Deals Gap aka The Dragons Tail

[remy lost]

Anybody made this run? I have a buddy who has to drive it when he does service calls at the dam. He has a blast in his work minivan. I've caught a few videos of idiots on motorbikes and it looks like a great ride even at the posted 30mph. I'm even tempted to take the metro I'm driving right now up there if it was a quiet day. Once i decide on a Miata I'm definitely going!

[scandmx5]

hmm this place sounds cool. anybody checked it out???

[Spark!Plug]

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/routes/SouthEast/GA/GA_4.shtml

some info...

[FooSchnickens]

Been there, done that. Have more fun fishing than driving at the gap now.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/FooSchnickens/DSC_7264.jpg

[remy lost]

@ MX5 Miata Atlanta Owners Club - View Profile: Spark!Plug@@AMEPARAM@@View Profile: Spark!Plug</title>@@AMEPARAM@@Spark!Plug Looks interesting but not the place I'm talking about. Try this link instead. It is supposed to have 318 curves in an eleven mile stretch of road with a strictly enforced 30mph speed limit.

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon.html

[remy lost]

http://www.gapmiatas.com/

[giallo sv]

i got arrested at the gap back in 07. crossing a double yellow and 64 in a 30. I was on my 999 and passed a slow *** green f-150...it was a unmarked north carolina trooper....

[wakabama]

i've driven it a few times and i went to the event thing two years ago. its pretty fun. make sure to have good tires and brakes cause its not a straight shot there. the day trips i've taken up there have always been a full day of fun driving

[NA6R]

too much traffic on that road.
there are better choices of twisties around.

[Spark!Plug]

too much traffic on that road.
there are better choices of twisties around.

what about at 2-3AM? around where good sir? :D

[NA6R]

what about at 2-3AM? around where good sir? :D

2-3 am my old a** is in bed

[Stealth97]

I've been there in the miata twice. Cr. Net is having a small get together ther 14th-17th, can't wait to go.

[FooSchnickens]

too much traffic on that road.
there are better choices of twisties around.
Just don't go in the summer. I've written off ever going to MATG (or the Gap in general when it's warm) again after seeing the complete lack of traffic on the roads up there past september.

[miata5620]

It is one of those roads that has tons of curves but everyone in the southeast knows about it so at times it is covered in law enforcement. I have had friends get tickets on that road from everything from putting one wheel over the yellow line, driving 5mph over the speed limit, and for having a nair freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. To me it is not worth it during the summer time. I rather go to GA-180 or other more local roads.

[remy lost]

I hear ya, no point in fighting traffic and tourists and cops just for a little fun especially since I'd wanna run it several, several times. If I go I want to do it earlyish on a weekday before school gets out for the summer.

[giallo sv]

just go to N ga and ride the loop or hit warwoman and richard russel

[westend]

I was up there this weekend on my motorcycle. You do not have to do the tail of the dragon to have fun, on the weekends it's rather crazy. I don't usually ride the dragon unless I can get up there during the week. All the roads up there are great.

It looks like there is a Miata thing up there July 29-31

[FooSchnickens]

It is one of those roads that has tons of curves but everyone in the southeast knows about it so at times it is covered in law enforcement. I have had friends get tickets on that road from everything from putting one wheel over the yellow line, driving 5mph over the speed limit, and for having a nair freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. To me it is not worth it during the summer time. I rather go to GA-180 or other more local roads.
Since I stopped going during "prime time" I have seen a total of 9-10 LEOs on the roads up there in the past 4 years, and only a couple have been on 129. The most times I see them now are closer to the NOC.

[oldgrayfrog]

I've been there in the miata twice. Cr. Net is having a small get together ther 14th-17th, can't wait to go.

Man I'd love to go up there and wipe the sad pathetic losers that think slammed is a suspension setting...of course my car hasn't run in 11 months, so...somebody B+tchslap a Californian for me, if you don't see any slap Sean, I think he'll be back in town by then.
:facepalm:

[oldgrayfrog]

Just don't go in the summer. I've written off ever going to MATG (or the Gap in general when it's warm) again after seeing the complete lack of traffic on the roads up there past september.

Taylor that's brilliant !! Let's organize an MX5ATL event up there when it's cooler end of Sep- early Oct. No snow at the gap yet, but the leaves should be doingthe fall foiliage Bonanza. We can call it "Small motored open cars, preferably of Japanese Heritage at Gap Leaf Bonanza ride!"
:clap:

Plus, with another four months my car maybe running!

