Greetings from The Dragon

gman74 said:

I'll be there May 10th-17th. Hope to run into any forum members. I go with the same Coast Guard group every year. I'll be the one on a Pani with the Erion 929 going up then down the mountain and then rinse and repeat for a week.

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There is much better riding in the area without having to endure the squid factor inherent these days on 129, gman. Get out and explore a bit....you won't be disappointed.

Cloner
ABQ, NM
(a transplanted Tarheel)

you do know about the ecm ducati.ms forum annual meetup the 8-12th at fontana lodge? This will be the fourth annual, I went last year and had a blast, think we had about 70 or so ducs there.

I've copied from the ducati ms thread info:

>>>>>>>



2013 EAST COAST DUCATI.MS MEETUP (ECM IV): MAY 8-12TH 2013 *official thread*
INSTRUCTIONS: Copy the entire list including this sentence, create a new post and add your name to the bottom. Be careful not to drop your friends or they will drop you.
**MAKE/BRING/WEAR YOUR SCREENNAME/NAMETAG!!!**

HOTEL: Fontana Village Resort, Fontana Dam NC. 800-849-2258 ask for Ducati.ms group* rate -

-RATES: $79 for two queen room at the lodge
-RATES: $119 for two bdrm cabin 3-4ppl: (queen bedroom + 2 single bedroom)
-RATES: $175 for three bdrm cabin 4-5ppl (queen + 2 single + bunk)
-RATES: Campground=$15.00 per night plus tax, and up to 7 tents can occupy the site.

SCHEDULED EVENTS:
-ENGINE-OFF DOWNHILL DRAG RACE: Fri, May 10th, 5pm
-GRILLOUT: Friday, May 10th, 6pm
-GROUP PICTURE: sat May 11th 10am at the top of the Damn Dam
-DINNER w/ SPEAKER (Pierre Terblanche - when will they notice LOL FFS) Saturday, May 11th 7pm (A charge of $46 for the dinner and grill will be included in rates/occupancy.)
-ECM FUND: please send in your donations, a worthy ECM candidate will appreciate it
-ALCOHOL: Dry county. Alcohol is available at hotel. If you're trailering, bring beer & Bacon, riders will pay $$$$!
-CRASHING!: Only IF you plan on doing it, consider helicopter/ambulance insurance ($50/yr beats $16,000 if you need one!: ) Air Evac Lifeteam - Life-Star Membership https://www.airmedcarenetwork.com/Me...ccount/airevac
-T-SHIRTS: Buy Stuff - Ducati East Coast Meet
-VENDORS/SAT NIGHT SPEAKERS:
-Pierre Terblanche speaking, and bringing some Confederates.
-PJ's Parts (contribution TBA)
-Ducshop may still attend
-PHOTOGRAPHERS: killboy.com
-SLIDESHOW: Will collect pics from all previous years to show during dinner.
-MORNING MOUNTAIN NON-DENOMINATIONAL PRAYER & DIET SESSIONS: Cancelled due to derision by non-adherent heathens
-FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/DucatiEastCoastMeet
-ECM IV CAR-POOLING:
-Joshuaz2 will be bringing everybody from the Northeast...no really!
-Canadians: Tbone57 from Ottawa, Ontario and has 3-4 bike enclosed trailer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

gman74 said:

I'll be there May 10th-17th. Hope to run into any forum members. I go with the same Coast Guard group every year. I'll be the one on a Pani with the Erion 929 going up then down the mountain and then rinse and repeat for a week.

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I am so Jelly right now with all these event/riding going on. I will miss them all since I am getting ready deploy!!!

You guys have fun and take many pics.

Amazing picture! I can't wait to take her out to the dragon.

Cloner said:

There is much better riding in the area without having to endure the squid factor inherent these days on 129, gman. Get out and explore a bit....you won't be disappointed.

Cloner
ABQ, NM
(a transplanted Tarheel)

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I'm not disappointed with ANY roads around there. I've been doing this for 14yrs. I've been all over NC and Tenn. For me: the Gap is my favorite place to be. I realize there are horrible drivers/riders/police there all the time. But there is a way of avoiding them. (time of day and day of week) But thank you for your thoughts.

Cloner said:

There is much better riding in the area without having to endure the squid factor inherent these days on 129, gman. Get out and explore a bit....you won't be disappointed.

Cloner
ABQ, NM
(a transplanted Tarheel)

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+1

I live about 2.5 hours from Deal's Gap but it's been about 14 years since I've ridden it - Just too much stupid going on there.
There is one benefit though. Draws all the stupid (and the police that love to chase 'em) to one place leaving the better roads around there clear.

I can relate. I used to ride Palomar Mtn in SoCal when I lived in San Diego. It's a great track. About 16 miles up/down hill, nothing but twisties. Some pretty technical turns (off camber, decreasing radius, etc...) For awhile it was great, then the squids and 1st bike is a liter bike folks started to come and there were accidents and deaths nearly every weekend. The police started to camp out there from sunrise to sunset. So, that left the surrounding areas to ride free of hassle.

