July 28 - Conquering the Back of the Dragon and the Snake

I love the Smokey Mountains! Wow! You just can’t go wrong riding in the Virginia/North Carolina/Tennessee area. Whether you’re on the interstate, highway, or scenic byway the views are amazing, the temperature moderate, and the roads thrilling. Today I had the pleasure of riding both the “Back of the Dragon” and the “Snake,” each equally impressive in their own rights.

Leaving Black Mountain this morning I took a variety of interstates north and east to Tazewell, Virginia – the starting point for the “Back of the Dragon” when coming from the north. This epic road follows route 16 down to Marion and boasts over 400 curves in its 32 miles with views of three different mountain ranges. I found the road very similar in difficulty to the Tail of the Dragon in that it had numerous twists and turns on a road that was uneven in many places and not in the best of condition. It was exhilarating focusing on making all the curves and being able to enjoy such a challenging ride with so little traffic.

From Marion I headed south to Bristol, Tennessee, the starting point for the “Snake” – route 16 down to Mountain City. This popular course follows route 421 for 37 miles and 489 curves while crossing three mountains and one valley. The configuration of the road itself was similar to the “Back of the Dragon” in that it was filled with many tight turns and s-shaped curves. However, I personally found this road a little more fun to ride since it was overall in much better condition, allowing me to comfortably ride it at faster speeds. I also enjoyed the variety of vistas—from lakes, to farms, to mountains all in one trip. Like the Back of the Dragon, traffic on this road was also minimal for me today.

After finishing the Snake, I took 421 and then 221 south back to Black Mountain, a picturesque route on backroads through mountains, valleys, farms, and fields. What an amazing day!