The Rattler, North Carolina

It was a nice sunny Sunday in North Carolina (June 2014) and we had enjoyed a morning at the Wheels Through Time Museum and a satisfying lunch in Maggie Valley now it was time to ride.  I had planned a route which included a lot of curves, but I did not realize at the time NC 209 was also know as "The Rattler."

Nine of us on seven bikes jumped on NC 209 just north of Waynesville, NC at the intersection of NC 209 and US 23.  After 4 miles we rode under I-40.  The Rattler started off with 8 miles of easy long sweepers without a lot of curves.

Photo opportunity under the canopy near a river on The Rattler

Without much warning the road got really interesting and twisty!  The next 24 miles of NC 209 earned its name.  Fun tight turns with a few stretches of straights and a sweeping curve or two all under the canopy of the big trees and at times tracing Spring Creek made for some great riding.

My son, Richard, on his 2009 ZX6R Ninja

This was a great opportunity to get time on some Smoky Mountains roads before riding The Dragon (US 129) the next day.  This was my son's first summer trip on his new ride and on mountain roads like this.

We shifted a cheek and dropped a knee into the corners enjoying every mile.  The scenery was great and the shade nice, but going from shade to sunlight and back made for intense concentration due to the change in visibility.

MAP

Another factor adding to the fun and pleasure of the ride was the lack of traffic.  I am not sure we saw over 6 cars/trucks on the 33 mile ride.  We were able to ride at a nice pace and not be concerned about traffic.

The Rattle had a good amount of elevation change.  There were some uphill grades at 15.5% and down at -10%. Here is a website with more detailed information.

 Old country barn on NC 209

My only regret is not turning around at Hot Springs, NC and riding The Rattler back to I-40.  It is a great road and I will make sure to hit it the next time I am in that area.  I highly recommend it.