BillTheCat
Member
- :
- 2009 Mazdaspeed3 Sport
EDIT 5/9/09: Just uploaded a video to Youtube: Very first Dragon run in the MS3
I know the big Epic East Coast Mazda Meet (EECMM) is coming up in just a few weeks, but I had already made plans & reservation for MINIs ON The Dragon (MOTD) when I still owned my MINI Cooper S (MCS). And frankly, the MINI crowd is a LOT of fun, so MOTD is a riot. I took some good natured ribbing from some folks due to showing up in a Mazda, but all in good fun.
I knew going in that the MS3 would not handle like the MCS, especially since my MCS was not running a completely stock suspension (had springs & sway bars done). But I wondered how well it would do, and whether or not the power increase would make up for any shortcomings in handling on those twisty roads.
I was pleasantly surprised at how little body roll there actually was in the hardest twisties of US 129, aka "The Tail of the Dragon." The Dragon is pretty much the most challenging road in the area, but due to its extreme curves, is NOT a high speed road. But even at "low" speeds, most cars can quickly exceed their limits (same goes for the drivers) on this road.
I took my first run with some caution. Not only was it my first chance to put the MS3 (and those stock tires) thru the twisties, but I like to run the Dragon slowly in one direction so I can check for cops, accidents, 18-wheelers, and any road debris that might make for a hazardous drive. If all clear, then I have fun on the return trip.
Safety tip for EECMM attendees: There are some real jackhole hillbillies in the area who don't like sportbikes & sportscars. They have been known to toss cooking oil, laundry soap, ball bearings, sand, gravel, broken glass, motor oil, etc. out the back of their pick-em-up trucks on the Dragon in order to cause chaos & mangle the drivers who scare off the bears & boar they like to hunt in the area. Others will take the more civilized approach of simply driving the Dragon at 15 mph all the way across & refusing to pull off & let anyone pass. Annoying, but not dangerous.
The MS3 seemed to handle well on Run #1, but as I said, I was running it with caution. At the far end (Tabcat Bridge), I met a couple from Miami in an R56 (07+) MCS Turbo & offered to run video & drive behind them on the way back. It was her first trip to the Dragon, but not her first run. Still, I tried not to push her too hard, no tailgating, etc. (Always a bad idea, 10 times worse on roads like this) She ran it fairly well, and I'll post video over the weekend.
I didn't really have time to run it again on Day 1, so I waited for Day 2 to fire it up once more. Even then, I barely had enough free time to run it down & back before I had other events to join. In the interest of time, I skipped the part where I usually pull into the Crossroads of Time (Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort) to set up my video camera. I also got confused when a biker coming the other way at Beginner's End was shaking his fist at me- I hadn't crossed the double yellow or anything so WTF? AND, because I only had time to run it down & back once, I ignored my own rule about taking it easy in one direction.
Yep, I got nabbed by Blount County's Finest, just about a mile over the NC/TN state line. if I had stopped to set up video, my new friends in the R56 MCS would have warned me. Turns out, they jumped in their car to try & catch me before I got to the cop. And that biker shaking his fist? Yeah, he was actually knocking on his helmet- standard biker sign language for "Hey knucklehead, there's a cop back there." I knew that, but I did not process it at the time.
The cop got me for 61 in a 30, and all I could think was "Please don't take me to jail for going double the limit." Turns out he did me a solid. Instead of writing me for double the limit as a state speeding viiolation, as a cost of $250+, with insurance reports, points, etc., he wrote me for violating a county ordinance. <$50, no points, no insurance report. At that moment in time, I am pretty sure if I had crapped my pants, it would've smelled like lilacs after a Spring rain. I'll be framing & saving the violation, which I am henceforth referring to as "My Tail of the Dragon Certificate of Baptism." May I never have to nail a shredded piece of my vehicle to the Tree of Shame, so help me gawd.
I did get in some full speed runs later in the week, but by then, I had lent my CruiseCam mount to a friend, so there's no video. I did have a local in an R53 (02-06) MCS John Cooper Works follow me from Tabcat bridge to the Overlook one day. I stopped because I knew there was a cop somewhere up the road, and he pulled in behind me to ask WTF I was driving, because he couldn't keep up.
