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The original Dragon Slayer and founder of the Deals Gap Riding Soceity, Doug Snavely on his Cyborg, picture taken October 2000.
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 The first Deals Gap
T-Shirt, made for the Deals Gap Riding Society had this design on the front. Click on image for larger view.
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Deals Gap Riding Society Membership Card.
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The original Deal's Gap Riding
Society Save the Dragon Pin 1993.
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The original road was merely an animal track worn down by large herds of buffalo and then used by Indians for centuries. The first white men to use the trail probably came in the early 1700s.
In the 1800s the path became a crude roadway used to access Cades Cove via the Parsons Branch road (at mile 7.2 on Tail of the Dragon Map). As more settlers moved into the area landowners collected tolls for use of the road.
The roadway was originally designated as NC 108, at least on the North Carolina side. In 1934 it was renumbered as US 129 and was most likely paved for the first time around that date.
It was only lightly traveled, primarily by locals, until the 1990s. In early1992 Doug Snavely, hearing about a great ride in the Smokies, came up from Road Atlanta to see US 129 for himself. It was more exciting than he had ever imagined. He met Pete, owner of the Crossroads of Time which at the time catered to fishermen, hunters, and lost vacationers. Doug sold Pete on promoting the road to cyclists and got a job as Manager of the Crossroads.
Snavely began to publish the monthly Deals Gap Hot Lap newsletter on September 1, 1992. He also got the road mentioned in Rider Magazine. In the next few years motorcycle riding increased dramatically at the Dragon. Each year since then the number of motorcycles and sports cars has seemingly doubled. Today riders and drivers from across the US and Canada come to run the Dragon. There is always a show on the weekends.
Snavely also created the Deals Gap Riding Society. There are some 350 members from all over the United States. The organization more or less folded when Snavely left the Crossroads of Times. There is much to the story of Snavely and his few short years of employment at "The Gap" and many of the details will be found in his Deals Gap Hot Lap. Snavely finally had enough of the crusty old Pete after a few years and left the Crossroads. He lives in Knoxville and still rides the Gap today.
The Dragon, as many have found, is truly a unique road. In 14 miles there is only one intersection - NC 28 to Fontana Dam. There are no buildings other than the Crossroads of Time. There are 318 curves in the first 11 miles. There normally is very little traffic and the vehicles that do use this road are primarily motorcycles. It is remote - there is very little evidence of human population within 5 miles in any direction. Most of the roadway is bounded by United States Forest Service property.
Deals Gap, the name that many riders know the Dragon by, is actually the name of the gap between the mountains that the road follows. Deals Gap is located at the North Carolina and Tennessee State Line.
The Dragon is different to many people. Some say it runs from Tabcat Bridge to Deals Gap; some say from The Overlook to the Crossroads of Time; and some say from Tabcat Bridge to fugitive Bridge. It can be anything you want - just ride it!
SEND US AN IMAGE OF YOUR COLLECTOR DEALS GAP T-SHIRT, OR ANY OTHER DRAGON HISTORY AND WE WILL POST IT ON THIS PAGE.
EMail: info@ridedealsgap.com
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