Day 3 - Off Road, Deal's Gap, Fontana Dam and Cherohala Skyway

Today was spectacular.  I got to ride a fun (challenging) gravel road with multiple river crossings, Deal's Gap (aka 'Tail of the Dragon' 318 turns in 11 miles), Rt 28, and Cherohala Skyway.  At Fonatana Dam I met a group of three riders, a father and hid two sons;  after chatting for a while we parted ways only to run into each other again on Cherohala Skyway.  I joined up and rode with them down the Skyway until they peeled off to the north to make for Virginia and myself to the south where I was headed for the night.
 Cherohala easily had some of the best scenic views I have ever laid eyes on. I'm going to let the pictures do the talking here...


I met two guys from Florida who were trying to find the dirt trail I happened to be headed down and they were nice enough to snap this of me:



Unfortunately it is hard to show how steep this road is...

However, it is very easy to show how wet it was

On to Deal's Gap- due to the rain there was only one police officer on the entire 11mi stretch. 

He must have been bored with so few people out on the Dragon today but at least he picked a spot with a good view

Slowly making my way south

Made it to the bottom without getting bitten

On to Fontana Dam

View from atop the dam

Cherohala Skyway - riding through clouds certainly gives you the sense that 'skyway' is an apt name for the road

This road is also full of twists and turns...

One mile high!

but still enveloped in clouds...

The father + 2 sons group I ran into on the Skyway

And on Rt. 129 there are two professional photographers who snap pictures all day and you can find your picture online.  I'll have to order the originals to remove the watermarks but until I receive them these will have to suffice Originals can be found in the final picture update!