Here in the east, we’ve been enjoying a bit of Indian Summer, so I decided to load up the bike and ride down into Appalachia...destination: Marion, Va, and Va. Rt. 16, the so-called “Back of the Dragon.”



Took the Road Glide SW into the Lost River region, west from I 81 on US 48, the south on US 220 through the George Washington National Forest. US 220 is a great ride, especially south of US 33.

 

My wife and I did Hwy 16 from the coal mines down in to Boone Nc and Christmas tree farm country last labor day. We took 3 days and came out of Charleston, WV along the river and then onto 16. One of the best 3 day rides we have ever had.

 

Spent the night in Marion at the General Francis Marion Hotel, which is a quaint, old-fashioned place in the heart of town. The parking lot behind the hotel has security cameras, and the hotel has a good restaurant and pub on the ground floor.





Saturday morning, I rode the Dragon...

 

If you’re not familiar with it, this is a 32-mile segment of VA 16 between Marion and Tazewell...it’s a fun and challenging ride, crossing three mountain ranges. Very twisty in the hills, but the valleys afford a chance to roll the throttle back. I rode S to N, and I suspect that’s the better direction. Some of the switchbacks are quite gnarly, so ride carefully!

 

From Tazewell, I made my home by way of US 460 (meh) and US 219 (a very nice country road). Stopped for lunch at Rudy’s in Ronceverte, WV. Good food, very low prices...




All in all, a good weekend ride. The Marion-Tazewell area has lots of good rides, of which the Back of the Dragon is the best known. Thus far it’s much less traveled than the Tail of the Dragon further south.

 

that is pretty awesome, I need to organize weekends like that.

 

 

 

What a beautiful day it was, I was in southwest NC...awesomeness.

 

Rode the Back on my Sportster early March couple years ago. They were still salting the tops of the mountains. Made for a interesting ride. Thought my clutch hand would fall off time I got to Marion.