5th Annual Tail of the Dragon

[PAMMMV8]

BOOF, I am going to do my best to make it back this year. The Second Annual was blast. Hard to believe we're on the 5th!!

If I attend, will be caravaning down from the Philly area. Keep me posted.

[M3Dreaming]

Are non-E9xs welcome? Asking for my friend who has a Golf R

[Nisfro98]

I think this is dead. Boof hasn't been back to this thread in over 3 months

[stimey]

Just got back from Tail of the Dragon. Wasn't so busy ... had a blast .. highly recommended!

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by Nisfro98

I think this is dead. Boof hasn't been back to this thread in over 3 months

BOOF's last forum post was June-24-2022. Calling BOOF-M3... Calling BOOF-M3...

[kawstik]

Since this appears to be defunct, and I was dead set on going this year, I registered for the October 15th Smokey Mountain Drives event.

Appears to have a few open slots left if anyone is interested.

[DrFerry]

BOOF-M3
Last Activity: 09-04-2022 02:53 PM

[Three Pedal Steve]

Even with Boof M3 being ‘missing in action’ we can still gather for this event but without the sponsors and T-shirts. We can continue this annual gathering with a focus on e9X M3’s and their enthusiasts.

Late November timing has been a tradition for this event, albeit risky with the weather. The advantage is the lack of traffic. Overall, the strategy has worked well. There was one year we had to deal with rain, and the morning temperatures could likely be in the 30's and 40's. But afternoon temps typically rise into the sixties. kawstik brought up the Smokey Mountain Tour in mid-October. That drive will be more organized and beautiful for sure, but we have traditionally avoided these dates because of traffic during peak leaf season.

For those traveling a long distance, there is nice local lodging at Tapoco Lodge and Fontana Village. You might consider other activities in the region- Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smokeys National Park, Biltmore House in Asheville NC, and the BMW Foundation Museum Greer SC.

Saturday, November 19, 2022, seems to be a good date to consider. Thanksgiving is the following week. We can meetup at Deal's Gap at 8AM and start the first Dragon run at 9AM. Dates and timing are open to group discussion and consensus. Typically, we make morning runs in both directions and then group drive to the Fontana Dam, ending up in Robbinsville NC for lunch. All these area roads offer a great mountain driving experience. In the afternoon we could drive on the Cherohala Skyway and then circle back to the Dragon for a late afternoon run.

[pjacobs]

I'm down. I hardly ever post but have always been a lurker. I can drive down from Chicago.

[jws-928]

I went to the 2nd and had a blast with everyone...great group of people. Would you welcome a humble e46 M3 to join you aqain? Who should i speak with? *At least one cabin wont have the thermostat set to 98 degrees without BOOF-M3 up to his "antics" LOL

[Three Pedal Steve]

Originally Posted by jws-928

I went to the 2nd and had a blast with everyone...great group of people. Would you welcome a humble e46 M3 to join you aqain? Who should i speak with? *At least one cabin wont have the thermostat set to 98 degrees without BOOF-M3 up to his "antics" LOL

With this informal group, your e46 M3 is certainly welcome. From past experience on the TotD, I think your e46 will have no problem keeping up with the group. See you in November.

[The-Traveler]

Are you guys going in Nov / Dec? What's the weather like down there? I wouldn't be doing much driving in the twisties, up here in Toronto at that time of year. It's below 0 c.

[Three Pedal Steve]

Originally Posted by The-Traveler

Are you guys going in Nov / Dec? What's the weather like down there? I wouldn't be doing much driving in the twisties, up here in Toronto at that time of year. It's below 0 c.

The plan is for a few forum members to meetup on Saturday, November 19, 2023, before 9am. In past years, morning temp are in the 30F-40F degree range, with afternoon temps reaching 60.
Lodging available at Tapoco Lodge and Fontana Village.

[DrFerry]

Red Bull and Driver Scott Speed (I assume that's his real name..) ran the Dragon a couple of weeks ago and made a movie about it. Mr. Speed certainly crosses the double yellow lines everywhere which is taboo in public domain Dragon land (in other words when the road isn't closed). Anyway, here's the movie. It's definitely full send, but it includes some great footage of what to expect.
.

[2008M36MT]

Not to say the dude who was setting this up has any obligation, but he could at least post here and say hey all I'm out. Wonder if this is how he runs his business…

[Three Pedal Steve]

In Boof's absence, a few of us are planning to have an informal meetup on Nov. 19, 2022, at Deal's Gap at 8-9am. We will depart Deal's Gap at 9am for a round trip run of the Tail of the Dragon. After that we will drive the roads around the area and have lunch in Robbinsville. After lunch we can cruise up to the Cherohala Skyway, then circle back for an afternoon run of the Tail. All enthusiasts of e9x M3's are welcome to join the group.
The weather has been fantastic for the past few weeks. For anyone interested in lodging, see the previous posts.

[IcewaterPete]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Red Bull and Driver Scott Speed (I assume that's his real name..) ran the Dragon a couple of weeks ago and made a movie about it.
.

Yep, it’s his real name and he is a legit racer. Dude drove in F1, Indy Car, NASACR, rally car, Rolex sports cars and a lot of other top tier series.

[Three Pedal Steve]

In the past, the group has used walkie-talkies to communicate. Our previous leader, "Get Lit" who is not participating this year, had detection electronics and his passenger was broadcasting info about on-coming cars and debris in the road. We will need a new volunteer to play this role this year. The Tail of the Dragon is so remote that cell coverage is not reliable and the same with GPS. Be sure to arrive with a full tank of gas. Deal's Gap store is usually closed this late in the season, but there is a port-a-john toilet available. The nearest gas is at Fontana Village, about 25 minutes away.

[Three Pedal Steve]

The long-term weather forecast for Saturday, Nov 19, 2022, for Robbinsville NC is low of 28 and high of 51 with partly cloudy skies. This is typical of previous years. I plan to be at Deal's Gap (Hwy 129 and NC 28 intersection) around 8am.
There are a few restaurants in Robbinsville including Italian and fast food. I plan to pack my own lunch.

[Three Pedal Steve]

The good news is that no precipitation is forecasted for this Saturday. The temperatures will be cold in the morning, maybe 25 degrees. Bring a jacket. Afternoon temperatures will approach 50 degrees. The current rain will be moving out Wednesday, so hopefully there won't be a lot of debris on the road for our first run. As in past years, these temperatures will probably keep sightseer traffic to a minimum.

[thasuperdude]

You guys have fun and be safe! I can send you the art files for the shirts if you still want one. LOL!

[njdrive]

How was the meetup and drive? Any pictures or video?