Dragonrun 2005

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Welcome to the Dragonrun 2005! AtlantaMINIS has
put together this little booklet for your
pleasure! Most of this info has been taken
directly from Tailofdragon.com. Please remember
BE SAFE, be courteous to other motorers and
most of all HAVE FUN! Schedule of Events NEED
TO FINISH THIS WHEN WE GET THE SCHEDULE
Dragonrun 2005
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Watch out for the Law!
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Places to Eat

• FACTS ABOUT THE DRAGON
• TOTAL DISTANCEBy RoadTabcat Bridge to Deals
  Gap - 11.1 milesTabcat Bridge to Hwy 28 - 11.8
  milesTabcat Bridge to Fugitive Bridge - 14.0
  milesAs the Crow FliesTabcat Bridge to
  Fugitive Bridge - 6.0 miles
• AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (ADT)400 vehicles in
  2002.
• HIGHEST ELEVATIONDeals Gap - 1962 feet
• LOWEST ELEVATIONTabcat Bridge - 877 feet
• ELEVATION CHANGETabcat Bridge to Deals Gap -
  plus 1085 feetTabcat Bridge to Fugitive Bridge -
  plus 321 feet

TAPOCO  LODGE - Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Fixed hours with dinner served 530 to 700 pm.
Mon. - BBQ, Tues. - Roast Beef, Wed. - Beef Tips,
Thurs. - Pork Roast, Fri. - Catfish, Trout,
Steak, Sat. Steak, Sun. - House Special. Beer and
wine sold and served here. Call to pre-order
lunch for large groups ... they can have it ready
on arrival to save you riding time. .
FONTANA VILLAGE - Offers several options for
dining. Peppercorn Restaurant for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. The Village Grill for a quick
burger 1130 to 800 pm. Ice Cream Shop for a
quick cool down snack. General Store for a hot
dog or pre-made meal 9 am-5 pm. ROBBINSVILLE
Papa's Pizza - located on US 129 just a half
mile north of the US 129 Hwy 143 intersection.
Pizza, subs, salads, Italian dinners. Open until
9 pm. Rosies Cafe - located on Old Main Street
just down the street from the courthouse.
Breakfast and lunch snacks. A great place for a
cup of coffee. BBQ - located on Hwy143 just East
of US 129 in downtown Robbinsville, Chicken,
pork, beef, and ribs. Serving breakfast, lunch
and dinner. Open until 9 pm. 828-479-6862 Phillips
Restaurant - located on Main Street adjacent to
the Phillips Motel. Serving breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Buffet or order from the menu. Lynn's
Place - located on the corner of Main Street and
East Main Street across from the
courthouse. Mexican - Located on US 129 Bypass in
Robbinsville Chinese - Located on US 129 Bypass
in Robbinsville Texaco Gas Station - Located in
Robbinsville on US 129 just north of the Hwy 143
East intersection. Snacks, broasted chicken,
breakfast biscuits, and SubWay. Wendy's - same as
everywhere. Located on US 129 in
Robbinsville. The Black Knight - Breakfast, lunch
and dinners. Located on US 129 on the south side
of town.
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How To Drive the Dragon!
How To Drive the Dragon (continued)

• The Dragon is not a difficult road to ride. I was
  taming it only a few weeks after my first
  motorcycle ride and dragging pegs a week later.
• Ride the Dragon at your skill level - don't try
  to push it or keep up with faster riders.Riding
  this line will get you in trouble !!!! Stay in
  the right half of your lane when entering blind
  corners such as this one.
• Avoid the painted lines when the pavement is wet.
  They are extremely slippery.
• STAY IN YOUR LANE, FOR THAT MATTER STAY IN THE
  RIGHT HALF OF YOUR LANE There are videos
  available for sale that show riders cutting the
  corners and taking chances that might appear
  "fun" while sitting in your easy chair. BEWARE!.
  this style of riding on the Dragon can cost you
  dearly. The challenge of the Dragon is to take
  the many curves in the best line possible and
  both lanes IS NOT "the line". Ride Florida if you
  like to straighten out the curves.
• Do NOT sightsee. The Dragon is to ride, not to
  watch the sights. On many runs I don't even see
  what is on the side of the road. I'm watching the
  roadway ahead.
• Look far ahead at the road, curves, bushes, other
  vehicles, etc. If you haven't seen the hazards
  right in front of you, you are going to hit them
  anyway, so you might as well pay attention to
  what you can avoid.
• We have seen deer, bear, turkeys, and wild boar
  on the roadway. Be ready to brake and slow.
• Maintain a "safe zone". Keep a safe distance
  between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Watch
  your rear view mirrors for faster vehicles. If
  you see a faster rider/driver coming up behind
  you, pull over to the right half of your lane,
  slow down, and wave them around. It is much safer
  to give a faster rider half of your lane than to
  try to outrun him. NEVER stay left trying to keep
  him from passing. NEVER pull off the road onto a
  gravel/low shoulder. It may be illegal to pass on
  the Dragon, but I'll let a faster rider get
  around me to protect my safe zone.
• There will always be faster riders than you.
  Don't try to be the King of the Dragon.
• Ride the Dragon many times before trying to
  challenge it. Then you still need to respect it.

