Check it out !
Greg Gorman rides Deals Gap.
Cool video.
http://www.gormanonline.com/videos/s...okToXroads.wmv

 

Thanks brought back some fond memories. When are we going to get serious about orgainizing a forum ride there?

 

If only I could ride like that !
Maybe a beginners track day will help my sloppy style
That guy is good !

I would like to ride Deals Gap some day.
When are you going?

 

No real plans on going there but would love to get back there. Maybe the resort would give a discount if we could get a bunch to go. I am going to the track on Friday though, you should try it out LOADS of fun. There's even a group of 10 guys coming from Texas this weekend.

 

Where is that?? Looks like a cool ride....

 

U.S. 129 A.K.A the Dragon, 318 turns in 11 miles!! It runs from Tenn. to NC. in the mountains I had a smile from ear to ear for a week!

 

That is freakin awesome....it would take me like 2 hrs to ride that...lol...well maybe not quit that long.....Very cool....

 

Right at the end of the video he's pulling up to the resort. It's right at the bottom of the dragon and even has a loading dock. Ironically I'm wearing my t-shirt I bought there. www.dealsgap.com or www.killboy.com has great info.

 

Come on Cliffhangertx, lets do some Ride Smart beginners track days and learn how to ride better.
Then do some intermediates.
http://www.ridesmart.info/
Then we'll go do the Dragon !!!

The guys at work say thats not the only good road around there.
There are more

Heck come to think of it there are some roads in AR that are really twisty. That's a lot closer... we could practice there!
I used to take my '72 Alfa Romeo GTV up there just to drive the roads.

 

You could literally spend a month there and still not ride all the roads! I've got a map of the surrounding area with loops already setup with food, lodging, motorcycle shops etc.. You can ride the Dragon and then go to the Calahallo (sp?) we did that ride and it was awesome. You go from the tech. dragon to a fast sweeping 80 mph turn road right after with all kinds of mountain views. I'm getting all excited just thinking about it!! I'll meet you there.

 

Excuse my ig'nernce but who's Greg Groman? Is he a "local"? I use quotation marks as the gap is a pretty isolated area which makes it all the better. One thing usually not mentioned about it as there are NONE, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA side roads, driveways or exits to worry about.

He did a 13 min "lap" with traffic. That's SMOKIN'. I've read that 11 is the record. I did a high 16ish on my second time on it led by a regular and thought I was riding very unresponsibly at that speed!

The other well known road is the Cherohala skyway (a combination word of two local native america tribes) but it's a much higher speed road that climbs to higher elevations (can be much cooler). I have tape of one 90mph sweeper that lasted nearly 10 secs at that speed. It has a higher death rate too.

I've only been once and to the Ozarks twice. I'd say the Ozarks are about 90% as good but are MUCH less traveled on the weekends; however, the gap was dead during the week when I rode it. That video looks like a holiday weekend compared to my experience. It's also now heavily patrolled during peak times.

 

That's the one bling loved both those roads! Also lots of nice roads through the national parks but as you said and I forgot to mention go during the week. I did that as well and was thinking the same thing watching that vid man that's alot of traffic. I didn't keep times but I know the first time I don't think I went ant faster than 50. The fastest guy we saw blew by us the second day on a Duke, he was only 62 or so!

 

He was an instructor at Keith Code's M/C racing school
Here's his short bio
http://www.gormanonline.com/forums/49/ShowPost.aspx
More videos here
http://www.gormanonline.com/forums/3/ShowForum.aspx
His web site
http://www.gormanonline.com/
interesting guy !

 

Now this woman really trusts her husband !!!
http://www.gormanonline.com/videos/s...9N_780kbps.wmv

 

The track I go to, www.jenningsgp.com has a 2 up session and I've seen wives draggin' toes. I actually did that on the back of my brother vfr500. Another young and dumb. Oh and the trust has to be mutual.

 

Trusting souls - ALL !

 

I was a good little monkey. I always wanted to try sidecar racing, it's big in Europe but not so much here.

 

Yeah that video is sick. Had everything from squirrels to multiple passes, I kinda chuckled at the poor dude who wrecked early in the video. Was anyone else moving their head while watching the video like I was? My neck is sore.

 

No, my whole body was leaning in my chair.

 

There are lots of good roads in N. Georgia, Western N. Carolina and Tennessee. Many are kept in immaculate condition. Deals Gap happens to be the most famous, but it's one of my least favorite for several reasons. It's too tight, too heavily travelled and too heavily patrolled, although the scenery in the area makes it worth the trip.
I like the video. The rider is riding smoothly with plenty in reserve. The guy he passes in the red helmet is kinda scary, though.

 

This months' AMA mag has a nice writeup on the Smokies area. Says they're very bike-friendly.
I'm goin' in July or August. Can't wait!

 

Yes they are very bike friendly. I think they realize it's a big part of thier economy. I passed a cop (unknowingly) at 85mph in a 50 and he never even flinched! I wouldn't try that on purpose but that would NEVER happen here.

 

Hey, don't kid yourself. I know from experience they're not THAT bike friendly.-)

 

Just going from my exp. in both places. Maybe I should say they're more friendly than down here in S.Fla. What did you do wheelie past with a one finger salute? The hotel we stayed at even let us park our bikes right in front of our room on the sidewalk.

 

I used to live up in North Ga, Dawsonville Ga, I rented a house from Dan Elliott, Bills Brother, right down the steet from there shops, all those tools at my disposal I would give anything to be there now....That was pre-bike days, man there are some great places to ride up there.
...And the cops are cool, as long as you don't cruise through there city in a 1984 Buick Regal, headliner falling, tail pipe hanging by a coat hanger, windshield busted, windows don't work etc....you get the picture, I got pulled over 7 times in 6 months for nothing.....I sold the darn thing.....Yeah I was pretty broke back then to...lol....

Anywho, nice place to ride, good people....

 

So can we ride over there and stay with your old friends & go ride those cool twisties ???

 

Man I wish....They are the poorest////Rich people I know, he would try and charge us rent....better off stayin at a hotel....lol....

I used to have friends that worked at Movado there in Dawsonville, the manager just moved down to FL, she would have let us crash (no pun intended) at her place for a few days....she would have been easy on the eyes too ..... It has been 6 years since I lived there, I might try and get back in touch with some of the folks I knew then to see if I can't work something out>>>>

 

What a good place for riding!