Recently bought a 2000 XK8 for use on the twisty roads up here. Spent the last20 years exploring the Georgia, Tennessee andNC mountain areas on a large motorcycle and know all the bestroutes and places to eat. (Ride to eat, eat to ride) Guess that applies to sports cars also. Got all the tools and enjoy repairs and maintenance myself. Not many toy cars up here. Would like to have a group of Jag nuts in the area to work on cars and cruise with.

Test Point

 

Hey what major cities are you near to?

 

Not near any major cities. Isn't that wonderful. Live just outside Cherry Log, Georgia

 

Oh wow- that's not too bad.

 

I actually know where cherry log is. Just got a 2002 XKR and look forward to driving the mountain roads this spring. I am in Decatur.

 

Welcome Kippy! Please check out the Atlanta Jaguar Society. A fun Jaguar social group! www.atlantajaguarsociety.com

 

I see there are two groups in the Atlanta area. What are the differences.

 

They are both good groups.
N. GA Jaguar are more of the "techie" types and usually have the older collectable cars.

AJS members usually have the more modern cars (although some have very nice older cars) and are geared more toward the social side of experiencing the Jaguar.

 

Since you live in Northern GA I'm guessing that I don't need to tell you about the Tail of the Dragon. Over near Asheville there's a similar road that is much less traveled. NC 80 from Marion, NC up to the Blue Ridge Parkway is an awesome drive. It starts out kinda flat, but once you get past Lake Tahoma it gets very twisty. Here's a video of me and my prior convertible on that road. The first part through the tunnels is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Once I exit the BRP that road is NC 80. It's twisty like that for about 10 miles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHlIEuQox9s

 

TestPoint:

It's much easier for you to get to the Cherowala Skyway at Robbinsville, NC--going 40 miles to Tellico Plains, TN. It's maybe 15 miles south of the Dragon, but a much more serine experience. The mountains go up to 5000'. The paving is perfect with just enough curves and elevation change.

The Dragon has too many car/motorcycle clubs staying in Pigeon Forge barreling through its gutwrenching cutbacks. The only rule is to stay in your lane. The Tenn. Hwy. Patrol is just there for traffic control when there are wrecks. There have just been too many deaths there.

We do day trips out of Helen on the Richard Russell Hwy., around Hiawassee, around Lake Burton and up to Highland, NC. It's just some of the best sports car roads anywhere.

 

While I would concur with most of your post, I would caution that law enforcement in the Dragon/Deals Gap area can be much more aggressive than just directing traffic after an accident. The shenanigans that go on up there are bad for tourism and officials try to deter it through high visibility enforcement and "revenue generation." Truth be told, many accidents on the Dragon aren't the fault of the squids but are caused by the tourists and truckers failing to follow your above mentioned "stay in your lane" rule. That, and poorly skilled bikers "failing to negotiate" a curve when they freeze up and ride off the outside of the turn.

The speed limit is 30 mph and if you've been there, you know that you have to work at it to exceed that through most of the turns. I don't particularly enjoy it, but I usually make it a couple times a year on the bike or car when out of town guests come to visit. It's one of those attractions that you need to do at least once just to get the t-shirt. Everybody's heard of it.

I do strongly agree that the Cherohala Skyway is a much more enjoyable, although not as well known, driving experience. I really do need to explore more of the region. As a couple of you have already mentioned, there are numerous scenic "sporty" roads around here that easily rival their more famous cousins and don't have the traffic. I'd love to meet up with some of you to take a look at them.

 

I did Tail of the Dragon in my XKR a couple of months ago. Had a bike group in front of me and behind me and stayed right with them. What a blast!

 

If you all organize a meet to go drive any of those roads let me know, bowling green is too flat for my tastes.

 

You think the Dragon is crooked, three roads are even more wicked--that few people attempt to drive for recreation:
1. Hwy 66 from Rogersville, TN to Sneedville, TN has 4 major mountains to cross (8 mountain faces) of cutbacks. I averaged 25 mph in a Turbo Merkur driving as fast as I dared.
2. State St. (Hwy. 421) east of Johnson City, TN to Mountain City, TN. Daniel Boone built the road (really), and the longest straightaway in 25 miles is 50'. Maximum average speed is 25 mph, and you make a turn about every 1-2 seconds.
3. Hwy 60 from Dahlonega to Blue Ridge? It's a 1 hour ride thru hell--it's so crooked it even makes me sick. Have you found Suches, GA?

I just love the mountains of East TN, Western NC, and North GA. The place still has real hillbillies (with very unique personalities), and you can listen to bluegrass road music on the radio--when you can even get a signal. There's just so much to see in this region. Contact me anytime we can get together for a day trip.

 

Thanks, gents, for the preceding info.

Drove The Dragon in early October and entertained the folks behind going up from Lake Tahoma on NC 80 to the BRP in early November.

Rough road, but most of NC 194 from Banner Elk to Valle Crucis is entertainingly twisty. You won't think so 'til past the county line.

US 74A east of Lake Lure is curvy. Buffalo Shoals Road intersects 74A at the Point Of View Restaurant and crosses the dam that forms Lake Lure. It's 4+ miles of narrow mountainside/lakeside twisty with lake views, should you risk a glance.

One of the most enjoyable driver's roads I've stumbled across is NC 215 from Rosman NC (off US 64 about 10 mi. SW of Brevard) to the Blue Ridge Parkway, or vice versa. It's recently repaved and relatively remote. Unfortunately, the pavement t'other side of the BRP toward Waynesville is aged. A few Sundays ago I motored US 276 from Brevard past the BRP to Woodrow (near Waynesville) then NC 215 south past the BRP and thence to Rosman. US 276 pavement leaves something to be desired and it's relatively heavily traveled in season.

In Black Mountain NC9 south of I-40 has residential switchbacks up to the nearby Continental Divide.

Perchance of interest? www.motorcycleroads.us & www.motorcycleroads.com

 

GreyXK: Funny, but I was telling my sister yesterday about Hwy 215 south of Waynesville up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I knew I was in trouble when I saw the crooked road warning for the next XXX miles. I got to the top about 5:00--daybreak--and it was one of the most breathtaking sunups I've ever experienced.

At least the road from Banner-Elk to Valle Crucis is just a short road. We always go by the original Mast Country Store on Saturdays when we're up there. Everyone is getting psyched up for the Wooley Worm Festival--their highlight for the year.

 

Unfortunately I'm a couple of hours drive from the foot of any of the Carolina mountains.

Were/are you familiar with (Porsche) Club Ferdinand which was/is across from, and associated with, the Mast Farm Inn in Valle Crucis? A rather ambitious and exotic endeavour for the area before the bubble burst.
http://www.nowpublic.com/club_ferdin...he_automobiles

Now its web site is just a non-related blog www.clubferdinand.us

 

GreyXK: That's a pretty interesting concept. If someone cannot afford a whole Porsche of their own, maybe they need to drive what they can truly afford--rather than a Porsche timeshare.

 

I drove the tail on the way back from picking up my '00 XKR in Indiana last month. Due to the time of year the roads where clear and open. It was fun and now I can say I tamed the dragon, but a lot of turns and I've enjoyed many of the other roads mentioned more.

 

I am just this moment back from taming the Dragon in my SRT6. The only thing that would have made it better would have been a nice gold Bertone waiting at home for DD duties since it seems I will never find that S-Type R I seek.

For a bit more entertainment I suggest the nearby Devil's Triangle. It lacks the beautiful undulations of the Dragon but it certainly is a challenge at speed.