Index
Day 1 - Nashville
Day 2 - Corvettes
Day 3 - Mammoth Cave
Day 4 - Tail of the Dragon
Day 5 - West Virginia
Day 6 - 50 states done
Southern US: September 2020
After last night's late arrival (and even later pizza), Matt and Ted managed to find a unicycle in the basement of the AirBnB. Soaked in the forest for a bit over breakfast, then it was down the long dirt road and over the bridge to hit Tail of the Dragon.
Ted's Pontiac Trans Am may be the epitome of 80's GM, but with LS3 heads and a 6.0L block it definitely can be manhandled around corners! We did get stuck behind slow traffic, which was probably okay-- made this another scouting run.
Lunchtime arrival in Maryville, TN lead to the obligatory Southern US Walmart run for propane and ammo, and some superb pulled chicken, pulled pork, and brisket at Fullservice BBQ. Probably the best pulled chicken I've had, and even the sides were convincing enough that Ted ordered more!
Then, just beating the rain, back down Tail of the Dragon. Got to stretch things out this time as I followed Ted. The rental car keep up pretty well as both Matt and Ted fought cooling issues, while the Fusion's much larger radiator and two fans kept its EcoBoost 1.5T nice and cool. When not trying to overheat, especially in a straight line, the Trans Am roared nicely through the Dragon, while Matt's Fiesta ST was frequently found shrinking in our rearview mirrors.
Verdict: well worth it. Lives up to the hype. Just be realistic with your expectations as it gets crowded, and drive safely.
As tempted as we were to do another run up and down the Tail, the sight of a crashed motorcyle right at the Tail's southern terminus damped our enthusiasm, plus it began to rain. Instead we safely called it a day and went to grill steaks and corn back at the AirBnB, and to enjoy the countryside over our dashcam videos and beers.
Tail of the Dragon: last night, this morning, and this afternoon.