“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”
— Hunter S. Thompson
At the North Carolina end of the Tail of the Dragon stands the Tree of Shame, a tribute of sorts to the bikers who have been bested by the beast. The Dragon: a stretch of US Highway 129 with 318 curves in 11 miles, running from Tabcat Bridge in Tennessee to Deals Gap, NC. The Tree: adorned with fragments of bikes that missed one of those curves, a fender here, a shard of windshield there, poignant words about bikers who sustained more damage than their bikes.
This photo of Tail of the Dragon is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Is it wise to ride The Dragon? It is not really as scary as as The Tree might have you believe. It merely likes to taunt. I won’t let it dissuade me. The better question is “Can I not ride The Dragon?” The sensation of going into a curve on a motorcycle is unique. It can’t be had in a car. And with its 318 curves, The Dragon periodically beckons me to come glide down its twisting form. 
And I heed its call. Plus, I guess I’d be described as a prudent rider. No aspirations to break the 9-minute one way record. Not going to literally “skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke” as I ride it. And certainly no interest in adding parts of my beloved S 50 to the tree. Just a steady push to the comfortable edge…oooh those curves!
Copyright © Thomas Ward 2017
Creativity for You 
Love the quote!
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One of my favorites 🙂
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This is awesome, would love to do this one day.
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It is an amazing ride 🙂
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Well written. We were visiting Tennessee and come across the tail, no bike but is was something to in a pickup. Enjoyed every turn, my wife thought otherwise.
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Lol. It’s not for the faint of heart. Probably a challenge in a truck.
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Dear Prof. Ward,
As the wife of a dyed in the wool (or should I say leather) Harley rider, this makes me shudder a bit. I do understand. Still it gives me butterflies in my stomach along with the butterflies on my purple helmet.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I came to biking late in life, so the sensations are still very exciting for me. Did you write about your purple helmet for the “purple” prompt?
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Not yet…give me time. 😉
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This is definitely something I would enjoy on a nice day.
Tree is an interesting fact I never heard of. Nice post…but let’s not forget I came for an other one….
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It is a great ride
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Sounds like a lot of fun! Now where’s that follow tab?
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It has to be around there somewhere…
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I have to say I think my Ducati ST3 would take those curves rather well! I’d certainly give them a good try – but I’m in France and it’s a bit too far away! I took my bike test when I was fifty-one and have never looked back. There is nothing quite like it! 🙂
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IT would be a great bike for the ride. I hope you have great roads to experience the joys or riding there. I have visited France a number of times and even lived there for a month, but have never ridden there.
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Fabulous twisty roads in wonderful countryside here in the Dordogne! 🏍 😊
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Maybe some day ….
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I just love the tree of shame! 🙂
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