That's the EXACT reason why we caution newbies to NOT go to their local dealership for service work! Good job Oldfeller!

MM, can you imagine the mess I'd make if I went a dragging those big bags around the turns ????    

Plus, she'd be a real handful up in the mountains, to be sure.



Bought this for a voltage output gauge and a set of cell phone charging ports, this way I can see if my charging voltage gets flaky on me while riding.

At a moderate pace the ST1100 did fine on the Dragon - but when pushed hard it really scrubbed a lot of rubber off the tires.
(But it sure was a fun bike on the Cherohala Skyway).

The Savage and Ninja 250 do fine when hustled through the Dragon.



 

I can't think of any large areas left to explore since we went into Georgia last spring.   Campgrounds that are worth having have boiled down to Kickstand and Blue Ridge.   What is left to investigate?

Yes Dave, I fondly remember that cluster group of crotch rockets that blew past us on the Cherohala Skyway and that they acted so surprised when you jest didn't stay blown away at all .....   I remember the amazed looks on their faces when I pulled into the overlook area where all you guys had all stopped together.

Toymaker rode the Kawachunky to the Dragon more than once and donated more than once and his last donation was somewhat sizable in scope (which caused the wifey foot to come down as we never never saw him again).  

My Barcalounger isn't super chunky, but she isn't exactly small either.

So we are talking March 25, 26, 27 to try to do a little something.   But what?  

We are going to Kickstand for real later on in the year and Dave does not care for rough camping, the lack of nightly showers, no food, etc.

If we stayed at the lake free-site up from of Robbinsville, you and I could go and "borrow" an occasional shower from the up the hill Dragon Lodge shower station and eat at Robbinsville.

We could have us a little excursion and prove out the free camping areas.   We could test our our "modified" bikes out in the only real way possible that doesn't involve putting a many-person bigger trip at risk.  



And I could learn if the Barcalounger really can provide enough "body comfort" for an old warfrin rat like me.

Lancer spotted it on the big topographical map at Blue Ridge Campground lounge as a tiny black line going over a mountain peak.   That was in our first few exploratory stays at Blue Ridge.  That venerable topographical map got the paint rubbed off the tips of the mountains by many many many little fingers long since then and that little black line detailing simply isn't there any more (we looked, Lancer and I a trip or so back).

There is a supersized flat topographical map at Simple Life campground, too, hanging off the outside of the showers building.   If we look, I bet we can find it there.

Let's see if Lancer remembers what is was near, seems like we hit a little town right after going down the gravel road from the mountain top.

That was all done way pre-Dave, so it would all be new places to him.   This harkens back to the good old days of going black-lining for a day or so before the newbies showed up at the Dragon Lodge.

(We have always tried not to get any newbies hurt if we could avoid it)


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Pure rough arsed adventure camping ideas .....   You know the little forest service road that comes off the Dragon proper a little bit up from the state line?   Find a clearing big enough to turn the bikes around and rough camp there.

Pure bad boy camping .... and a little bit scary to think of at that ..... that fairy ring on the other side of the tunnel at the end of the Road to Nowhere.   We could have a conversation with the Dragon when he came home that night to sleep, or else mebbe jest have a little snack together with the bears ....
 


Remember that remote observation deck we took the pictures of Jeb on?   Sleeping bags under a tarp held up by the railing.   We could stay up and watch the Dragon sail by on his way to bed.   String some noise maker bells on a string across the walkway as a bear alert.



There are a multitude of rough camping fire ring areas in the mowed grass next to the lake on the far side of the Dragon.  




Jest how adventurous do you feel?    

"Two nights" could be Monday, March 27th and Tuesday the 28th allowing me to take a leisurely full travel up day on Sunday the 26th.

We could stay at the Dragon, or at Kickstand, or stay here for free.   Need to check on the opening dates on those pay me places.

https://freecampsites.net/#!7369&query=sitedetails

Wow buddy !  

I'm game if you are .   Lets try not to get in trouble with the Bears.  

I've got a motion detector(outside) with an alarm (inside) I like to put next to my head when I'm in a tent .   Perhaps , I should get three more of them for all Four side protection.      

You going to feel safe about sleeping ... or ... are we going to take turns on watch ?  
How about :   Lets go ride by the lake and view what available.    Then if it looks safe pitch camp.  

Funny , but I don't even think twice about sleeping around a bunch of wild Bikers , but the thought of a little Bear makes me iff-ey !  

Fact is :   I didn't feel safe on the other side of that "Road-to-Nowhere" tunnel , even in broad day-light.   I don't think I could sleep there unless there was twenty of us with a fire going .