Whiptastic handling, meet Zoom-Zoom!!!
Honestly, the MINI is a lot easier to toss around in those tight curves. The MCS feels like a tank in comparison, weight-wise. Longer wheelbase hurts a little too. But don't get me wrong- it is still very nimble. And as long as you are smart about your gear selections, turbo lag is rarely an issue. I ran 95% of the 12 miles in 3rd gear, occasionally hitting 2nd for those uphill hairpins. I could probably have used 4th once or twice near the Overlook, where the twisties are less severe & speed can increase, but I just decided to let it rev most of the time. (Yeah, changing oil next week)
Now, on the Cherohala Skyway, the MS3 is in its element. The Cherohala is a 40 mile stretch of long sweeping curves & lots of elevation changes. I was playing "sweeper" in the back of the pack for that run, since I know it & won't get lost. Several times, I pulled over to take pics (I'll link a few) with the ulterior motive of letting the MINIs gain some ground so I could play high-speed catch-up. THAT was a frakking blast, even on Poortenzas!!!
I know I topped 30mpg on some of the interstate legs of my trip (Tampa to NC, about 600 miles). And on one partial tank (2.4 gallons) where I set cruise for 74mph & didn't run the A/C, I swear I got almost 40. But that had to be an anomaly- maybe I filled the neck of the tank more than the previous fill. I got as little as about 19-20mpg on the Dragon & Cherohala tanks, but again- since civilization is spread out up there, we're mostly talking about 1/2 tank fill-ups.
Oh, and I highly recommend the ~1991 remix of Queen's "Dragon Attack" as a good soundtrack for your Dragon runs. It's included on the Hollywood Records re-release of "The Game."
If anyone heading to EECMM has questions about the roads, the accomodations, attractions & sights to see, feel free to post here or PM me. This was my 6th annual trip to Deal's Gap, so I have gotten a pretty good idea of what's what up there.
I will offer up these points of Dragon etiquette, free of charge:
1- NEVER cross the double yellow line. NOT EVEN A LITTLE. Especially with sportbikes hurtling around every corner. Unless you feel like digging some guy's head out of your bumper because he was leaning across the line & you were kissing it, gawd forbid crossing it, JUST DON'T DO IT.
The REAL challenge of driving the Dragon isn't to finish in record time at all costs, but to finish without crossing the double yellow. Once you can manage that, then try to run it without using your brakes if you want a new challenge.
2- If you are running hard & come up on someone who isn't, DO NOT PUSH THEM. They'll know you are there. And if they are not asshats, they will pull off when there is room and let you pass. Wave to acknowledge their generosity & then continue having fun.
3- If you are running as fast as you can & someone faster comes up behind you, DO NOT PANIC. DO NOT SPEED UP. Find the nearest pull-off & let them pass. If they wave, wave back & smile, and when it is safe, pull back out & continue your run.
4- The Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort (aka Crossroads of Time) caters to motorcycles, almost exclusively. You will notice lots of tiny parking spaces there. PLEASE try not to park in the most convenient spaces, as they like to have those open for the bikers. You can park across 2-3 bike spaces (there's no other option), but do so down by the motel & walk back to the store. They'll notice & appreciate it. Oh, and they often limit fuel purchases to 4-6 gallons, as again, they cater to bikes. Get your fuel in Robbinsville- it's cheaper & you can fill all the way up.
5- There are at least 2 photography teams on US 129 most days. www.us129photos.com is one, and the other is www.killboy.com. Killboy is really the original, but both will post photos every few days on their web sites. When you see them on the side of the road, PLEASE keep paying attention to your driving. Don't cause an accident because you're trying to wave, moon them, flash your favorite gang sign, etc.
Finally... a couple of pics, all from the Cherohala Skyway. If you run the Skyway, the pull-off about 3/4 mile past Hooper's Bald (the bathroom/rest stop/trail head in pic #2) is the best spot for pics. The last pic here was taken at that spot. When you cross the road, you're below your car. Then, if you have time, which I did not, you can climb the hill & get a view looking down onto your car, and into the valley below. It's truly pimptastic photography material.
