80°F outside in Tennessee. It's beautiful and sunny and you just arrived from Nashville filled with hot chicken from Hattie B's. It's the second to last leg of our journey and it's finally time to tackle something that challenges you, mentally and emotionally. One slip up and your car has mated with an oak tree or worse you roll effortlessly down the mountain unsure if you will survive. The Tail of the Dragon entices you to drive down its 318 curves with only 11 grueling miles between you and the end or your end. With no possibility of turning back you exit the straight and go right into the first corner. You underestimate the bend and have to downshift hard from third to second gear and lay into the brakes. Your wife is slowly becoming concerned and you both are awoken to the fact that this is no ordinary road. The tales are true. This is going to be a ride that pushes you both to the brink. Both mentally and emotionally. You slow down a little and decide to take the next couple of curves a little differently.
Whoosh! a stunningly simple yet beautiful Yamaha R6 zips past you and leans hard into the curve just ahead of you, his knee comes down and he presses hard into the curve and away he goes, the vibrant exhaust note ramps up as he rights his cycle.
taken off guard you misjudge your entry to the corner which was masterfully taken second ago. Your exhaust burbles as you downshift and turn hard right and you skate the corner without plowing too far into the other lane. You finally regain your composure and you come up to the first pullover area. A nice small area with no trees and a beautiful view. You stop for a moment to gaze at the view and begin to understand why they are called the Smokey Mountains. Back in your car you head back down the serpentine road, mystified, mesmerized as you and your car become part of the road. You see nothing else but the curves and the occasional cacophonous Harley chomping through gears as they navigate the bends on the other side. Your tire hits dirt in one of sharp, off-cambered corners, breaking you from your hypnosis and you make a minor adjustment to your wheel and carry on into the final few bends.
You finally make it through to the end when you snap out of your trance and are in awe of how challenging and beautiful the Tail of the Dragon is. Now you crave it.
