. Steve
Tony hangs out with the ZZR guys and spends quite a bit of time on the road. JimmyMac has hung out with him on several occasions and I look forward to my first time to "chew the fat" with him.