“I’ve been driving all night
My hands wet on the wheel
There’s a voice in my head that drives my heel
It’s my baby calling
Says, “I need you here.”
And it’s half past four, and I’m shifting gear” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring.
There are times when our inner voice calls out to us. Beckons us to action, primal in its desire, a yearning that can’t be satisfied through logic or reason.
The “Tail of the Dragon” for many is that beckoned call. An itch to be scratched, for two Corvette drivers this day, it would be a validation of self.
The warm North Carolina sun was starting to make its way through the Great Smoky Mountain hardwoods to the smooth black asphalt. When our two Grand Sport Corvettes rumbled into Deals Gap, the noon sun had not yet arrived.
Heads turned, and nods of acknowledgment came from several as our Dragon-taming V8s backed into the few car parking spots available.
The “Tail of the Dragon” store was already bustling with riders decked out in their leathers. In the parking lots, riders are carefully checking their bikes, looking intently for anything that wasn’t true to form.
Quick twists of the throttle sent the heart of the bike revving, the exhaust note drowning out Mother Nature in the surrounding pristine National Park.
Some riders are studying the map of The Dragon on the Coke machine as if they could memorize the 318 turns. Others peruse the photos taken on the 11-mile route of tractor-trailers jack-knifed on the hairpin corners or riders sliding across the unforgiving asphalt.
Some images show cars on fire; others depict the carnage of broken motorcycles after they kiss a hardwood tree at speed.
Surprisingly, each, in turn, stares at the photos, mutters something under their breath, and moves on through the store. None shows fear or even concern in their eyes. Perhaps it’s hubris, maybe an abundance of riding skill, but none back down, none turn around and head back down the mountain.
It’s as if their resolve is somehow strengthened by what they’ve seen. No one in the store or the surrounding parking lot spoke of it, but I sensed they were here to prove something to themselves. In a nanny-cam world, here, high in the mountains, their spirit could be one with the road.
Make No Mistake, The Danger Is Real
“When she’s lonely, and the longing gets too much
She sends a cable coming in from above
Don’t need no phone at all
We’ve got a thing that’s called Radar Love
We’ve got a wave in the air
Radar Love” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring
The danger of these 11 miles is real, but it has to be. Nobody would be here if it weren’t. Don’t misunderstand; bodily injury and loss of life should not be condoned or romanticized in a “civilized society.” No one was here that day to pay that price. Nor was anyone running back to their spirit-crushing day jobs either.
You don’t come to The Dragon without knowing the numbers and subconsciously weighing the potential price. Many knew that in 2016 alone, Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies wrote 861 tickets on The Dragon. Out of more than 90 “reported” crashes that year, 48 people were seriously injured, and three died.
They knew all too well that from November 2015 to April 2017, Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies wrote motorists nearly 2,300 citations on The Dragon and that, on average, about two people a year die on this twisty ribbon of highway.
The men and women who come here know the numbers backward and forward. Many are drawn from distant states and foreign countries precisely because of them.
A Grim Visual Reminder
“The radio’s playing some forgotten song
Brenda Lee’s “Coming on Strong”
The road has got me hypnotized
And I’m speeding into a new sunrise” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring
With a touch of a button, the two Grand Sport Corvettes roared to life. The small-block V8’s throaty exhaust is reassuring you it’s up to whatever your right foot demands of it. As we pulled out of the parking lot, you couldn’t help but see the sweetgum tree across the street dubbed the “Tree of Shame.”
In some ways, the tree is a silent, visual monument to overconfidence. “Drive within yourself, within your abilities” is something to repeat to yourself over and over here. The tree was started by some Harley owners in the 80’s.
It is a makeshift shrine to those bitten by the Dragon. It’s a tall, sweetgum tree decorated with cracked fairings, shattered mirrors, and a hundred other brightly colored pieces of motorcycles that tumbled and broke apart on the 11-mile stretch. After riders have successfully slain the Dragon, they can smile at the parts left behind by other riders who were not so fortunate.
Undaunted and unfazed by death maps and the tree, we pulled our Vettes out onto U.S. 129. With confidence up and the throttle down, we headed up “Wheelie Hell – Show off Hill” toward the start of The Dragon at the North Carolina / Tennessee border.
As if on cue, the 20-something motorcycle rider made the obligatory wheel stand, going up the hill for the crowd. As my 436 hp Vette launched up the hill behind him, I only had one concern. What if the rider falls? Fortunately, lady luck was on the rider’s side, and he didn’t add motorcycle parts to the Tree of Shame that day.
The Corners Are Named For A Reason
“When I get lonely, and I’m sure I’ve had enough
She sends her comfort coming in from above
Don’t need no letter at all
We’ve got a thing that’s called Radar Love
We’ve got a line in the sky
Radar Love” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring
Some questions roll through your mind when you first get on The Dragon. One for me was why the first portion was named “Beginners End,” followed by “Crud Corner?” It didn’t take long for the front P275/35R18 Michelin Pilot 4S and the rear P325/30R19 to give me the answer.
“Cold tires and spirited cornering don’t mix well together,” they said in unison through the steering column. Hence the name “Beginner’s End,” which has been the downfall of many just as they started their run.
As far as “Crud Corner,” well, as you can imagine, some dirt and small pebbles on the road. Neither of which the Michelin’s appreciated much. It was at this moment I wished I had studied that map on the Coke machine a little bit longer.
Another thought that came into sharp focus was the reminder that the nearest ambulance service is a minimum of 45 minutes away. Transport to a hospital from The Dragon can take at least another 45 minutes. It can take more than an hour if you need a trauma center hospital.