[Stealth97]

Man I'd love to go up there and wipe the sad pathetic losers that think slammed is a suspension setting...of course my car hasn't run in 11 months, so...somebody B+tchslap a Californian for me, if you don't see any slap Sean, I think he'll be back in town by then.
:facepalm:

Sorry, we arent going with that crowd, these guys are all OG's.. people who joined that site for what it was started for, not the dooshparade it has become.

[FooSchnickens]

Taylor that's brilliant !! Let's organize an MX5ATL event up there when it's cooler end of Sep- early Oct. No snow at the gap yet, but the leaves should be doingthe fall foiliage Bonanza. We can call it "Small motored open cars, preferably of Japanese Heritage at Gap Leaf Bonanza ride!"
:clap:

Plus, with another four months my car maybe running!
That's when we normally do CR@TG :lol:

Don't have to deal with slammage when we go, out of all the cars that show up mine and Peter's are easily the lowest, and we're barely tucking tire as it is. The cali folks did their typical "yeah we'll do it" and then backed out. You should be familiar with that, Dave. :roll:

[oldgrayfrog]

Yeah, I seriously thought I was gonna get banned on that one:) Thanks for letting me tell the little f+cker off.

[GVfanatic]

hmm this place sounds cool. anybody checked it out???

:lol::lmao::lol::lmao::lol::lmao:

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[jzilla]

been going to that place since 1991 but havent been there since 2004 cuz of the amount of cars and traffic traffic and increased police force. Its just not fun anymore. Not to mention Im not sure how safe it is, people crossing the double lines and such to straighten the road.


there are plenty of other great roads up there.

[mzmtg]

there are plenty of other great roads up there.

Like this, over by Rossman & Brevard, NC:

~65 miles of win
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/mzmtg/081608.jpg

[Bernie]

Something always happens and I get screwed out of going.

I have more fun on the side roads where you can hit some higher revs and get a bit of speed up.

[jzilla]

Deals gap is like an autocross to me.


There is an awesome stretch from Wahalia to Highlands that is nothing but uphill sweepers and switchbacks.

[leeboat]

You can hit GA 17 just north of Helen . That is a really fun road also. I was just up there this weekend and gave my wifes Jetta TDi a good run. The speed limit is mostly 45 but some 35 as well. Most of the road up the mountain coming and going is two lanes on the up side so it makes it easy to pass. I had a ton of fun through there and when you get out of the twisties there and get back to semi flat ground you come to the start of GA 180 so there is plenty of fun up there.

[jcmkam1990]

To really enjoy Deals Gap, take a few days off during the week, stay up there and hit all the roads. On weekdays, even during the summer, you will have almost no traffic from 8 til noon. Just remember, it is a public road. Old farts in motor homes and an occasional 18 wheeler can make it dangerous. My buddy from Oak Ridge and I have been doing a trip in August for 5 years now.

[Redraceface]

It'd be a great place to go if where not for it's infamous reputation of being the biggest freakin speed trap of all time. I mean Blount county makes all it's revenue from speeding fines on that 11 mile stretch of beautiful tarmac. I've been many times and my best advise is to go in late fall or late winter while it's cold, You'll have the whole road to your self.

[displacementreplacement]

Hey guys, I have it on good authority that the budget to increase LEO presence at the gap for the 11' fiscal year did not pass. That means there should be a very light presence during the day and almost no patrols at night. The police presence has not really been bad sense 07' when they earned their reputation, sadly the reputation remains.

The best time of year to go is after the leaves fall but before TDOT starts salting the road. You can see farther but it is still warm enough for your tires to work. If you go to early in the fall you may find yourself doing 15mph behind OGF who is too busy looking at the leaves. Might have to stop every 15min to pull the leaves out of the grill too. Try to go during the week. Also something to remember is that any road in NC without a speed limit sign carries a 55mph speed limit.

P.S. If you are feeling fast(and I assure you, YOU ARE NOT) the locals play on Wed. night just after dusk till midnight or so.

[tgr]

I was there last weekend must have caught shift change.We saw several cops but only @ the start on Tn. side.Went pretty much balls out till about last 2 miles when I caught some Minis,then had slow.

[Acro]

Taylor that's brilliant !! Let's organize an MX5ATL event up there when it's cooler end of Sep- early Oct. No snow at the gap yet, but the leaves should be doingthe fall foiliage Bonanza. We can call it "Small motored open cars, preferably of Japanese Heritage at Gap Leaf Bonanza ride!"
:clap:

Plus, with another four months my car maybe running!

That's a good time to go^^ I won't have a Miata.. But I should have the 200SX by then. So I'll bring that and tag along at the back :-p

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47749996@N04/5690856961/sizes/l/in/photostream/