First Gap trip

[snot]

Photos later...
We had a blast, first off. We got there Thursday afternoon, unloaded and hit the Dragon. We rode to the Dam, Fountaina. Went to dinner then back to the cabin. Forgot to log miles....

Friday, we hit the skyway. I hit 5000 miles at the 4000 elev. sign . From there Blood mountain, Hellmutt and I turned it into a GP race (according to friends). Then we found a little store to rehydrate, checked tires and oh crap...... Hellmutts front tire was chewed up. Found a dealer at 445 (closed at 530) and tire changed, back on rode in 70 min. Then it happened, rain for 150+ miles. Total 348 miles.

Rain all day Saturday so, we went to the museum. Now,on our way home.

[CC Cowboy]

I remember my first trip to the gap! I was never the same after that.

[verboten1]

Skyway is great, so fast and fun. But watch out for cops! lol

[csmith12]

Nice and in for more pics!

[TnNinjaGirl]

Very nice. Can't wait for pics

[Sirref]

in for mad pics

[snot]

[snot]

dealer for tire

storm ..

[snot]

[snot]

ohioriders.net/index.php?/topic/107760-finally-caught-the-dragon-by-the-tail/?p=1446634
From @Hellmutt
"No good reasoning as to why the wife and I waited all these years to take in Deals Gap and it's surrounding routes, but now that we have, it's abundantly clear why it's such a well loved area. The riding there is second to none that I've ever experienced, aside only to track time. Not to mention the awe inspiring views.

I spent the first half of last week tuning up the truck, the bike, and overhauling my trailer so the wife and I could trust in it all for this trip. Met up with Granda080 and Oldschoolsdime92 at an eagerly early 345am Thursday morning. We reached the Dragon right about noon to sunny skies and perfect weather conditions, so I got to enjoy driving it first on our way to check into our cabin at Ironhorse Motorcycle Resort in Robbinsville ( for anyone curious, it's a great place to stay, well ran, good people, and plentiful amenities ). Once we got unpacked, unloaded the bikes, and suited up, we went right for Rt129. Took a parade lap the first pass in heavier than expected traffic, but a couple hours later we got a fairly clean run at it and really dug in at a much better pace.

I like the Dragon, it's tight and technical turns bring exhilaratingly quick transitions, one after another, in an almost neverending succession. But, I honestly enjoyed a lot of the other routes we'd ridden the following day a bit more. Rt28 is a lot of fun, and better suited for the long gearing of my ZX14. Cherohala is a big favorite too. Even Foothills Pkway was enjoyable as a nice, easy ride of long sweeping turns and sweet overlooks.

Friday, we rode an awesome twisty route from NC, to TN, down to northern Georgia, and back. I believe we have Pauly to thank for the coordinates? Blood Mtn was a blast. The beautiful elevation changes where most every corner is so sweetly banked, easily enabling extraordinary entry speeds that eventually shear away at your front tire until it's down to nothing, making you stop at the nearest dealer who gladly helped get me in and out at just over an hour. So, I nod my head with huge props to Union Motorsports in Blairsville, GA and their excellent service of a last minute customer.

The ultimate culprit was a less than credible tire gauge that had lied it's ass off prior to us leaving the house. Their mechanic showed me the true pressure was at about 22psi, semi-hot. So ambient pressure that morning was likely sub 20psi, but the janky gauge had read around 32-34ish. Needless to say, that turd of a tool went into the garbage to be replaced with an accurate instrument.

So, sadly to say, less than 5 minutes after we left the dealer is when the worst part happened. Torrential downpour. For the entire trip back to Ironhorse. I'd wager it was similar to what Noah experienced when the Earth flooded. Water was filling our boots, soaking our buttcracks, and running behind our helmet's visors, rendering us all virtually blind but for what was barely within our headlamp's range. We aren't fair weather riders, we've been caught in the rain before, no big deal. But this storm seemed to follow our every move with a non-stop dumping of buckets, thunder, and lightning. But why stop? Once you're soaked and out in the middle of who-the-****-knows, embrace the hate and mush on. Took us over 3 hours to journey back from just outside Blairsville to Ironhorse. We got to see Bridal Veil Falls for all of 3 seconds as we rode past it, Oldschool pointed up, we all looked, wife and I chuckled to one another over our Sena coms that the rain was coming down harder than the falls were, and kept riding. I'm just happy I didn't have to limp it through that storm on a bald front tire in the twisty hills, or I may not be here today to tell this little tale of conquering adversity. Albeit somewhat mild adversity, 'twas still a dangerous mission.

Saturday morning we all decided not to ride since the forecast showed rain all day, our gear was still soaked, and our pruned hands and feet had just dried out. So after breakfast we headed into Maggie Valley's famed Wheels Through Time Museum. Awesome place to visit for those that haven't been. There's a ton of history on display in that building, and quite a bit of it still runs. The owner fired up a few pieces to boast his handy work, pretty impressive to see something over a century old start right up and run. Nabbed some lunch before heading back to the cabin. Wife and I went to the Gap store for some keepsakes and took a spin for a bit to take in some more scenery before we packed up to ready our jettison the following morning.
Got back to the homestead about 5pm today. Glad to say none of us went down, and we all had the best time. Looking forward to the next trip down there. Pics to follow ".. see link

[Hellmutt]

Obligatory pics!

Loaded up and ready to haul down in the morning



Our first killboy screenshot in route to Ironhorse resort



Wife and I slaying the Dragon shortly after getting there

[Hellmutt]

Shots from the museum

[TnNinjaGirl]

Very cool!

I love how you captured the essence of WTT. Did you get to meet Dale? Stand up guy.

[alex.s]

i must say, quite nice. top drawer. i wanna go take a puff of this magical dragon

[snot]

Originally Posted by TnNinjaGirl

Very cool!

I love how you captured the essence of WTT. Did you get to meet Dale? Stand up guy.

Dale was talking with another guy. Dale was trying to help him sort out an issue with another bike.

[snot]

[wardie]

Stayed there many times, wonderful couple who own it. You can open her up a bit on the Skyway . Been to the Gap many times and it's a work out pushing a Busa but the little Ninja is fun. Plenty of great roads in Southern Ohio maybe not 318 turns but enough of them to make your wrist sore

Dale Walksler livin' the dream. Just about every machine in his museum runs and it's a hoot to see Dale start them.

When in Daytona check out the Daytona 200 Marble monument behind the Hilton on the beach. Dale Walksler and right below it much to my wife's chagrin is Larry and Mary Ward. Proud to be a part of building that with Dale and others. Wardie

[Alvin31]

Cool....How was the museum called exactly?

[wardie]

Originally Posted by Alvin31

Cool....How was the museum called exactly?

Wheels Through Time

[snot]

It was really cool.