I haven't been down to Deal's Gap in a few years and I am planning a trip with my son and one of my brothers so I thought I'd ask specifically about a place we stayed in the past but also folks thoughts in general who've been there in the last couple of years.

Back in 2005 we stayed in the suite at Phillip's Motel. Although the décor was rather dated at that time it was very spacious for 2 or 3 guys. If they haven't updated things since then though I'm not sure I would want to go back there. Any recommendations?

.

I would recommend this place.... Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Robbinsville (NC)

we stayed at Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham as well

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham

Stayed here one year as well. Clean, cheap, close to all nice roads.

It's a dry county though! So if you're looking to have a few drinks at the end of the day, this isn't the place for you.

Fontana Village or Pigeon Forge, look them up. You can get cabins fairly cheap.

Ponder this

Assuming one were going to the dragon. Quite a bit of $$$$$ when you factor everything in

Consider applying that towards a track day or weekend instead. No cops, oncoming traffic, gravel, water, etc. just balls out riding exiliration. Also learn what you need to improve upon with helpful instruction and coaching.

After I compared all aspects of Both, I'll take a track every time

Just my input.

^^A very wise man has spoken.

Thats why I like Arkansas on weekdays. Awesome roads all over the state and very few cops and no traffic during the week. talimena scenic drive is awesome near Mena, AR.

* Last updated by: dehaile on 2/20/2015 @ 9:31 AM *

^^that said I would like to go the gap just to say I rode it. It's on the bucket list.

Gap is about the whole experience - camaradere with friends and fellow bikers, get away from the family, awesome roads, amazing scenery, beers by the fire at night. I plan on going every year. It's that good.

I can understand that. we all have different tastes. Certainly

But there is also all day comraderie at a track. Bike talk, riding techniques, suspension settings, tires, etc. it's like an entire community of fellow gear heads who all love fast bikes and honing their skills to best utilize their fast bikes. It's quite an amazing experience to have. Not only the riding and improving but all the knowledge the track junkies are willing to share. I never realized a track day could be so much fun and rewarding until I went. Now I see what all the fuss is about.

But, to each his own.

But that said, good GOD them gold rims pop! Nice!!!

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 2/20/2015 @ 2:13 PM *

Thanks zx64. You are right, though I havent been to a track day I can bet it is as u say. Something I need to do too maybe this season.

FAST track school... $650 for the day and they provide lesson, full gear, AND bike of your choice. (Handleful of different 600's)

Im signing up.

Plus 2 track day.

I'm with Beast. Actually, I'm with Man64 too. I do track days every year, but gap area is something special as is any road trip. To be honest, I enjoy Hwy 28 and the Cherohala even more than The Dragon. I will definitely do track days this year at NJMP (my home track) and hope to do at least 1 day at VIR and 1 day at NYST.

This is the best place to stay...
Dragons Rest

Me and a buddy of mine go down once a year... sometimes I take the wife on a second trip. great people, husband and wife own and run the place. Six nice cabins and if you have a bigger party they have a house they rent out. They have a huge fire pit and gas grills to boot.

And VERY good prices... Almost forgot, they have covered parking as well WOOT!

Also, don't forget to eat at Lynn's Place too.

If you go stay, tell them Jason from Ohio said Hi ;)

* Last updated by: omega2k on 2/22/2015 @ 1:52 PM *

Just a thought for you - We stay in one of the many sub-$100/ night cheap, simple motels in Maggie Valley. Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway over to the Dragon and Cherohala. It is about an hour or so, so maybe too far if you just wanna race, but riding the BRP is just awesome if you aren't in race mode ... and sometimes even if you are

Ride easy back to the motel late afternoon and drink some beers around the community camp fire while taking in the views of the mountains as the sun goes down

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 2/25/2015 @ 2:41 PM *

I agree extra, and ride Blood mountain in Ga, or Caesars head. in SC. on your off days.

Extra, we plan to do the Diamondback 226 loop on one of the days we are there so we will indeed do part of the BRP. We were hoping to go down mid May but I just learned I will be on business travel so we are going to have to audible on the schedule - grrrrr! I hate when work gets in the way of real life - LOL.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

I like the idea if sitting around a community campfire and talking bikes.

I like the idea if sitting around a community campfire and talking bikes.

Yeah, and it's so nice you don't even mind when some tanked up Harley guys want to explain all the mods they've done to their hog, and how 'affordable' they were: "See whut I got here on mah Road King is what thay call the toor packidge ... it's was only twinty-fo hunrid bux, win I goddit. Wish ain't that bad, when you rilly stop n think abowd it. N I got the krome hand warmers ... but mah brudder in law there, he got the black ones. Mine were a hunrid doller upgrade. But iss jist what I wonted."

HAHA! I kid. I don't mind those guys a'tall. The NC mountains are great.

^^hahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahhahahah extrap, fling hilarious!

Ah! Good stuff

But don't forget about the @stage four kit@ and its potential for hp gains. Some HArleys surpass 100 peak HP with one of them there stage four kits.

I also agree with extra.
You can easily find cheap lodging in Maggie Valley and it is pretty much central to a load of great roads. We typically do the Dragon and Cherohola Loop on our first day (normally Thursday). Then we enjoy the rest of the roads like Moonshiner and so on the remaining time. We spend from Wed-Sun. every year around the middle of June. We will be there 6/10-6/14 this year. Staying in the Johnathon Inn and Villas for about $75 per night. Anything along SoCo rd. is pretty good. Check their ratings on booking.com.

Yeah, Soco Rd aka US 19, is the main drag running east-west thru Maggie Valley. Really the only drag thru MV as all the other roads seem to be deadend-ers running up onto the mountains.

We stayed at "A Holiday Motel" last year, June 13 - 16. $95/ night. I heard another guy get his room for $85, but that might've been later in the weekend ... prob cheaper rates after the weekend than before / during

Small, square, very simple rooms, but clean ... and what more do ya need when you're just gonna sleep and bathe in it. I never turned the TV on once.

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 8/10/2015 @ 11:21 PM *

Bathe? I thought we were --real-- bikers?