Just wanted to let you guys know I've set up that meet back home (Detroit) to talk face to face with the noobs and old friends about the Dragon run, so rest assured I'll make myself crystal clear about what's allowed with our group and more importantly, what's NOT!

I expect a good group and have no reason to think elsewise and hope some of the other locals that said they're going to show up from here,do infact show up, the more the merrier. I've got Evan to join us at the cabins, so that's going to be really cool, being at homebase makes things alot easier, but shouldn't keep anyone else from wanting to go, there's other places to stay in the area or even 25 minutes away, very easy to find too
37 days to go!

 

....how is it out there, really

 

We're about 2 weeks away, you guys ready. So far its Evan and myself from here and IIRC two locals said they'd meet us out there, you guys still doing that

I just hope the brakes are up to the task for this run or I'll be driving around out there with my 4 ways on

 

That's way up there on a list of roads it's like to ride. I've heard bad things though... they say that the LEO enforcement is unreal through there lately, and the speed limit is 30 MPH (how you're supposed to have fun at 30 MPH on a beatuiful twisty road is beyond me).

I've wanted to try it every since seeing this guy rockin' it on a Gold Wing.

YouTube - deals gap on a goldwing/gl1800 by yellow wolf dragons tail

 

Went up there earlier this month with 8thcivic. It poured & everything. Now if it wasn't for the GWAR concert, I'd be in too, & plus I just found this just now.

 

you can count me in...PM me the details?

 

I live about 2 hrs from the dragon, I could probably make it down Sat or Sun depending on overtime. If ya know about what time you guys will be running I can make sure to get there around that time.

 

also would like to know what time you guys are planning on running on saturday or sunday. Im trying to get together some friends from gwinnett-atlanta area to ride up for the day, maybe stay the night!

 

I'll be going up there in a few weeks, I can't wait to run the dragon for the first time.

 

WOW! alot of people now

Ok, we head towards the Dragon after breakfast, which by the time our entire group is done should be around 11:00 a.m. or so, so its going to take some time to get to the actual Dragon (Deals Gap) and if I had to guess I'd say we'd be there (Deals Gap) around 1-2:00 p.m. I can tell you this though, we all stop at what we call the end of the Dragon which has a pretty long straight away (long by Dragon standards) and there's a lake on the left and a bridge and a nice, paved clearing on the right where alot of cars can park and that's good because this year we've got 25 cars in our group, everything from Fits to S2000's, from 350Z to Mazdaspeed 3, to AE86 Corolla's to Contour SVT's and everything inbetween.


Now as far as the Leo's go, well, I hear this every year and never see em' while I'm out there unless there's an accident and then, they come out of the woodwork, literally! I saw ONE cop last year and NO accidents, so it was a good weekend from that standpoint. We did run into heavy fog in the higher elevation on the Skyway, having us pull our 16 car group into one of the site seeing lots which we filled up completely. The fog just tumbled across the road and the temps were about 20 degree's cooler too....burrrr!


Now, about the 30 mph speed limit. Well, when there's turns that are U-shaped and it says 10 mph, exiting at about 45 takes some serious power, something we don't need to worry about I had a MINI Cooper S last year, modded and at times I hit 65 mph. That being said though, all you gotta do is keep up your mometum and be smooth in the turns....DO NOT CROSS THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE! YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS RULE ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE!!! The cops STRICTLY enforce this, ofcoarse because there's so many blind turns out there and with all the traffic, including alot of bikes, you gotta be careful.


Our group is very respectful of this road, many of us have run it more than 3 times (myself, I've done it 8x's and this makes 9x's-in the spring I picked up an 05' MINI for my ex-boss) We have a couple noobs coming out this year and they've all been talked to about the DO's and DON'Ts of the road. We're not "fun governors" by any means and you can have a blast out there driving your car to 7/10ths, trust me

 

Just spoke to JJ and it looks like we've got another Fit going

 

I've been organizing this run since 2003, would you come out from Cali for this? We've always wanted someone W of the Mississippi to join us, your about as W as possible really There are other things to do in the area if your into that. There's "Dollywood", underground caves, Gatlinburg (Home of the "Dukes of Hazard" museum), Pigeon Forge. Not to mention on your way in, you can take in Memphis and all the blues and BBQ they've got to offer. The vids you see on YouTube are fun to watch, but can't capture what its really like, trust me. The roads are all smooth and banked and there's many hairpin turns, elevation changes, off-camber turns, etc. Its our version of the Stelvio Pass

PM me with any question and if you want, drop me your cellphone number and I'd be happy to talk to you about this road. BTW, don't forget about the 57 mile drive to get to the Dragon called the Cherahola Skyway, just as much fun and sometimes, more challenging than the Dragon. The elevation there goes up to 1 mile high and the scenery.....God's country

 

Yup…I’ve got a Milano Red ’07 Sport Fit with an A/T (the one thing that I dislike about the car). I’ve got a couple things that I’ve done to the car to make it just about right for the Dragon…the list is by manufacturer;

Mugen
Front tower bar
5-way adjustable suspension
Oil cap (gold)
Radiator cap
Titanium license plate bolts (most important to go fast)

Ultra Racing
Front lower brace
Rear lower brace
Fender bars
“C” pillar bar

Honda
16” Accessory wheels
Acura Integra Type R front disc brakes
Garmin Nuvi GPS
All season mats
Red interior trim
“B” pillar garnish
Exhaust finisher
Door sill trim

T1R
Rear disc conversion
Headers and complete V2 exhaust system (not installed yet)

Specialty Products
22-mm rear sway bar

K&N
Typhoon induction

StopTech
Slotted discs (front & rear)

Michelin
205/50ZR16 Pilot Exalto 2 PE2

 

The best mod is skill

 

Well said and after talking with JJ last night he's on the ball

 

I don't think skill is a mod at all...I think you are born with it. You either have it or you don't...and here is why I think so.

Have you ever tried to teach someone something and they just don’t get it. And even if you succeed in teaching him/her that skill, all they can accomplish is a half-ass result? Skill is not a mod…you are born with your skills.

 

I like your way of thinking JJ I only pushed my previous cars to about 7-8/10th's their limit, but then again, one was a modded Contour SVT, a Crossfire 6spd and modded Mini Cooper S (07'). The car may be capable but it doesn't mean the driver is and in my case, I push my car to the point where I feel I'm still in control of it, period

That being said, don't think I'm going to have a problem controlling a 117 hp (4.53hp from the K&N typhoon though)/109 ft/lb of torque, FWD and automatic powered light weight car, especially going up hill. We start at about 3k feet elevation and go up to 1 mile and then back down, so my paddle shifters will be getting a good workout for sure. I see 4th or even 3rd gear being used going down the steep grade of 9%. As far as the Dragon goes, well, if I can keep up my momentum and not get any site see-ers infront of me, I should do ok, just hope the brakes are up to the challenge. Nobody makes pads for the GE yet

 

 

I just got a call from Dixie this morning and she wants me to call her back (owner of Caney Creek Village) I will call her back when she returns from church, around 12:30 EST. If you have a reservation with her, give her a call and if not, give her a call anyways, there might be an opening

 

I just called her and got a cabin for the 8th and 9th...see you all there!

just practicing my souther hospitality for when I gert there...