Which way to go, Colorado or Tail of the Dragon?

Afan

Afan

... and this is my real name.
Joined
Jun 2, 2014
Messages
428
Location
Urbandale, IA
Bike
1998 ST1100
Need suggestions, recommendations, ideas...


Last week in July my wife is gone, kids are gone and - I wanna be "gone" too, on my NC700X DCT. But can't decide which way to go.


Option #1: Tail of The Dragon [ Google map ] and riding through IN, KY, TN, GA, AL, AR - never rode before
PRO: Tail of the Dragon - don't need to explain. Also, never rode in these states and, according to youtube vids - all those scenic roads through the forests are so beautiful. And I can "extend" my riding map of states I rode in too. :D
CON: Except the Tail, I don't know any other place to pin on the map (at least for now). Looks like riding straight to the Tail - and that's not my kind of riding. Also, after the curvy road of the Tail, any other "curvy" road is becoming kinda... nah, right? Also, after riding 2 days through beautiful, colorful forests, on the scenic roads, then 3rd, 4th,.. day becoming, to bi politically correct, kinda "not so much interesting"? Like you eat your favorite meal 3-4 days in a row - 5th day it's not your favorite any more, right?


Option #2: Colorado [ Google map ], Garden of Gods, off-road to Woodland Park, Pikes Peak, Skyline Drive, Royal Gorge, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Million Dollar Highway, Independance Pass, maybe Mt. Evans, and Trail Ridge (Rocky Mountains, from Grand Lake to Estes Park).
PRO: It's pretty diverse kind of riding, mix of light off-road, scenic roads and highways. Also, visited some of the places with family by car so I know where am I going.
CON: I already visited some of the places with family by car so I know where am I going. Also, I have to ride about 750+ miles from Des Moines to Colorado, and 750+ miles from CO back to IA. It's 3-4 days of riding of my 7 day-trip. Half a trip spending on "commuting". Or 2 days of hard riding but I'm not Iron Butt kinda guy :(


So, what can you say?


Would you suggest any other route?


Thanks for any help.
 
I say go where you've never been as the number 1 priority... then you can decide if you want to revisit at some point in the future.
 
There are so many good roads in the area besides the Dragon that you can stay busy for weeks. Highway 28, Cherohala Skyway, Wayah Road, Up to Hot Springs. I could keep you busy just in the State of Tennessee for more days than you have. ;-) One of these days you'll have to come to the BRG for a 'sample'.
 
Nothing wrong with CO at all... but, I like to explore new places given the change to go to places I've already been or someplace new.. can't go wrong going east or west in this case.
 
Colorado hands down for me. Just gotta get there.

Having said that, the Appalachians are great.
As Uncle Phil said, and knows ridiculously well, there are a ton of interesting roads.
Regarding Tail of the Dragon. It has not, and will not see me.
 
Two problems with CO. Getting there, and snow. Flat, hot straight and boring till you get west of Denver. High passes are basically gone mid Sept thru May. Otherwise wonderful, been many times.

Tennessee/ Western NC - I live here and still haven't discovered all the great roads. TN has some of the best maintained roads in the US.
 
I'd bypass the dragon for sure... there are more fun areas to ride than that circus.
 
About the only good thing you get from the Dragon is a set of pics of you and your machine bending it through a curve where Killboy sets up his camera. Too many bikes, cars and even semis on that winding road.
 
I echo Mellow and Uncle Phil's sentiments. 1. Go where you haven't been. 2. There are plenty of roads and places outside the dragon to explore.

My college buddies and I would take trip every spring to ride US129 and watch the AMA motorcycle races at Daytona. Gave us a kick-start on summer riding season. Back in 1990, there weren't many riders. By 1996 it was too crowded and we would spend most of our time exploring other roads in the area during the 2 day Deal's Gap stay part of the trip. Ride once so you know what it is like but it's not the best road in the area for doing hot laps or scenic cruising.

Take the first day to get past St. Louis. From there stay off the interstates heading in a general Easterly direction. Maybe go a bit more South first and enter Kentucky at the Southeast tip. The windy roads across Southern Kentucky are wonderful. I remember camping at Land Between The Lakes one year with beautiful roads before and after camp.

If it wasn't for the two jobs and two kids, I'd be begging to go along. (Hum, maybe because of the two jobs and two kids I should go anyway?)

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota
 
Cherohala info: links at the bottom of the page to other good roads in the area. Actually good roads every direction from the Dragon.

https://cherohala.com

The Dragon, do it once (a slow parade) get a few pics, and then don't worry about it ever again.
 
DeanR said:
Colorado hands down for me. Just gotta get there.

Having said that, the Appalachians are great.
As Uncle Phil said, and knows ridiculously well, there are a ton of interesting roads.
Regarding Tail of the Dragon. It has not, and will not see me.
Click to expand...
Tail is great during the weekdays, at your pace with very few nuts. We ran it all day on a Thursday with no issues....

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Bush said:
About the only good thing you get from the Dragon is a set of pics of you and your machine bending it through a curve where Killboy sets up his camera. Too many bikes, cars and even semis on that winding road.
Click to expand...
Semis were banned in 2016

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
mudduc said:
One trip had us get to 129 about 11pm with dense fog. That was a slow and eerie ride. A good memory though.
Click to expand...
We did moonshiners run one evening like that. . . It was pretty cool. .

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Yes, go where you haven't gone. If you haven't gone either... go where it is more difficult for you to go or what requires more time. That will make the other target easier to get at a future date.
 
For views and scenery: West. For riding: East. The mountains have been populated for the last 250 years. Just about every cow trail and goat path has been paved and fairly well maintained. Hilly and curvy roads are every where.

I would go east. Get some routes planned. Tie the Dragon into a week day route. Run it up the hill and down the hill. Go into the store and get your Tee shirt. Depending how many other guys are with you, the Dragon will kill 45 minutes. Move on with your ride. There are so many crooked roads in the area. Go on google maps and and magnify it a little, lots of roads.

Or you could go to Colorado now and come too the BRG in the middle of Oct. Best of both worlds. :D
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom