Where did we go?

We based ourselves right next to the Dragon for this trip, though we did move east to Johnson City, TN for our last night.

Day One - The Indy crew this trip was Tom, Tim and Natalie, Sara, with Jonathon joining them south of Cincy. Ryan and Sebastion (first timer!) drove up from Charleston, SC. A stop at the famous Buc-ee's to experience the madness for the southbound cars. A stop to find a lost bolt for the northbound crew. They also ran into rain early while the Indy folks didn't get it until they left the interstate (of course). They went by Cumberland Falls, had a run through the Devils Triangle and past the Brushy Mountain penitentiary and then on to their overnight accommodations. Ryan and Sebastion drove north on interstate until Greenville, SC, where they started driving northwest, eventually driving the Tail of the Dragon before getting to the Dragon Inn. We all met for a mexican dinner in Vonore.

Day Two - Let the fun begin! Breakfast spots were in short supply so we met at the Greenback Diner where we had a great breakfast. A light rain was falling and as we crossed the Cherohola Skyway and then we ran through rain and dense fog. We drove up to the Maple Hill Overlook (it was still foggy) on the Chasing the Dragon Hill Climb road. Fun. The as the sun started to break through, we ran the famous Tail of the Dragon...both ways! Natalie was riding with Ryan when he had a small 'oopsie' with a guard rail on the run back through. He pried the fender off the tire and we continued on! We had lunch at TOTD Motorcyle Ranch, left a CLR sticker at Killboys and headed on. A stop at the Fontana Dam, down Hwy 28 to Franklin then west back to Robbinsville and across the Cherohola Skyway again, but in sunshine this time. We had dinner at the Countryside Inn and headed for some rest.

Day Three - We packed our cars and remember what I said about lack of good breakfast spots? We had such a good breakfast at the Greenback Diner, we went back (Note: good food, good folks running the place). Our route today started with us heading north on the Foothills Parkway, through Townsend and on the north edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We decided to skip driving out to Clingman's Dome (next time!) and headed west towards Asheville. A slight jog to run the Devil's Drop and then into Lunch in Asheville for lunch. Hotdogs at a place that said they were "the best dogs on the Dark Side". After Asheville we jumped onto on the Blue Ridge Parkway (tunnels!) and then drove up Mt. Mitchell where we were enveloped in fog. Well worth the drive, though the view from the top was limited! We headed towards Marion, NC, but turned north on US 221 and drove the Diamondback (NC 226A). Whee! We continued north and spent the night in Johnson City, TN.

Day Four - Time to head home. Tim and Natalie left early while the rest of the Indy group headed north where they ran the Dragonslayer and left a CLR sticker at the Dragonslayer Welcome Center. Up through Hazard, KY and farther north we drove through the Nada Tunnel in the Red River Gorge area. South of Cincy we hit rain and bumper to bumper traffic. Jonathan peeled off to head for Findlay, everyone else headed to Indy. Ryan and Sebastion headed home finding good roads to Boone, down to Blowing Rock, and other roads back to Charleston.

Another great CLR in the books.

Thanks to Ryan for the fun routes!

            
            Tom, Natalie, Tim, Sara, Jonathon, Sebastion, Ryan.