This is the first forum I've signed up for in over 10 years.. Tail of the Dragon + Driving

[Ryanthetemp]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the hard-on for driving roads like this? It’s not like it’s a closed course, you can’t go balls out safely, you can’t use the whole length of the road like you’re supposed to as if you’re on track….do you just stay in your lane the whole time behind another car? I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself? Unless it’s some like coordinated effort where scouts on both end with walki-talkie’s give an all clear for oncoming traffic I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit.

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[Rensuhlo]

Does anyone coordinate a TOTD (tail of the dragon) meet for MKV owners?

May 5-7 is the first annual MKV meetup. Details in the Southeast subforum and on facebook.

 

[Supra Cat]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the hard-on for driving roads like this? It’s not like it’s a closed course, you can’t go balls out safely, you can’t use the whole length of the road like you’re supposed to as if you’re on track….do you just stay in your lane the whole time behind another car? I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself? Unless it’s some like coordinated effort where scouts on both end with walki-talkie’s give an all clear for oncoming traffic I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit.

To be clear, I had scouts with walkie talkies so I could have sex en route with my super hot model wife.
It did increase my time though.

 

[Ryanthetemp]

To be clear, I had scouts with walkie talkies so I could have sex en route with my super hot model wife.
It did increase my time though.

Now that’s what I’m talking about….

 

[gixxersixxerman]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the hard-on for driving roads like this? It’s not like it’s a closed course, you can’t go balls out safely, you can’t use the whole length of the road like you’re supposed to as if you’re on track….do you just stay in your lane the whole time behind another car? I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself? Unless it’s some like coordinated effort where scouts on both end with walki-talkie’s give an all clear for oncoming traffic I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit.

I know Florida doesn't have any. but have you ever gone down a twisty road in your life? even once? You don't have to go balls out to enjoy a twisty curvy road. Same as you don't have to go balls out at the limit of every lap at a track day and enjoy it. I've never been to TOTD but many many canyon roads around SoCal in cars and on sport bikes and its just fun. you sometimes do get stuck behind people. you just pull over and wait for a gap. Most people go to enjoy the road, not set records. Though there are those people............

 

[visbits]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the hard-on for driving roads like this? It’s not like it’s a closed course, you can’t go balls out safely, you can’t use the whole length of the road like you’re supposed to as if you’re on track….do you just stay in your lane the whole time behind another car? I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself? Unless it’s some like coordinated effort where scouts on both end with walki-talkie’s give an all clear for oncoming traffic I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit.

Everything you said is the experience you would have on a saturday around lunch time. Tail of the dragon is a ghost town m-t and you can run it balls out without coming up on someone pretty easily. The police generally only patrol the road for heavy traffic on saturday/sunday and they park in well known locations.

There is almost 100 pull offs on the 11 miles of the dragon that `most` people will let you by with. The hard on comes from the fact you can drive 3 hrs in any direction of the dragon and have a great driving experience.

If you don't understand any of this I don't know what to tell you. LOL

 

[B58_ hwAyaq]

Excuse my ignorance

It’s ok.

This road has 318 turns in just 11 miles… with 0 intersections. And the road quality is smooth.

Yes, you should stay on your side of the double yellows as there will be people going just as hard as you in the opposite direction.

But beyond that, if you time your visit appropriately, there’s a lot of opportunity to explore the limits of your car and your skills.

you can’t go balls out safely

Can you really do that anywhere? This road offers headroom far beyond that of your typical public road. But no, you wouldn’t want to drop a wheel any more than you would on a closed circuit at speed.

I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit

Do you only have fun at 10/10? Limits can be reached. Google the Tree of Shame.

Plenty of “track enthusiasts” have fun here. Unless you’re some special breed of track enthusiast, I’m sure you’d have fun, too. Try it out, then report back. From FL, it’s an easy weekend trip.

 

[zrk]

I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself?

it's not like this, but seems like you're not married.

 

[visbits]

It’s ok.

This road has 318 turns in just 11 miles… with 0 intersections..........................

*STUFF*

This is very accurate, the whole goal is to drive at the cars limits by staying in the lane.. the lanes are fairly wide with a small car. I can rip my GT350 through the dragon almost as fast as my S2000 but I have to really "work for it" since the car is a lot larger but its just as capable and just as enjoyable.

I've logged at least 10,000 miles in the area and I find myself itching to make a trip once a month if able. I've been going for almost 5 years now and don't see myself ever giving it up... There is a really nice place we go for lunch every time too called Rivers End resturant, its in nantahala.

This video is a fairly slow pace for the dragon but gives you a great idea of how enjoyable it is. I think the experience is hard to capture from video, so don't think about it to much.







This is probably a better video to watch for capturing the "thrill"

 

[Ryanthetemp]

Fair enough responses. I’m willing to give it try in the car. I’ve been on the dragon by chance on a fly fishing trip to the Smokey Mountains with some friends. We were behind a massive biker gaggle and everyone was pansies scared to lean into it. I’m the type if I’m going to do it I’m not gonna half ass it, always full ass it. Unrelated I know of a guy that smuggled drugs in a GT4 at night and would wear night vision goggles to run blacked out with nothing but a faint backlight to illuminate the instrument cluster around these parts.

 

[FLtrackdays]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the hard-on for driving roads like this? It’s not like it’s a closed course, you can’t go balls out safely, you can’t use the whole length of the road like you’re supposed to as if you’re on track….do you just stay in your lane the whole time behind another car? I just don’t see the point it’s like having a super hot model of a wife and just never sleeping with her, why do that to yourself? Unless it’s some like coordinated effort where scouts on both end with walki-talkie’s give an all clear for oncoming traffic I just don’t see how this is really enjoyable when not at the limit.

I took it that you meant compared to driving on track. Which of course, I’m biased as hell. You can go balls out on a track that you can never do on a public road. You can find yours and the cars limits. It’s like no other for sure, 100% agree with ya!

However I’ve been up there so many times I can’t even count. I always wish I had my two seater of the time just to see what they’d feel like up there. The scenery is breathtaking. The roads are well kept. Plus you’re in the mountains. It’s a blast! But the poor passengers. My kids take motion sickness pills before we go. I swear I push every rental car we take to its limit. It’s fun to smell the brakes on the rentals, downshift for resistance, max roll in every corner, everything you wouldn’t do on track

 

[visbits]

EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
PPPPP

Out of no where I cold called a dealer that posted a listing and their buyer had backed out!! Taking delivery in a few hours!!

On my way to go pick it up!!!

 

[rwense]

EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
PPPPP

Out of no where I cold called a dealer that posted a listing and their buyer had backed out!! Taking delivery in a few hours!!

On my way to go pick it up!!!

Ayee congrats!! I took my 21' to the TotD last year. It was a blast. Drove Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday and Monday was definitely the best. Although I'll admit, I liked the surrounding roads more than the tail itself, felt like the supra could breathe a bit more of that makes sense. Also ran into Shmee and a modded 991.1 gt3rs that ran with me for a while! Definitely planning on going back.

 

[J29DB03]

EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEE
PPPPP

Out of no where I cold called a dealer that posted a listing and their buyer had backed out!! Taking delivery in a few hours!!

On my way to go pick it up!!!

They’re loss is your gain.

 

[visbits]

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