986 Forum - for Porsche Boxster Owners and Others - whats so good about the Tail of the dragon??

RandallNeighbour

07-13-2008, 19:14

Heck no it's not a "normal road."

Driving it in a boxster is like being in a single car roller coaster ride in which you have all the control.

318 hairpin turns in 11 miles with 12° elevation changes thrown in there, plus rock walls on the way down and sheer drop offs on the way up just to keep things interesting.

You put it in second, rank down on the seatbelt as hard as you can, turn off your radio so you can concentrate, and try no to throw up in your car after you make yourself motion-sick. Really.

Going up and down it one time was completely exhausting and exhilarating, and I got out of my car weak and trembling I was going so fast (what, 40 mph).

It's not the speed that thrills, it's the fact that you are driving the boxster on one of the only roads in North America that the car was designed to be driven on.

If you drive it and don't say, "That's the most fun I've had with my clothes on" then we've got some serious work to do :D

If I didn't have so many suspension parts and wheel bearings out on my box, I'd be going along on the trip.

Blkboxster

07-13-2008, 19:47

am i still allowed to go on it if i dont have a boxster :D

sounds like fun, cant wait to go :cheers:

Rick V

07-13-2008, 22:39

Myself and some of the Pelican offshoots put on a long weekend the first weekend in november every year. This year we are taking Oct. 31-Nov2 for our event. We stay at the lodge in Fontanna. Bonfire at night, and as many puke generating turns as you can handle. US 129 to Robbinsville is a sweet stretch as well. (the Dragon east. ) The area has alot of roads for all level of skill and entheusiam.
As the event draws closer I will post deatails as we cement the event. Lodging is around $70 a night. We need more Boxsters there, we only had 2 last year. (mine and one other) They are gonna be one short this year. I alternate between the Boxster and the 911.
The best part of these events is that you get to put faces with the names you chat with. Press the flesh as it were.

bmussatti

07-13-2008, 23:18

I alternate between the Boxster and the 911.
The best part of these events is that you get to put faces with the names you chat with. Press the flesh as it were.

Rick, what car does better on the Dragon....your 911 or the Boxster?

Rick V

07-13-2008, 23:34

Rick, what car does better on the Dragon....your 911 or the Boxster?
That is an apple-orange comparison. The Boxster is so easy to drive it is almost silly. And it recovers so well it is almost impossible to not drive it well to the limit of your ability (or the cars, depending on the driver and the setup) The 911 is a major handfull, that can put you over the edge of one of those cliffs.
I like the 911 better for this type of driving, but I also like the ability to hang the car's rear end out there just to destroy a set of tires for no reason at all.
I just spent the weekend in South Carolina with the Boxster in the mountians. I am glad I took that car. I was so tired that the 911 would have killed me. (literly) So I realy cant give you an honest answer to your question.
Sometimes you want a beer, sometimes you want a shot. The Boxster and 911 are kinda like that

mylamb

07-14-2008, 00:47

Blkboxster,

I've never been but have 2 friends that swear by it (both own RX-8's.) If you don't know why it has such a reputation, take a look at this: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/maps_dragon_road.html

It's like the Nurburgring without the high speed straights. You could could probably drive an 88 Civic and have fun on this road, let alone a Boxster!

skip_168

07-14-2008, 13:42

Blkboxster, ya gotta go once.. just to see for yourself.. I am up there at least 2 or 3 times a year,(parents live up there).. The Dragon is just one road up there.. There are tons of little mountain roads up there to explore on... Also, the Porsches LOVE the cool dense mountain air.. I really notice a difference coming from FLA in the middle of summer...

Also, I am a mountain biker too... The have one of the top 10 mountain biking locations in the US.. Tsali. Also the river rafting is there to on the Nantahal river.. I get kinda bored just hitting the roads, but you mix in a full day of extreme mountain biking & some river rafting, and now you got 4 or 5 days of fun...

RandallNeighbour

07-14-2008, 13:55

am i still allowed to go on it if i dont have a boxster :D

Last year was our first year to go together as a forum and my buddy Tom showed up with his highly modded MR2 Spyder, which could have easily spanked any of us in a straight line or through the twisties given the same driver in either car.

I think that 335i of yours would do a fine job of running the dragon!

Rick V

07-19-2008, 15:28

For anybody who is interested our event this year will be the second weekend of Nov. We have blocked off half the lodge. The weekend is the 7th. Anybody interested in a weekend of changing colors and changing underwear, I will be more than happy to post advanced info, and links. The event is open to all cars, as long as you don't overdrive. We had a vette last year do some good spinning. Lucky for the fellow driving he is a retired Helicopter pilot

RandallNeighbour

07-19-2008, 21:52

Rick, I didn't get quite enough information.

