Miatas at the Gap 2015 July 24-26

[— freedomgli —]

While we were up there we kept hearing about an NC going off the road]

That's pretty scary if you're a passenger or behind the wheel or coming the other direction when he crosses the center line. At least where he went off it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I've seen much worse. Thankfully there's no reports of serious injuries, just bruised car and ego.

You start getting into the rhythm of the curves, heading downhill, then there is a decreasing radius turn.

US129 is very much a momentum and rhythm road. And it's very easy to overcook a turn if you don't know the road well and it's easy to assume that because the Miata in front of you made it through that you will, too. I've followed some very smooth and fast drivers on lesser equipment than me and I couldn't keep up (boston813 and Blake? from BTDT Racing to name a few). It's best to always leave some grip in reserve and not drive 10/10ths on a public road. Just a few years ago all I wanted to do at MATG was drive, drive, drive and do it fast whether day or night. I had lots of fun. But slow traffic and all the crashes have put a damper on that excitement. Now that I'm older and wiser all I'd want to do is socialize and drink and hang out to talk shop. I find the roads more fun to drive in early-mid November after tourist season.

[TNRooster3]

Yep, a good friend of mine will not do MATG and waits until an off season time to do the roads around Deals Gap, I followed him up here during one of those times last year and was my 1st time on the Dragon.

[— kung fu jesus —]

That's pretty scary if you're a passenger or behind the wheel or coming the other direction when he crosses the center line. At least where he went off it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I've seen much worse. Thankfully there's no reports of serious injuries, just bruised car and ego.


US129 is very much a momentum and rhythm road. And it's very easy to overcook a turn if you don't know the road well and it's easy to assume that because the Miata in front of you made it through that you will, too. I've followed some very smooth and fast drivers on lesser equipment than me and I couldn't keep up (boston813 and Blake? from BTDT Racing to name a few). It's best to always leave some grip in reserve and not drive 10/10ths on a public road. Just a few years ago all I wanted to do at MATG was drive, drive, drive and do it fast whether day or night. I had lots of fun. But slow traffic and all the crashes have put a damper on that excitement. Now that I'm older and wiser all I'd want to do is socialize and drink and hang out to talk shop. I find the roads more fun to drive in early-mid November after tourist season.

^ that X elevntytrillion. I think the *best* drives I have had out there are taking a map (yes the paper thingy), and a general direction, and go drive to a town or attraction. That is to say, go explore, get lost, find a new route. You're never too far from a town or help out there, just keep your tank full and find somewhere to drive to. It's the larger organized drives that really kinda suck. They are slow, cumbersome, and you spend the drive looking at the same car from behind.

My wife and I went out there last year the week before Independence Day. We drove her station wagon. Found Bald River Falls, then we decided to see how far back that road goes. After about 45 minutes, it turns into a two-track with some steep slope near the edge of it. Bad idea? Maybe, but it was sure fun to find out. I ended up making a 9 point u-turn to make out way back, we were DEEP in the forest. Now we know what's back there, like semi-rural camp sites, river access, untouched forest. We still talk about it, and we've been out there many, many times but never there. Now we sort of want to eventually get a 4x4 and try more exploring like that. Maybe tow the Miata out there with it.

[—tsingson—]

I am looking at doing a September/October trip out there. It really would be nice to bring the NB out there.

Steven, are those areas open for people to drive off road?

[— freedomgli —]

I hear a dual sport bike is the best way to really explore the area. But I don't know all the rules governing where you can legally ride off-road.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I don't know, I watch for signs prohibiting areas that are inaccessible.

Autumn, mid-late October, is my favorite time to be around there. It can be eye-opening though. Some areas you might carelessly fling your car through have some dropoffs that are otherwise masked by foliage in the summer. In the autumn, as the leaves drop you see those drop offs and slopes. It gives you a moment of pause at times.

[—tsingson—]

[JamieH]

The Dragon is the kind of road that the first time around you will tell yourself you are just going to take it easy, learn it a bit, try to get used to what it offers. Thing is, before you know it, in a matter of minutes you are likely to find yourself pushing harder than you intended to. And you don't even realize it until you are either pulling away from your group, or on the ass of some Harley.

It's an intoxicating and addicting road once you get going at a good pace.

Steven is right about the surrounding area. Last year he took a couple of us around some B roads that none of us would have known about without him. Plus, we went to a great bbq joint, the name of which escapes me at the moment, but it was well worth the drive last year.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Shared by a local guy earlier today...

[Demon I Am]

ugh, always an idiot

[—tsingson—]

Wow. Just wow.

[— kung fu jesus —]

The only close calls I've had were on the Dragon, 28, and Cherohala. Mostly the Dragon. I might run it once or twice, but BTDT, so I don't like idling down the length of the road if I get stuck behind a Hog. Robbinsville is ledd than 3 hours from me and 75% is mountain driving. (Yissssssssss!) The drive up from ATL is pretty cool.

[TNRooster3]

Ok here are some pix I took Friday at Fontana MATG XIX:

[TNRooster3]

V8 Roadsters was set up across from where I parked the Rooster early Friday morning to show and meet folks:

[TNRooster3]

My camera had a SD card that was messed up so some of the photos were lost so I found some on the MATG page on Flickr and are mixed in with some that I took: