Riding " The Snake "

Ally and I are always looking for nice scenic rides and a ride that presents a challenge is even more fun. We found the ultimate ride just the other day and it just so happens to be located in the backyard of our Bristol home. Just 20 minutes from our house sits the road that is labeled " The Snake ". It's name is fitting as it has 3 Mountain passes, one valley, 489 curves, over one hundred switch backs and it only encompasses 20 miles of blacktop road. It has claimed a lot of bikers lives over the years and each new year brings more fatalities from bikers who try to charm it with high speeds. It is a focal point for many sport bike riders as well as sports car enthusiasts. But we decided to take the challenge during the weekday when it wasn't busy and see what the snake is all about.

So the old man and his lovely young wife headed out in the morning and rode the snake and I must say it is a humbling experience. It was the most tense, focused and mind consuming ride I have ever had but my Nomad handled all the curves and switch backs without a problem. Ally's 07 AERO 750 did a great job as well and was probably easier to ride in the tight turns then my heavy Nomad. She did an amazing job and hung right with me and rode the curves like a pro.

If we were going to pick a morning to experience this HWY, today was the day. Sunny, little to no traffic, no haze and no fog. We came across two other bikes during our trip and passed 4 cars going in the other direction. On the weekends the snake will host over 500 bikers who try and charm its curves. So with little traffic, the mountains and the snake was all ours. It was a little intimidating as one biker was killed last week and another couple are still in critical condition from a separate accident after going over the side of the mountain and into the brush and trees below. The majority of the snake has little in the way of guard rails by the way. 

We soon found that a few of the switchbacks are tight. I mean very tight. And they do not come after a 1 mile stretch of straight road, and some come one after another barely allowing you time to get set up for the next turn. Some of the turns have a few added attractions to make you say " Oh Sh@# " - like my favorite, a left curve then right then a very tight switchback to the right again that takes you up an immediate 4 ft rise in the asphalt starting right in the exit of the turn. This turn is marked with a lot of gouge narks in the asphalt from bikers who dragged a little more then their pegs into the ground here. I believe it also may show remnants of a tail pipe or muffler off a car that dragged the ground. The rise is steep and quick and very ill timed while turning. One other little nicety that the snake offers up is the sun. It's here, it's gone, it's there, it's gone again. Otherwise your rounding mountain bends in the shade of a stone wall then turning directly into the bright sunlight which blinds you momentarily, and all this right before a tight 15 mph turn.

This HWY is so full of turns, dips, rises, drops, switchbacks and shear drop offs and stone walls that it requires constant attention to riding. You rarely get a break where you can sit back, relax and look at the scenery. As a matter of fact I had a heck of a headache and my mind was numb when I got to Mountain City. It just drains you mentally because of the shear amount of focus needed to ride safely. If your looking for a challenge and scenic ride, this is not the place for you. The snake is all challenge and there is little time to observe the scenery. You pay attention to the road and nothing else. Of course I have talked to bikers who with gusto said " ahhhh, its no big deal ". But I wonder just how safe they rode and if they threw caution to the win. Of course I am sure some of their comments was based on macho'ism and in reality they were crapping in their pants. :)

We stopped off at the Country Store in Shady Valley for a look see then headed across Mountain number two which took us into Mountain City. Once again the switchbacks and tight turns started again and I would say its the worst part of the snake as it had a few very challenging switchbacks. We made it through those 11 miles of twists and turns and then stopped off in Mountain City where we had a picnic. Because of an impending storm we made a left turn onto HWY 91 and headed for Damascus, VA. We skipped the last mountain of the snake as it was a tame stretch and not nearly as bad as the first two mountain passes. So we can say we rode the two worst stretches of the snake and survived. Half way home we ran into the storm and I can tell you that riding in the rain on the HWY and riding in rain in the mountains is completely different. We rode a number of miles before finding a gravel spot to pull off and have a cup of coffee and wait the storm out. It isn't much fun and can be stressful to gingerly ride your way home on twisty turning roads in the mountains in a fresh rain with BIG 50,000 logging trucks running up your butt. It was a, hmmmm, shall we say a " nerve racking " experience.