Is your event going to be held at the Tail of the Dragon?

gmboxster

07-19-2008, 22:56

Yes please post more info or PM me. I am definitely interested in going the 2nd weekend of Nov. My current working contract ends Nov. 1st therefore the 7-9th is perfect. My boxster thanks you in advance. ;)

Rick V

07-20-2008, 12:28

Ok
More info, the weekend of Nov. 7 we invade the Dragon. We stay at the Fontanna Village resort. (Ya don't have to but we get a good discount) . When we get thePaperwork in hand I will post the lodging discounts. :) that should be this week
We are the group from Pelican that puts this little shindig on every year, although Pelican has nothing to do with this we just post it on thier forum. As soon as our other forum gets the list going I will post a link and ya'll can follow along.
But we need more Bosxters there, that road is alot of fun in one. Just don't try and get to technical, the cars do better is you throw them around, at least mine does. :)
http://cybermessageboard.bizland.com/procon/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=2ff726138c8549f030fe067bada4e810

Rick V

07-21-2008, 23:57

Officail anouncement
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=410887
Don;t miss this one, we have a blast.

LoveBunny

07-22-2008, 00:16

So is this a road that is just up on some mountain somewhere and parts of it don't have sides? I guess what I'm asking, is how likely is it that I'd kill myself?

Rick V

07-22-2008, 01:17

So is this a road that is just up on some mountain somewhere and parts of it don't have sides? I guess what I'm asking, is how likely is it that I'd kill myself?
Well if you drive within the limits of yourself and the car, not very likley. I hope you like second gear, since that is the one you will be using the most.
The roads there are fantastic and in the late fall the traffic is almost non existant. The fun of the whole weekend is what makes it great. You gotta love pulling into a mountain resort and all you see are Porsches. In the morning, when us early risers get going, the sound of flat engines shatering the still is alot of fun. There is a road called Hellbender that runs from the lodge to the Dragon. That is where you are likley to get killed. Very fast, and before you know it you are heading into a 180 turn at 130mph. :D
It is a great way to spend a weekend.

LoveBunny

07-22-2008, 01:29

That really sounds like fun, and I've never even been in near mountains in my life. I probably couldn't go, but maybe eventually could.

fragdude

07-22-2008, 02:47

I'll have to keep an eye on this!
I go to school in Williamsburg VA, and even though its about 500 miles away, it may be worth a short weekend trip....

Rick V

07-23-2008, 00:08

I'll have to keep an eye on this!
I go to school in Williamsburg VA, and even though its about 500 miles away, it may be worth a short weekend trip....
If ya do let me know you can hook up with a friend of mine (in his RSR) and catch up with me along the way. I think we are going to have a small caravan from Va on the way down. We head out on thursday.

gmboxster

07-23-2008, 00:16

Grab me on the way. I'm near Danville, VA right on your way. Do you go down 29 south ?

Rick V

07-23-2008, 01:42

Grab me on the way. I'm near Danville, VA right on your way. Do you go down 29 south ?
No we shoot 81 south, but you can hook 40 in NC and meet up with us around Asheville.
Or you could come up to Lynchburg and run over through Buena Vista and pop out at Natural Bridge.

maestro

07-23-2008, 03:02

I ran the tail on a gsx-r 750. THAT is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. One of our guys actually lost his bike over the edge. Could still be down there for all I know.

limoncello

07-23-2008, 13:12

Rick V

07-23-2008, 22:21

If non-Porsches are OK, I've been looking for an excuse to do the tail in the RX8. My wife has relatives not far away in Tenn. and I think I could sell it as a "family visit", thereby getting added bonus points. Would love to meet some of the contributors and talk cars...
Come on! We have several people that bring other brands. It is all about the weekend moreso that the cars. Mater of fact, one of the fellows putting the event on has a nasty RX7. See ya in Nov. :)

fragdude

07-23-2008, 23:45

If ya do let me know you can hook up with a friend of mine (in his RSR) and catch up with me along the way. I think we are going to have a small caravan from Va on the way down. We head out on thursday.

Sure will, you can e-mail me at appoli@wm.edu. My only problem would be the price of lodging. But, I really wouldn't mind a weekend get away. I may even convince some other people to join me (I am in a car club and a previous room mate of mine was a go-karting grand national champion)