That detail is not lost on you as you realize that there are few guard rails and that some motorcycle riders have flown off the road, only to be lucky enough to be rescued the next day. Another death involved a motorcyclist who plummeted off a cliff and wasn’t found for four days.
Banked Corners, Very Autocross Like
“No more speed. I’m almost there
Gotta keep cool now; gotta take care
Last car to pass here I go
And the line of cars drove down real slow
And the radio played that forgotten song
Brenda Lee’s “Coming on Strong”
And the newsman sang his same song
One more radar love is gone” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring
After the first couple of corners, you settle into a groove. The road forces you to be in the moment. Your focus narrows, and the lush tree-lined surroundings are gone. All that is left is the next corner and how to set up for it braking-wise.
From the start, we were determined to stay in our lane and not be “that guy” who comes up to The Dragon and puts everyone at risk. We felt obligated to maintain the reputation of our fellow Corvette owners. The pictures above and Greg Steven’s 2LT performance data recorder will attest to it.
Not to say we weren’t seriously tempted. The beautiful banking of the corners whispers inappropriate thoughts to you. The 3,400 lbs of Bowling Green muscle felt light and responsive; the broad torque curve of the Chevy small-block let me know it had much more to give.
The 318 curves are not mountain-climbing switchbacks; these turns run the gamut of every possible corner. Some are close to 300-degree pivots. The altitude changes between 1,000 feet above sea level to 1,800 feet above sea level in its short distance.
Often, it reminded me of more of an autocross course than a mountain pass. Even with the responsive paddle shifters at your beck and call, you rarely get out of second gear.
Throughout the 11-mile drive, you experience pristine mountainside wilderness, often with a rock wall or hill on one side of the road and a sheer drop on the other. The asphalt sleeve throws every type of corner in the book at you in rapid-fire progression. You’re barely out of one corner when you have to set up for the next.
Part of the romanticized mystic of The Dragon lies in its appropriately named corners and few brief straight stretches. Names like Copperhead Corner, Hog Pen Bend, Wheelie Hell, Shade Tree Corner, Mud Corner, Sunset Corner, Gravity Cavity, Beginner’s End, and Brake or Bust Bend.
Trust me; they earn their names.
Smile For Killboy
“When I get lonely, and I’m sure I’ve had enough
She sends her comfort coming in from above
Don’t need no letter at all
We’ve got a thing that’s called Radar Love
We’ve got a line in the sky
Radar Love” – lyrics, Radar Love by Golden Earring
Many say this stretch of pavement is one of the best tests for drivers and machines in the United States. If that wasn’t enough, they photograph you in action.
All of which is brought to you by Darryl “Killboy” Cannon. Cannon’s a former forklift operator who knows the road and its people better than anyone. In 2000, he began regularly hanging around U.S. 129, taking photographs of cars on the road as a hobby.
One thing led to another, and people started asking him for shots, which he gave away at the time. He got so many requests that he began selling the images, then eventually walked away from the forklift business.
He now spends every day of the warm months on the Dragon and shoots 50,000 pictures a week with the help of several employees. There’s a turn on the road known as Killboy Shadetree Corner.
Killboy took the photos we used for this article of the Corvettes on the road. They know what they’re doing and give you a great photo selection of your vehicle, both coming and going.
An American Mecca For Motorcycles & Sports Cars
The Dragon has quickly become an international mecca in the global biker community. Many motorcycle magazines tout The Dragon as one of the best motorcycle roads in the world.
N.C. Department of Transportation estimates 240,000 motorcyclists attack the Tail of the Dragon annually. Auto tourism has increased to become about 50% of all visitors, thanks in part to caravans of sports car clubs.
There are certainly times to avoid the Tail of the Dragon. The safest bet is to go mid-week, early in the day. Be warned; it’s heavily patrolled in the prime season by troopers.
Blount County Rescue Squad maintains a presence on the Tail of the Dragon during summer months to quickly aid those who are conquered by the dragon. That fact alone should tell you all you need to know about this stretch of road. Having driven it, I can say it’s unforgiving and has honestly earned its reputation.
Here is what Nick G from Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta had to say about The Dragon. “To me, this is what the tail of the dragon represents: It’s a trip of two kinds. One is self-improvement by way of challenging yourself to get better at the challenging drive/road.
You’re in the driver’s seat and one on one with the street. The second is bonding with a friend or more and improving each other. A lead car can help you know if you’re slower or faster. The road brings people together for many reasons, but this is what I feel most about it.”
In Japan, car enthusiasts flock to the passes around Mount Fuji. Those in the United Kingdom head to Wales; for the United States, “The Tail of the Dragon” is our ground zero. A mecca of myth, legend, and folklore. At the Tail of the Dragon, you learn a lot about yourself, and you finally realize what driving is really all about.
Special thanks to Golden Earring for writing “Radar Love, a 6:26-minute song that is perfect for driving The Dragon.
Articles We Recommend:
The Tail Of The Dragon – A Voice That Drives My Heel
Ron Johnson – Keeper Of The Dragon
Ron Johnson – Keeper of the Dragon Part 2
Ron Johnson – Keeper of the Dragon Part 3
Darryl “Killboy” Cannon – The Eyes Of The Dragon
Darryl “Killboy” Cannon – The Eyes Of The Dragon Part 2
Darryl “Killboy” Cannon – The Eyes of The Dragon Part 3
Select Articles & Videos
I took on the fastest man on the Dragon with a Ferrari 458 Speciale
“2020 Corvette Stingrays Run the Tail of the Dragon”
Watch a Brand New Nissan GT-R Crash on Tail of the Dragon
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