How to pass a Sheriff on the Dragon

I was in the Smokies last week. The Dragon, as usual, on Saturday was covered with police.

The speed limit is 30 (which is ridiculously slow). But to make it worse, I caught up to a Sheriff doing 20-29 which is just painful. I rode him pretty hard, and he was kind enough to pull over and let me pass...and then I was gone.

Best thing is my buddy was taping. Around 6 mins in you see me following the Sheriff, and about 7:50 he takes the turnout.

Now that's how you pass a cop on the Dragon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeMoh_7FpEg

I was down that way last week too, and the above is the reason I didn't go near the GAP, I rode other roads as nice or better with speed limits of 55, and NO traffic.

Yes, you are right. We stay in Townsend and to get to the NC Smokies, you have either I 40 (boring), 441 (tons of traffic but nice), the Dragon (quickest), or the Cherohaula (long long detour). So we use the Dragon to get over to the NC side where as you know the roads are fantastic.

There was a nasty crash on 28 by the Dragon. A guy on a Repsol Honda had the front forks and wheel ripped right off, but he was walking around. We think he must have low sided and the bike went into a car most likely w/o him.

Dang, Richard, wasn't that area full of Mini Coopers!

Next time you're around, let me know, I'd like to meet you. Just a drink and a hand shake, I know when one is riding you like to ride, not sit around and BS or suddenly have an additional rider tagging along who may not match your riding style.

Rob

I just noticed that after I took off, at about 9:50 in the clip, my buddy pulls over and lets the Sheriff go past. Well, at least he held him off a while so I could have fun.

Wow! That guy can ride!

RoboRider said:

... We stay in Townsend and to get to the NC Smokies, ................

Dang, Richard, wasn't that area full of Mini Coopers! .....................

Next time you're around, let me know, I'd like to meet you. ................

Rob

Click to expand...

Yea, last time I rode the GAP was 3 years ago, for the same reason, to get S from the TN side.

No mini coopers where I was. I spent most of my time Asheville area and North. I wanted to explore the Cumberland area and scout some back roads, but the big storm front drove me further south than planned for the first part of the trip. We did a yeoman's job of staying out of the rain on Tuesday.

I plan on being down last week of April/early May again next year, maybe we will cross paths and even ride a road or two. I ride with a pretty eclectic crew, for the first 3 days hooked up with two former racers/track coaches from NC, and a 72 year old FL dirt bike rider that can hang with 99% of the street riders out there, if not show them a thing or two. Later in the trip rode with the FL friend, and a couple of other NC riders, one who rode 65K miles last year, MOSTLY on BACK roads!!!

Yup, Dragon is for the show, not the "go".

Best thought of as one of a few roads going through the mts connecting TN and NC rather than as a destination.

The squids bend two a weekend day on average during the summer tourist season. If they stuck them all on the tree, it would make a CA redwood look like a midget.