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Back of the Dragon

Let us know what you find on road conditions/gravel. I am going to the Indy GP race in August and might detour your way again if the road is in better shape.

I rode it this past weekend, a pretty decent road with more elevation chnages than Deal's Gap, not as tight and as stated - a lot longer. Much, much less traffic as well.

Road surface sucks though. There was a lot of patchwork on the southbound side and it's quite rough. Won't bother you on a GS, but it'll shake the bars outta your hands on a sportbike. Lots of loose gravel as well in some corners - but certainly not all.

I'll ride it again, but probably won't make another trip just to do so.

Some pics...
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Shot a load of video, but have yet to edit the hours into 15 seconds worth watching :brow
 
You summed up my thoughts exactly from earlier in the year. A great road if repaved. But the RT on sport couldn't take the bad pavement, so I went to normal. Then, the gravel was nasty. I nearly low sided once and eventually turned around.

New pavement, and you have a great road. I would take it again if going that way, but I wouldn't go out of my way.
 
New pavement, and you have a great road. I would take it again if going that way, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

Yup , that's it. Hopefully they'll do a full repave soon. Not really gonna head back until they do.
 
Yup , that's it. Hopefully they'll do a full repave soon. Not really gonna head back until they do.

I'll find out the current condition of the road tomorrow morning when I ride Rt 16 from Marion to Tazewell and back. I'll report back in a couple of days.

I don't you'll ever see a full repave of any road that twists 32 miles through two different counties. Different highway department divisions are never on the same schedule and they tend to think interstate highways are more important. I don't remember ever riding 32 miles of fresh pavement anywhere.
 
Maybe not FRESH, but good. I can ride you a long way on twisties in the Smokies on fantastic pothole free roads in good condition. Miles and miles of them.

The Dragon is part of that example. It is not fresh pavement, but it's good pavement.
 
Just got back early from Back of the Dragon Day in Tazewell. Beautiful day and a lot of bikes. They have paved the bad part of Rt 16 (North side of Big Walker) and the rest of the road between Marion and Tazewell is in good shape. The half in Smyth County (Marion to the top of the 2nd mountain) is new or recently paved and doesn't have a blemish that I saw. The half in Tazewell County is older but in good condition other than some rocks had fallen in the northbound lane on the north side of the middle mountain. I think it has something to do with the indian they are looking for (Watch for Falling Rock). There are a few repaired spots on the Tazewell side but the road is in good condition.
 
Come and join us for the Back of the Dragon Day in Marion, Va this Saturday. Ride RT 16 between Marion and Tazewell with thousands of curves in the 32 miles. Half was repaved this year and the other half is in good condition. We had a successful Back of the Dragon Day earlier this year in Tazewell with 2,000-3,000 people in attendance. It is located beside I-81 between exit 45 and 47.

http://backofthedragon.com/?page_id=186

http://backofthedragon.com/

We're hoping for a good turnout. The Tazewell one back in the spring was well attended. There's going to be an artist there carving with a chainsaw, car and bike show, plenty of concessions, live band, radio remote on WMEV.
 
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I liked it better when hardly anybody knew about it. By promoting it so much, 16 will just turn into a overly crowded road. Just like 129, to many riders and with that the police to bust your b-lls. Don't get me wrong, it's a great road , with some nice views riding north from Marion, but by over advertising it, sort of ruins it.
thats just my opinion, and you what they say about opinions.
Val
 
I liked it better when hardly anybody knew about it. By promoting it so much, 16 will just turn into a overly crowded road. Just like 129, to many riders and with that the police to bust your b-lls. Don't get me wrong, it's a great road , with some nice views riding north from Marion, but by over advertising it, sort of ruins it.
thats just my opinion, and you what they say about opinions.
Val

I don't think it will ruin it. Once people come to the area, they will find that there are many other great roads that will soon be listed on a website being developed by the tourism folks-(they just got a $13,000 grant from the state for promotion). I have mapped out 7 rides that will be on the website in addition to others. I live less than 5 minutes from 16 but don't ride it often (maybe 5-10 times per year) because of the other roads available in any direction from my house.

I don't understand why more motorcyclists don't retire to the southern mountains where the living is cheap and the riding is great. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/297-Reed-Hollow-Rd_Marion_VA_24354_M57177-16225
 
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