Thursday September 15, 2016 Gatlinburg, TN

We had planned for today to be one of rest.  Maybe some grocery shopping but mostly just relaxing around the motor home.  While having our coffee and checking Facebook we decided to take a drive on the "Tail of the Dragon." Not being a motorcycle or sports car enthusiast, I had never heard of the Tail of the Dragon until someone commented on an earlier post.  I looked it up.  Turns out it is a stretch of US-129 in Tennessee and North Carolina just outside the Smokey Mountain National Park.  In the 11 mile portion called the Tail of the Dragon there are 318 curves

Moonshine tanks

Tail of the Dragon

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Even though we don't have a sports car or cycle, just our old Jeep, we decided to go for the drive.  Not only did the road have a lot of curves it also had two large gains in elevation with corresponding downhill sections. 400-500 feet up with curves and then 400-500 feet
down with curves, rinse and repeat.  Gerri displayed a real talent while driving the Tail, even though this type of road isn't what the Jeep was built for.  Her coordination of braking, accelerating and use of inertia navigating the curves was exemplary.  I don't think the curves bothered her as much as seeing the motorcyclists coming around them with their knee almost touching the pavement.

Getting to and returning from the Tail of the Dragon section of US 129 we drove on the Foothills Parkway.  This road runs along the west outside of the park. In one direction you look into the park and mountains.  In the other direction is flatter land with hills in the distance.

Looking west from the park

Looking into the park.  Smoke is the start of a fire.

Fontana Dam

Looking into the park

Along the way we were passed often by more daring, or reckless souls on motorcycles or small cars.  Motorcycles varied from touring bikes and choppers to trikes.  Miatas and Honda S2000 seemed most predominant sports cars with a couple of hot rods and Corvettes sprinkled in.

Welcome to Stickerville, or maybe North Carolina

Along the route there were several points where photographers were taking pictures of the passing vehicles.  At the North Carolina end of the Tail there were several business catering to the thrill seekers.  Most of the motel parking lot was striped off with small parking spots for motorcycles.  We found out that the photography taken from the roadside would be posted on a website and was available for purchase the next day.

Of course haven gotten to Deal's Gap we had to return the way we came.  To make a loop back to the RV park would add over 100 miles to the drive.  Getting to the Tail of the Dragon we had to drive through part of the national park.  Going back the GPS routed us back through Pigeon Forge.  We got there just in time for the massive traffic jam of "Rush Hour" and other people looking at the old cars on display on both sides of the road and in traffic.

Before going to the RV park we did get in the grocery shopping I mentioned earlier.  Even the grocery store was a traffic jam.  Once back at the coach we were in for the evening.  Well, except for trying to get pictures of the rising full moon.

Supper was our left overs from the Apple Barn.  Some computer time and TV rounded out the evening.

Tomorrow we plan our last sojourn into the national park.  A drive to Cade's Cove and back.