As we drank our coffee we watched the sky and tried to figure out which direction the storm was moving in. We could hear bits of thunder, but that is never an indication of where it maybe coming from in the mountains. We were right in the middle of a small valley with towering Mount Rogers around us so it tends to echo and reverberate all over the place. The clouds just seemed to sit still so we geared back up and headed for the expressway ( I-81 ) which was another 15 miles or so from us. We drove out of the rain after about 10 miles and back into sunny skies about 3 or 4 miles from the expressway where we headed for home. When in the mountains, beware, storms and rain hide around turns and can pop up anywwhere.

So my overall thoughts of the Snake ? I have nothing to compare it to. I have never ridden the other famed biker highway called the Dragon Tail so I cannot make a fair comparison. I have looked at the maps of both and its obvious the curves on the dragon are more sweeping while the curves on the snake are jagged and tight. The dragon also seems to give you some moments to look at the scenery and enjoy it where the snake is nothing but eyes forward the whole time. There are no stretches of long straight roads there.

The Snake itself has 170 more turns then the dragon and a boat load more switchbacks but how challenging one is over the other I cannot say till I ride the Dragon. I do know this, the Snake shouldn't be attempted by a novice biker. It kills veteran bikers each year and it isn't for the faint of heart. It's a good hard and challenging ride, even for a veteran biker and will give you and your bike a work out. Heavy bikes can be hell to maneuver around the bends not to mention the heat generated on the tranny, clutch, engine and brakes. So a sport bike or a smaller bike like Ally's 750 Shadow would be an ideal bike to ride. Still, my Nomad ( like thousands of other heavy cruisers ) handled the snake very well and I didn't have any problems except keeping the bikes components cooled down. If a group was to ride this with the right leader ( who also is a vet and an experienced captain ) then I have no doubts everyone will get through without a problem. But if your short on experience and endurance then I recommend you don't chance it. 

My advice, run it, but run it with respect, at the posted speed limits and nothing more and pay very close attention to the speed limit signs for each curve. Also pay very close attention to each turn and look for gravel / sand in the apex. Car's will kick crap up on the road in these places. This is NOT a road to let the testosterone run wild and free and to play macho man. It is one heck of an amazing ride with a few turns that will test your skill on a motorcycle and afterwards, all other roads you travel will seem like straight highways. Also remember, bikers who crash on this road not only crash on the asphalt but a few go over the mountain so slow down for each turn or you may take a heck of a ride, maybe your last. My other advice is to run this HWY on a weekday and NOT a weekend. There are a lot of bikes    ( and sports cars ) going through on weekends and it can get real hairy and crazy up there with traffic.

And in parting, enjoy yourselves and let me know what you think of the ride later by sending me an  e-mail. If you make it to Boone, NC, stop in at Mc'Adoos and feast on one of their great sandwiches.
 

Here are some photos of our ride. 

The Star of the snake. Crossing Holston Lake Bridge This sign says it all. Most cars consider alternate routes as well.
This Turn marks the start of the Snake In, around and back out of a nice  sweeping turn. One of the more gentle turns on the snake.
The famed Country Store where bikers rest, eat, get cold drinks and fuel Hmmmm... That motorcycle hanging from the structure isn't a welcoming sight.
Chris poses with the Snake Sign Ally's turn to pose with the sign
The porch on the General Store has many areas like this where bikers can rest Ya'll don't run the snake on gasoline. You use snake Venom. Mojo prefers the Premium Venom
Yet another blind curve Over this Mountain ya'll shall go
A map of the Snake MoJo and Matilda rest after crossing the second mountain. It was also lunch time for Ally and I. We enjoyed a nice picnic at the park here in Mountain City.
Chris talks it over with Mojo, telling him " hang in there, its almost over ". Coming down off the higher elevation we hit rain in the forest. This was taken just outside the Mount Rogers area and a few miles from Damascus, VA.
We parked and enjoyed ourselves a cup of hot coffee, in the rain of course. Matilda and Mojo took a much needed rest as well. Mojo looks out over a mountain stream wondering when the rain will stop and he will once again be  dry.
Ally waits it out with the bikes in the rain. We both looked like drowned rats at this point. The mountain stream next to our stopping place.