Rockslide on The Dragon

[ConPilot1]

We are pleased to see that your enthusiasm for our planet continues unabated, and would like you to know that the two thermonuclear missiles currently converging upon your vessel are merely a courtesy we extend to all prospective customers.

So the good weed shops are still in Venice, I suppose??  

[AzItLies]

Meh, the Dragon. It's a jerk-off playground. Give me the Cherohola anyday or the BRP, I had much more fun.
The Dragon was just a technical PITA. I don't need to be running the Connie at 8 grand on the tach just to negotiate a road. It was fun though. Have to do it once I guess and put your little dragon sticker on the bike.  

hmmmm have to differ here, maybe it's something to do with the difference between a connie and a feej?

I'd much prefer the Dragon and would do it in 3rd gear pretty much the whole way (2nd in those really tight 350's). Plenty of torque for the corners and run it up to 7 or 8k in the straights... for a second or two, hey anybody can go fast in a straight line, no point in that.

The issues with the Cherohala or BRP, imho, is that yer gonna need to be going about 90 if you want to lean that bad boy over. The Dragon is peg scraping heaven. Technical? you bet yer arse, probably one of the top technical roads to ride in our Country. I love it.

+1, The Dragon is where people who need to be seen/photographed ride. IMO too many cops, Harleys, car clubs, trucks, newbies slaying the dragon to get T-shirt/sticker. Its actaully a dangerous road due to the other vehicles on it.
I rode it 20+ years ago when the speed limit was 55 and very few knew of it. It is just a tourist trap now.
I much prefer US28 south of 19/74, it's twisty, scenic, under patrolled, and still 55 MPH.

Not if you go during the week. And pretty early morning. I've ridden on early weekdays and sometimes seen not a single other vehicle. Other times as little as 2 or 3 tops. I wouldn't go on a weekend, almost like asking to crash.

[garry]

Meh, the Dragon. It's a jerk-off playground. Give me the Cherohola anyday or the BRP, I had much more fun.
The Dragon was just a technical PITA. I don't need to be running the Connie at 8 grand on the tach just to negotiate a road. It was fun though. Have to do it once I guess and put your little dragon sticker on the bike.  

I agree, mostly due to the circus-like atmosphere on weekends with all the traffic and enforcement. It's a great road if people/trucks/cops would stay off it. Personally, I prefer "The Snake" (TN 421) in Shady Valley, but the Dragon early on a weekday morning is worth doing a few times.

A couple of my riding buds were down there this past weekend. Haven't seen a ride report from them yet.

[ChrisZRX]

I've ridden the Dragon, Cherohola, and BRP and immensely enjoyed them all.  

Haven't been down to the Dragon since 2006, time to go again.

[sodapop6620]

This dam planet is just falling apart.

Dirtbikes on the Moon, you can't help but catch some BIG air

[atadaskew]

So the good weed shops are still in Venice, I suppose??  

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy..

 

[bassjones]

It's open again all the way through. The resort posted a FB update this afternoon - see FB is good for something  

[ConPilot1]

- see FB is good for something  

That's about all it's good for.


Too much tourist dollars going down there, especially with the nice early warm spring we're having. Figured those rocks wouldn't be there long.  

[vulcanbill]

I agree, mostly due to the circus-like atmosphere on weekends with all the traffic and enforcement. It's a great road if people/trucks/cops would stay off it. Personally, I prefer "The Snake" (TN 421) in Shady Valley, but the Dragon early on a weekday morning is worth doing a few times.

Totally concur.  The Dragon can have value though.  Last time down there, which might end up being my last time down there, we hit it on a Wed after a morning of rain and an accident or accident reconstruction by TSP.  We did a couple passes, had lunch and it dried up.  TSP went home and the road was nearly empty.  I'll spare everyone yet another post of that ONE video I have of me chasing the wife but you can see how few cars or bikes we encounter the whole run.  We got 8 or 10 passes and were able to get a really good feel of the place for a brisk pass.  Under those circumstances, the Dragon was awesome.  Under almost all other circumstances, it's a zoo.  I'd love to have the opportunity to run the Mt City to Shady Valley pass 10 times in a row but that's pretty unlikely.  Agree that the Cherohala and BRP are chock full of awesome but that's a speed run.  If you screw up on either of those while getting your lean on, it will end badly.  

[CafeTBird]

The only time it is any fun is when one end is closed.  

[scott19]

Agree that the Cherohala and BRP are chock full of awesome but that's a speed run.  If you screw up on either of those while getting your lean on, it will end badly.  

+1 I like the way you think.
 

[bmwone]

I rode it 20+ years ago when the speed limit was 55 and very few knew of it.

It was fun back in the early 90's when I rode it ... I wouldn't go near the place now.