• DO NOT LAY ON THE BRAKES if you see danger ahead.
  You are much better off to trust your tires and
  lay into the corner than to hit your brakes hard.
  Some 90 of the accidents on the Dragon are due
  to speed and then over-braking.
• If you see another vehicle coming at you in your
  lane, hug the white line in your lane. In all
  likelihood you can avoid trucks and trailers if
  you take the inside 2 feet in the corners. BUT DO
  NOT CUT THE CORNERS too tight and run off the
  road on the inside. YOU WILL GO DOWN IF YOU DO.
• Stay between the double yellow and the white
  line. Do not dive over the double yellow or cut
  inside the white line in corners.
• DO NOT be spooked by other riders. DO NOT make
  sudden avoidance moves. You might have to adjust
  your line to avoid a car, truck, or bike, but DO
  NOT lay on the brakes or turn off the roadway
  unless that is the only out you have.
• Avoid riding hard on the Dragon in heavy traffic
  times. Weekends from 11 am to 5 pm are the
  busiest. These are the times to lay back and
  enjoy watching the "show".
• The early mornings (before 11 am) and the late
  afternoons (after 5 pm) have the least traffic.
• ALWAYS stay 100 alert. You do not have the
  advantage of relaxing on the
• Dragon.
• Make sure your MINI is mechanically sound and
  that your tires are good.
• Plan to make several runs, the first is always a
  nervous one .... then you can have fun on the
  second and third.
• Remember that it takes a while to heat your tires
  up.
• DO NOT over-use your brakes. Use your gears and
  DOWNSHIFT. A good Dragon rider WILL NOT use a lot
  of brakes.
• Focus - do not daydream. Watch the road, your
  mirrors, and pay attention to other
  bikes/cars/trucks.
• 99 of the accidents on the Dragon come from the
  following Too much speed, Too much brakes,
  Tricks, People who should not be riding in the
  first place, Inattentiveness

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Swain County Hospital828-488-215545 Plateau St,
Bryson City, NC 28713 Total Est. Time 53
minutes Total Est. Distance 38.17 miles
AtlantaMINIS Farewell Dinner! Saturday, May 8 -
600 p.m. Tapoco Lodge

• Start out going SOUTHEAST on US-129/TAPOCO RD
  toward CASTLEWOOD RD. Continue to follow
  US-129.13.8 miles
• Turn LEFT to stay on US-129.lt0.1 miles
• Turn LEFT onto US-74/US-19. Continue to follow
  US-74 E.22.3 miles
• Take EXIT 67 toward BRYSON CITY/GREAT SMOKY MTS
  NATIONAL PARK.0.2 miles
• Turn LEFT onto FRANKLIN ST/BENNETT RD/SPRING
  ST.0.7 miles
• Turn RIGHT onto US-19/MAIN ST.0.1 miles
• Turn LEFT onto EVERETT ST.0.1 miles
• Turn RIGHT onto ISLAND ST.0.1 miles
• Turn LEFT onto COLLINS ST.0.1 miles
• COLLINS ST becomes RICHMOND ST.0.2 miles
• Turn LEFT to stay on RICHMOND ST.lt0.1 miles
• Turn LEFT onto PLATEAU ST.0.1 miles
• End at Swain County Hospital 

We hope you have signed up to join us at the
farewell dinner! We have lots of prizes to be
given away and guest speakers. Also, there will
be ping-pong tournaments, MINI racing contests,
and lots of other fun things! Vendors will be
present as well! Even if you didnt sign up for
the dinner, please join us anyway we need you
there! (need to finish)
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• Thank you for being a part of AtlantaMINIS!
• This booklet is brought to you by the
  AtlantaMINIS Steering Committee
• Amanda Harwood
• Angel Durham
• ET and Jill Foss
• Paul and Becky Coveney
• Paul Darrow
• Pete Crosby
• Jean Lambkin
• Scott and Jenny Grandfield
• Laura White

• Many thanks to Ron and Nancy Johnson from
  tailofthedragon.com who supplied most of the
  articles and/or information obtained for this
  brochure!
• Disclaimer The information contained in this
  brochure is designed for informational and
  educational purposes only. AtlantaMINIS members
  shall not be liable for any errors in the
  content, nor for any action taken in reliance
  thereon.
• We arent responsible for the poor Dragon Pukers!
  If you choose to ride shotgun, please do so at
  your own risk!