Taking the High Road-A

In the far western corner of North Carolina, flirting with the southwest border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, lies a challenging road that draws muscle cars, motorcycles, and adventurers worldwide. I was one of them, and here is my tale.

Tail of the Dragon

Known as America’s number one motorcycle and sports car road, US 129 has no intersecting roads or driveways to impact your drive. The Tail of the Dragon is 11 miles of paved road with 318 tight curves and is the Mecca for sports car clubs, motorcycle groups, and road rallies. With no muscle car of my own, I took the curves slowly in the rain in a rented sedan. It was the ride of my life, and I have souvenir T-shirts and photos to prove it.

When ALCOA finished building Tapoco Lodge in Robbinsville in 1930 and another local dam completed construction, a lake covered the railroad tracks used for supplies. Ferry boat service by ALCOA replaced the train system until US 129 was completed in 1934, which opened western North Carolina to tourism and made the road famous. A little worried about traversing such a dangerous road, I kept these safety measures in mind:

• Keep to the speed limit

• Stay in your lane

• Pull off if necessary (plenty of pullouts along the way)

I stopped at Deals Way and took a selfie with the iconic metal dragon. It’s 12 feet tall and 22 feet long. If you own a muscle car and drive the Tail of the Dragon, you must capture a photo of your vehicle with the dragon, which is part of the ritual.

Make Robbinsville Your Headquarters

Robbinsville is snuggled in the Nantahala National Forest, with the Appalachian Trail running near this town of 600 residents, and makes excellent headquarters for your visit. A short drive in any direction puts you into historic destinations and stunning scenery. When I was there, spring was springing; the trees were budding and cast a soft pastel wash to the landscape.

Historic Tapoco Lodge

Make the Historic Tapoco Lodge your base camp to travel around the area. Enjoy good food, adult beverages, comfortable beds, beautiful grounds, and much history.

The Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) started a survey camp at what is now known as Historic Tapoco Lodge. During