There are many many awesome roads in the same area that are similar to the dragon. We stay down here for a week, and typically head to the dragon a few times during the week instead of the weekend because there are less people. If anyone needs recommendations for other roads to ride I'd be happy to give directions.

There was another guy at the dragon the first day we showed up, and it looked like he was adjusting his suspension after a ride on the dragon, so I walked up to him and asked him if he wanted any help, thinking maybe I'd hold the bike so he could actually sit on it and try out changes in compression/rebound. Unfortunately he said no and clearly had no intention of talking to me based on the snarky tone he was using. I tried to ask him a few more questions but I got little out of him. He just mentioned that he is visiting a friend who lives near by, and he's a mechanic so he knows what he's doing. Very condescending. A word of advice: don't be this guy. Don't be a dick to other people who hold the same passion you do, and especially those who own the same bike that you do and may just be looking for tips or to share experiences.

Been going to the Dragon 2 times a year. Once with my son and once with the guys. 129 is great but like said there are so many roads that can be more fun. Blue Ridge is a great ride but the Cherohala Skyway is the best. Nice long sweepers. Leaving in 2 weeks to take the 1199 for the first time. Im pumped.

CHerohala is my favorite road up that way, usually not a lot of traffic and great wide open roads!

the cherohala was severely damaged in January with large sections destroyed:

Part of Cherohala Skyway collapses near Tennessee line - The Graham Star - Graham County's hometown newspaper since 1955 - Breaking News

That said, was speaking to a rider who's up that way frequently and his says it's open now but some parts are single controlled with stoplights.

Stop in at tellico grains bakery - they've got some of the best pizza there, tho they only make pizza on saturdays!

I like the bottom pic. Proper braking technique with the air brakes fully deployed.

MacaveliMC said:

There are many many awesome roads in the same area that are similar to the dragon. We stay down here for a week, and typically head to the dragon a few times during the week instead of the weekend because there are less people. If anyone needs recommendations for other roads to ride I'd be happy to give directions.

There was another guy at the dragon the first day we showed up, and it looked like he was adjusting his suspension after a ride on the dragon, so I walked up to him and asked him if he wanted any help, thinking maybe I'd hold the bike so he could actually sit on it and try out changes in compression/rebound. Unfortunately he said no and clearly had no intention of talking to me based on the snarky tone he was using. I tried to ask him a few more questions but I got little out of him. He just mentioned that he is visiting a friend who lives near by, and he's a mechanic so he knows what he's doing. Very condescending. A word of advice: don't be this guy. Don't be a dick to other people who hold the same passion you do, and especially those who own the same bike that you do and may just be looking for tips or to share experiences.

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A guy named gramps just posted a pic from the dragon last week in the Panigale Picture Thread. Take a look. Is that the guy you saw?

i got my trip booked June 1-8th. Coming down from Toronto.
I also went in 2011 on an 06 R1.
Last summer when i picked up this Panigale I knew right away i had to bring it down to the gap.
Did it big this time, bunch of friends & a wood cabin in the hills.
Super stoked.

MacaveliMC said:

There are many many awesome roads in the same area that are similar to the dragon. We stay down here for a week, and typically head to the dragon a few times during the week instead of the weekend because there are less people. If anyone needs recommendations for other roads to ride I'd be happy to give directions.

There was another guy at the dragon the first day we showed up, and it looked like he was adjusting his suspension after a ride on the dragon, so I walked up to him and asked him if he wanted any help, thinking maybe I'd hold the bike so he could actually sit on it and try out changes in compression/rebound. Unfortunately he said no and clearly had no intention of talking to me based on the snarky tone he was using. I tried to ask him a few more questions but I got little out of him. He just mentioned that he is visiting a friend who lives near by, and he's a mechanic so he knows what he's doing. Very condescending. A word of advice: don't be this guy. Don't be a dick to other people who hold the same passion you do, and especially those who own the same bike that you do and may just be looking for tips or to share experiences.

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Totally agree... Especially at the Dragon... where things can go bad very rapidly... What a Kumquat!!

ttkarp said:

A guy named gramps just posted a pic from the dragon last week in the Panigale Picture Thread. Take a look. Is that the guy you saw?

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Nope that is not him. He had a mostly black suit on with a colorful helmet. Also he had termis.

war69 said:

Been going to the Dragon 2 times a year. Once with my son and once with the guys. 129 is great but like said there are so many roads that can be more fun. Blue Ridge is a great ride but the Cherohala Skyway is the best. Nice long sweepers. Leaving in 2 weeks to take the 1199 for the first time. Im pumped.

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Nice pics!

Do you ride your bikes there or haul it? I miss the days when I could do few hours to Dragon but its much longer now...

Im so jealous of you guys and your twisties. I have to drive a minimum of 3 hours to pay hundreds on a track.

I live in Wisconsin. Ive drove down once but usually trailer down. This is where we always stay.
Pioneer Vacation Cabin Rentals and Guest Farm located in Townsend, Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove and Gatlinburg

youngR said:

Nice pics!

Do you ride your bikes there or haul it? I miss the days when I could do few hours to Dragon but its much longer now...

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^thanks!