I know the big Epic East Coast Mazda Meet (EECMM) is coming up in just a few weeks, but I had already made plans & reservation for MINIs ON The Dragon (MOTD) when I still owned my MINI Cooper S (MCS). And frankly, the MINI crowd is a LOT of fun, so MOTD is a riot. I took some good natured ribbing from some folks due to showing up in a Mazda, but all in good fun.
I knew going in that the MS3 would not handle like the MCS, especially since my MCS was not running a completely stock suspension (had springs & sway bars done). But I wondered how well it would do, and whether or not the power increase would make up for any shortcomings in handling on those twisty roads.
I was pleasantly surprised at how little body roll there actually was in the hardest twisties of US 129, aka "The Tail of the Dragon." The Dragon is pretty much the most challenging road in the area, but due to its extreme curves, is NOT a high speed road. But even at "low" speeds, most cars can quickly exceed their limits (same goes for the drivers) on this road.
I took my first run with some caution. Not only was it my first chance to put the MS3 (and those stock tires) thru the twisties, but I like to run the Dragon slowly in one direction so I can check for cops, accidents, 18-wheelers, and any road debris that might make for a hazardous drive. If all clear, then I have fun on the return trip.
Safety tip for EECMM attendees: There are some real jackhole hillbillies in the area who don't like sportbikes & sportscars. They have been known to toss cooking oil, laundry soap, ball bearings, sand, gravel, broken glass, motor oil, etc. out the back of their pick-em-up trucks on the Dragon in order to cause chaos & mangle the drivers who scare off the bears & boar they like to hunt in the area. Others will take the more civilized approach of simply driving the Dragon at 15 mph all the way across & refusing to pull off & let anyone pass. Annoying, but not dangerous.
The MS3 seemed to handle well on Run #1, but as I said, I was running it with caution. At the far end (Tabcat Bridge), I met a couple from Miami in an R56 (07+) MCS Turbo & offered to run video & drive behind them on the way back. It was her first trip to the Dragon, but not her first run. Still, I tried not to push her too hard, no tailgating, etc. (Always a bad idea, 10 times worse on roads like this) She ran it fairly well, and I'll post video over the weekend.
I didn't really have time to run it again on Day 1, so I waited for Day 2 to fire it up once more. Even then, I barely had enough free time to run it down & back before I had other events to join. In the interest of time, I skipped the part where I usually pull into the Crossroads of Time (Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort) to set up my video camera. I also got confused when a biker coming the other way at Beginner's End was shaking his fist at me- I hadn't crossed the double yellow or anything so WTF? AND, because I only had time to run it down & back once, I ignored my own rule about taking it easy in one direction.
Yep, I got nabbed by Blount County's Finest, just about a mile over the NC/TN state line. if I had stopped to set up video, my new friends in the R56 MCS would have warned me. Turns out, they jumped in their car to try & catch me before I got to the cop. And that biker shaking his fist? Yeah, he was actually knocking on his helmet- standard biker sign language for "Hey knucklehead, there's a cop back there." I knew that, but I did not process it at the time.
The cop got me for 61 in a 30, and all I could think was "Please don't take me to jail for going double the limit." Turns out he did me a solid. Instead of writing me for double the limit as a state speeding viiolation, as a cost of $250+, with insurance reports, points, etc., he wrote me for violating a county ordinance. <$50, no points, no insurance report. At that moment in time, I am pretty sure if I had crapped my pants, it would've smelled like lilacs after a Spring rain. I'll be framing & saving the violation, which I am henceforth referring to as "My Tail of the Dragon Certificate of Baptism." May I never have to nail a shredded piece of my vehicle to the Tree of Shame, so help me gawd.
I did get in some full speed runs later in the week, but by then, I had lent my CruiseCam mount to a friend, so there's no video. I did have a local in an R53 (02-06) MCS John Cooper Works follow me from Tabcat bridge to the Overlook one day. I stopped because I knew there was a cop somewhere up the road, and he pulled in behind me to ask WTF I was driving, because he couldn't keep up.
