Tell me about deals gap

[Guest]

I've ridden for a few years but somehow never made it to deals gap. I may be going with Dale (Dogma) in September. I know there are volumes written on the interweb but I wanted to hear what GSR folk have to say about it? Anything to watch out for? Anything in the area that I should look for? Lodging and or food tips?

[IanC]

First don't go on a weekend. Plan on being there mid-week. There will be less traffic and less police. There is lodging on the mountain but usually full unless you reserve a room in advance. The food up there isn't bad and Chris and I have been known to ride up there to have breakfast. Maryville is near by and is a very biker friendly town (as motorcycles are a huge chunk of this city's revenue). If you plan on heading this way shoot me a PM and we'll meet up.

[mriddle]

First don't go on a weekend. Plan on being there mid-week. There will be less traffic and less police. There is lodging on the mountain but usually full unless you reserve a room in advance. The food up there isn't bad and Chris and I have been known to ride up there to have breakfast. Maryville is near by and is a very biker friendly town (as motorcycles are a huge chunk of this city's revenue). If you plan on heading this way shoot me a PM and we'll meet up.

Sept 20-21 is the plan.

[IanC]

Mondays aren't too bad in the morning usually. In the afternoon you want to ride through Fontana and visit Cherokeee (indian reservation) then you can ride back via the Smokey Mountain National Park and Townsend to get to the Foothills Parkway which will put you right back at the bottom of the Gap. Gorgeous ride.

[mriddle]

Thanks Ian . .. will probably leave my area about 7am get to the area around noon.

[IanC]

Ah, well in that case scratch that and spend the afternoon there. Give me a call (before you head up the mountain as cell service is iffy up there) @ 865-454-9067 and I'll meet you guys up there or in town for lunch or dinner depending on my work schedule. Or if you want I have a couch available and live in nearby Maryville.

[mriddle]

Gosh that's nice to offer the couch but there should be 3 others along. I willet you know when it gets closer.

[IanC]

Sounds good.

[dpep]

Ian, don't you want to send them on the Cherahola loop while they are there?

[IanC]

Another gorgeous riding option. Realistically you could stay here for weeks and never hit the same route twice and they'd all be scenic with twisties. If you want good riding in East TN just pick a direction and ride, you'll find it.

[Steve]

Cherohala Skyway is also worth the trip.

Deal's Gap is tight, rather technical and heavily-patrolled with the new speed limit at 35 (or is it 30) mph. Still worth the fun it takes to go the 11 miles, but there are MANY other roads in the area that are just as good or better. The main appeal of Deal's Gap is that there are no crossroads and no driveways on the entire 11 miles. The only thing you have to watch for besides the road itself would be patrolling officers and TRUCKS.

Just take your time, enjoy ride, say you have done it, then move on to other roads.

Click HERE for lots of good links to info for the area.

.

[Chris]

US 129 is great but now too popular and often crowded or patrolled by LEOs. Convoys of cruisers riding in formation at 25-30 mph take a lot of the fun out of any road. All the photographers along the road are distractions too. Go early in the day Monday thru Thursday. Mondays are particularly nice with many fewer people riding. I always stop at the scenic overlook and get the word on the current LEO status from the riders parked there before heading down the road. There are lots and lots of other fun roads. The Skyway is great and so is 28. I like the roads over in NC a lot. Come on over and have fun...

[twr1776]

Mike, you probably already have booked a hotel but for the SE Rally we have stayed at the two wheel inn. Very bike friendly, clean rooms, etc.

http://twowheelinn.com/

As far as the roads in the area go it is hard to go wrong with most of them. My personal favorites are the Dragon, Cherohala loop, 28, and the Foothills Parkway. Another very nice stretch is 129 north from Robbinsville to the Dragon, lots of sweepers, it runs along the creek, goes over the dam, and is a nice warm up for the Dragon itself. Lots of riders turn around at the overlook if coming from the south but the stretch north from it has some additional very nice corners. As mentioned he best times are before 10 or after 4 to minimize the pirate/wobbler crowd at the Dragon itself but on my first trip we got to the resort around 11 or so and it was a real freak show.

The last time I was there GBW and I got to the Dragon around 5 on a Friday and made a bunch of runs with only one being not so good with cars/etc. I like to take it easy in the straights at the speed limit, look around a bit, and hit the corners. I am not sure if they have changed the speed limit but I think 30 - 35 mph through many of them would be very fast or at least too fast for most.

[willie]

Another gorgeous riding option. Realistically you could stay here for weeks and never hit the same route twice and they'd all be scenic with twisties. If you want good riding in East TN just pick a direction and ride, you'll find it.

I whole heartedly second that opinion. Shoot me a PM before you head down and, if possible, I'll show you some of the better roads in the area. One "competitor" of the Dragon is the Snake. Look up Mountain City and Shady Valley, TN on mapquest. Very impressive and only one of many nice roads in this area.
Willie

[Darkstang]

I live in Western North Carolina so i am pretty familiar with it and East TN. I have logged 6,000 miles this summer alone in this area! deals gap is fun , better through the weekday. On weekends their will be several hundred bikes, like going to a major rally. It is a fun road, banked right in all the corners, great scenery. We run it several times to find the LEO's so we know where they are, then have at it.

Lower 28 from US74 down to Franklin is ALMOST as fun, good road, great scenery as well, curves are a little more open so you can carry a little more speed. It is called the Hellbender or Moonshiner.

The Diamond Back around Little Switzerland is a great ride.

Hickory Nut Gorge from Asheville to Lake Lure is awesome.

The TWISTIEST TIGHTEST road I have found yet is Pigah Highway 151 at tht top when it runs into the Blue Ridge Parkway. The switchbacks are tighter than any on Deals gap. Some will bring you down into 1st gear.

Deals gap though is still one of my favorites. Awesome scenery, you get to see a lot of bikes, no MAJOR elevation changes. It is a road that you simply must do.

If you go to Deals Gap, post up and we could probably get a crew from here together to go.

Ken