The Tail of the Dragon 2022 – Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee – Best Bike Routes in the East

For the second time in 12 months, I decided to head north with the Road King through 8 States and 2,954 miles in search of America’s best motorcycle routes. The wife had given me a 10-day Hall Pass and a high school friend agreed to meet and ride with me.  

There’s an advantage to a second tour and applying lessons learned. I upgraded my airbox and exhaust (Stage 1) to help the snap, bought new tires, and lightened gross weight by only packing essential gear. However, there are always new trip lessons to be learned as well, including accepting compromises if you’re riding with another biker and coping with July weather in mid-America (heat, rain).  

The Blue Ridge and Natchez-Trace Parkways were this year’s highlights. I covered hundreds of miles in both of these narrow national parks that are genuinely unique. You get both a challenging ride and a historical experience on uncrowded and well-maintained roads. Then there was the obligatory “Tail of the Dragon” (Route 129, Tennessee), although, in my opinion, it’s a novelty visit to say you covered the 11 miles of 318 curves. I was a little disappointed with the Foothills Parkway, as more than half was closed due to construction. The truth is, there are no terrible roads between Harrisonburg, VA, and Nashville, TN if you’re on a bike, so enjoy them all.  

Someone asked me what the point was to ride all the way to the Smokies when there are so many great routes here in Florida. Clearly not another rider, but a fair question. It’s the combination of mountains, forests, altitude, and the subsequent road design that is going to test your bike and yourself in ways you’ll only find in Appalachia. On the mountain roads, your hands and feet dance continuously with clutch, gears, and brakes.  The required continuous mental focus, leaning, engine braking and accelerations guarantee you’re happily exhausted at the end of the day (provided you don’t dump the bike). Don’t forget that sphincter clinch when the bike’s rear end starts to slide out on you due to wet leaves on the road. It just leaves you wanting more.