Whiptastic handling, meet Zoom-Zoom!!!
Honestly, the MINI is a lot easier to toss around in those tight curves. The MCS feels like a tank in comparison, weight-wise. Longer wheelbase hurts a little too. But don't get me wrong- it is still very nimble. And as long as you are smart about your gear selections, turbo lag is rarely an issue. I ran 95% of the 12 miles in 3rd gear, occasionally hitting 2nd for those uphill hairpins. I could probably have used 4th once or twice near the Overlook, where the twisties are less severe & speed can increase, but I just decided to let it rev most of the time. (Yeah, changing oil next week)
Now, on the Cherohala Skyway, the MS3 is in its element. The Cherohala is a 40 mile stretch of long sweeping curves & lots of elevation changes. I was playing "sweeper" in the back of the pack for that run, since I know it & won't get lost. Several times, I pulled over to take pics (I'll link a few) with the ulterior motive of letting the MINIs gain some ground so I could play high-speed catch-up. THAT was a frakking blast, even on Poortenzas!!!
I know I topped 30mpg on some of the interstate legs of my trip (Tampa to NC, about 600 miles). And on one partial tank (2.4 gallons) where I set cruise for 74mph & didn't run the A/C, I swear I got almost 40. But that had to be an anomaly- maybe I filled the neck of the tank more than the previous fill. I got as little as about 19-20mpg on the Dragon & Cherohala tanks, but again- since civilization is spread out up there, we're mostly talking about 1/2 tank fill-ups.
Oh, and I highly recommend the ~1991 remix of Queen's "Dragon Attack" as a good soundtrack for your Dragon runs. It's included on the Hollywood Records re-release of "The Game."
If anyone heading to EECMM has questions about the roads, the accomodations, attractions & sights to see, feel free to post here or PM me. This was my 6th annual trip to Deal's Gap, so I have gotten a pretty good idea of what's what up there.
I will offer up these points of Dragon etiquette, free of charge:
1- NEVER cross the double yellow line. NOT EVEN A LITTLE. Especially with sportbikes hurtling around every corner. Unless you feel like digging some guy's head out of your bumper because he was leaning across the line & you were kissing it, gawd forbid crossing it, JUST DON'T DO IT.
The REAL challenge of driving the Dragon isn't to finish in record time at all costs, but to finish without crossing the double yellow. Once you can manage that, then try to run it without using your brakes if you want a new challenge.
2- If you are running hard & come up on someone who isn't, DO NOT PUSH THEM. They'll know you are there. And if they are not asshats, they will pull off when there is room and let you pass. Wave to acknowledge their generosity & then continue having fun.
3- If you are running as fast as you can & someone faster comes up behind you, DO NOT PANIC. DO NOT SPEED UP. Find the nearest pull-off & let them pass. If they wave, wave back & smile, and when it is safe, pull back out & continue your run.
4- The Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort (aka Crossroads of Time) caters to motorcycles, almost exclusively. You will notice lots of tiny parking spaces there. PLEASE try not to park in the most convenient spaces, as they like to have those open for the bikers. You can park across 2-3 bike spaces (there's no other option), but do so down by the motel & walk back to the store. They'll notice & appreciate it. Oh, and they often limit fuel purchases to 4-6 gallons, as again, they cater to bikes. Get your fuel in Robbinsville- it's cheaper & you can fill all the way up.
5- There are at least 2 photography teams on US 129 most days. www.us129photos.com is one, and the other is www.killboy.com. Killboy is really the original, but both will post photos every few days on their web sites. When you see them on the side of the road, PLEASE keep paying attention to your driving. Don't cause an accident because you're trying to wave, moon them, flash your favorite gang sign, etc.
Finally... a couple of pics, all from the Cherohala Skyway. If you run the Skyway, the pull-off about 3/4 mile past Hooper's Bald (the bathroom/rest stop/trail head in pic #2) is the best spot for pics. The last pic here was taken at that spot. When you cross the road, you're below your car. Then, if you have time, which I did not, you can climb the hill & get a view looking down onto your car, and into the valley below. It's truly pimptastic photography material.
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