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I have owned my 2002 S2K for a little over two weeks now. Yesterday my wife and I drove from Chattanooga, TN to Robinsville, NC. That was an enjoyable ride on Hwy64 through Cleveland and then to 19north through Murphy, NC. From Murphy we went to Robinsville, NC and checked into the Microtel at about 1:15pm. The Microtel is extremely clean and a good value at $68. We left the hotel and headed up 129north and we were immediately greeted with a stop in traffic and a view of Lifestar flying in and out with a victim of the Dragon. We were stopped for about 30 minutes and I had many people come by and ask about the S2K. Traffic started moving and we took a right on 28east and headed to Fontana dam. Beautiful area and great pictures of the mountains. Drove through the dam area and headed back west on 28 toward 129 and the Dragon. Time about 3:30pm and 76 degrees. As exciting as the Dragon is I also enjoyed Hwy 28. Some great turns and not as much traffic. Did almost add some rollerbladers to my front bumper . Not the smartest thing being on rollerblades in the middle of a hwy. They actually looked pissed at me.
It was on this drive on 28 west heading to Hwy 129 that I came to understand how speical the S2K is. First I popped my VTEC cherry and shot out of a curve and up a hill from 2nd to 3rd and back to 2nd as I enetered another curve. Other than a "crotch rocket" Katana 600 in college 10 years ago I have putted along in a Civic, CRX, and a 1992 Prelude. I was taken back by the handling and power of the S2K. 35mph to over 70mph in what seemed like a blink of the eye. We pulled off at the biker pit stop at the intersection of 129 and 28. Drank some water and tried to convince my wife that she was not in danger . In all seriousness I felt in complete control of the car at all times and it was a good thing she was with me as I may have pressed the line even harder.
We pulled out of the pit stop and headed north on the Dragon. I had two bikes in front of me and one behind me. What a ride we had for the next 10 minutes or so. No traffic ahead of us and the bikes actually helped to pace me. Biker stayed close behind me and even commented to me when we stopped later that I kept it between the lines the whole ride. Made it through the Dragon and started to turn around and my wife says...."We don't have to go back the same way to get to the hotel, do we? I said with a loving tone "Yes honey we do, why is something wrong?" She said she was tired. That tired turned into something else when about 1/4 way into the Dragon heading south on 129 my wife said..."Pull the car over." Did I mention we had Taco Bell for lunch? Seems my wife does not like her Taco Bell shaken and stirred. We rested for about 10 minutes. I got some good pictures of some bikes during that time. We then drove very gingerly back to the hotel.
On the way out this morning we headed up the dragon on 129 north at about 10:15am. I must say that the car handled much better on Saturday afternoon with the temps being better. Didn't feel as safe and took it easy heading to Hwy 70 west. Headed back to Chattanoog to see a 2:15 Lookouts baseball game and am now in the house uploading pictures of the drive.
Sounds very similar to my first time on the Dragon. I was there in '99 with the Fiat club. All the passengers wanted to puke at the end of one run through. I left my wife at the hotel the second day and ran it on my DOT race tires on the way to an autocross in Marysville. I was driving a Fiat X1/9 with full coilover suspension, adjustable camber plates, and header exhaust. It was sweet chasing my buddies similarly prepped X1/9 through the Dragon with no traffic on a Sunday morning!
Oh, and for keeping it in your lane. I'm a biker and appreciate it too.
It's very different being a passenger. Your wife did a good job of putting up with all the turns. Nice write up, too bad you can't join all of us next weekend. Maybe you can join us in the fall for the Dragonball Run.
Im glad that you enjoyed it. Yeah from what I understand, Cough Jason (kaolinte) doesn't like riding as a passenger either, not a lot of people can take the passenger ride without dramamine. But it sounds like you just got lucky cause with all the aceidents that happend up there this weekend most of the locals just stayed home cause of the increased accident activity and the local police and THP being up there all weekend.
Bryan
THP was out strong on Saturday. They had a patrol car and two bikes out issuing tickets and patrolling the area. They were hitting people hard on the section of road that runs along side the lake. On Sunday we passed a THP bike and then the black unmarked car heading south to the Dragon about 11:45am.
Nice write up! I too had my dragon cherry popped on April 9th. The g/f took it like a champ though! When is the dragonball run? On the local website I'm on we are planning a trip in the fall as well.
04-17-2005, 03:42 PM
Survived 1st trip to the Dragon
. Not the smartest thing being on rollerblades in the middle of a hwy. They actually looked pissed at me.
. In all seriousness I felt in complete control of the car at all times and it was a good thing she was with me as I may have pressed the line even harder.
we had for the next 10 minutes or so. No traffic ahead of us and the bikes actually helped to pace me. Biker stayed close behind me and even commented to me when we stopped later that I kept it between the lines the whole ride. Made it through the Dragon and started to turn around and my wife says...."We don't have to go back the same way to get to the hotel, do we? I said with a loving tone "Yes honey we do, why is something wrong?" She said she was tired. That tired turned into something else when about 1/4 way into the Dragon heading south on 129 my wife said..."Pull the car over." 
Did I mention we had Taco Bell for lunch? Seems my wife does not like her Taco Bell shaken and stirred. We rested for about 10 minutes. I got some good pictures of some bikes during that time. We then drove very gingerly back to the hotel. 
for keeping it in your lane. I'm a biker and appreciate it too.
about the "VTECH" slip. I am so used to debating VA Tech fans on another site...it sort of just rolled out that way.
