Deals Gap Closed?!?!?

pikeslayer · Post by **pikeslayer** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:03 am

Not sure what is going on, haven't read all the info. yet but thought you guys might like to know.

http://www.dealsgap.com/

TLRam1 · Post by **TLRam1** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:04 am

Appears like it is being cleaned up.

Daily Updates

Wednesday March 17

Good evening Gang

Beth was at work today....3 hr one way trip and all.....looks like no one is detered from the slide as you can still ride the Dragon. So we will be operating as best we can. Several employees from the TN side will not be with us until the slide is clear.

Weather this weekend will be 65 or better with sun so come on out and ride in the first real spring weather of the year.

No updates from the slide today. They have completed the survey of the 60 ton rock and have begun the bidding phase so they are moving fast. TVA is also bringing pressure as many of the employees for the 3 TVA dams in NC live on the wrong side of the slide. Currently they are being boated around the slide then bussed to the dams.

Want to take a moment to praise TDOT at every level, they have been great passing info and are working hard at resolving the issue. I expect t hey will be done in less than a month. GO TDOT.

The one up side from the slide is the time I have been able to spend with my brother and his family. We took a tour of the Lost Sea caverns today and had a blast. It is a perfect tour, only takes one hour. It is not a huge cave system but the boat ride on the underground lake is super cool. You can do it in motorcycle boots and I highly recommend doing it. It is located in Sweetwater, take a look at it when you come off the Skyway.

Hope everyone has a great day, tomorrows update will be a ride report as me and David will be hitting the road in the sun.

pikeslayer · Post by **pikeslayer** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:48 pm

From their Facebook page(5 hours ago):

Well Gang it is official the TN Governor has closed the Dragon and is unwilling to accept the help of NC for medical and law enforcement. We will probably be forced to close the resort and not sure we will reopen this year. Lots of rumors flying around as to when they will get the mess cleaned up. I have heard 14 week to Aug. I will let you know more when I do.

TLRam1 · Post by **TLRam1** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:50 pm

This just showed up on the site you posted, the Facebook may be more up to date.

Friday March 19

Ok Gang

I know the rumor mill is going 100mph and we are trying to track down all of it.

So here goes what we know as fact: There is a landslide on US129 right near the foothills parkway, mile marker 13/14. They have yet to issue the official time line to get it fixed as the state is still working the stabilization plan. NC has offered to provide mutual aid to keep the Dragon open but TN has not accepted it. As of today the Dragon is closed at the state line by the state of TN.

Ok we are working everyone we know and a few we don't to try and get TN to help out the road and the local economy by accepting a mutual aid agreement.

Please contact the TN Governor office and let him know is a respectful manner that we need him to change his mind on this issue. Here is his Info:

Governor's Office

Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243-0001

Phone: 615.741.2001
Fax: 615.532.9711
Email: Phil.Bredesen@tn.gov
Key Departments :
Constituent Services 615.532.4562
Communications 615.741.3763
Scheduling 615.741.3867

Please contact the NC Governor and let her know we need her help and support.

Office of the Governor
Constituent Services Office
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
Phone: (800) 662-7952 or (919) 733-2391
Fax: (919) 733-2120
governor.office@nc.gov
Governor’s Office

Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301
Phone: (919)733-4240

Fax: (919)733-2120

As for the resort: We are open for the time being, we will contiue to monator this siuation and judge what services we can contiue to offer. Remember we have a lot of great riding in Western NC still so as long as we can stay open we will. If the road block is moved we will contiue to operate, but if we fail to get TN on our side I am not sure.

Gang, thanks for all the support you have been the best group of folks to hang with for the past six years.

Thanks

Brad

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:05 am

Thought u might be interested to know the latest info, taken from the Deals Gap website -

Daily Updates

Tuesday March 23

Ok folks more clarification and some encouraging news this morning on the US 129 rockslide.

Clarification: The facts are the slide is just south of the foothills parkway so currently you can not get to the Gap from US129, TN72, Happy Valley or the foothills parkway. The Dragon is closed at the state line. It was Graham county not NC that has offered support to get the Dragon open but with all you emails the state is getting involved.

Ok this morning I have several emails from TN as well as NC officials and am in the process of setting up a meeting with several agencies to see if we can get a mutual aid agreement between the two states that will allow the road to be reopened at least to Tabacat bridge so we can all still enjoy the road.

I will tell you that so far all the responses from both Tn and NC have been positive and that is great. That is encouraging to me that the states seem willing to work together on this.

So look at the top of the web page you will see our new "Save the Gap" link. We need emails of encouragement to all of our state reps. Let them know how much everyone would love to see the states work together on this and thank them for there support and work. We can not control nature and do not wish anyone hurt doing a rush job on a clean up. But our government is supposed to work together like they are now and fix the things they can control like where the road block is placed.

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:59 pm

I haven't seen anyone with a definite answer as yet, but will the meet go on this year??? Or is it still too soon to know?

Zook-e · Post by **Zook-e** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:29 pm

The meet is still happening. I will be there from Thursday thru Sunday. Even if the Dragon is not open there are other roads and the comraderie there is always worth it each year.

Rngdng is actually trying to get a Road Warrior theme going for this years gap.

Nothing like a bunch of geriatric road warriors.

How exactly am I supposed to disguise my walker?

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:43 pm

How exactly am I supposed to disguise my walker?

Maybe stick on some fairings, then it will look sleek and hot!! You will be in demand.

johnakay · Post by **johnakay** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:59 am

Nothing like a bunch of geriatric road warriors.

aye Eric don't forget to tell the guys inc self to bring da zimmer frames so that you can go on a walk about

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:01 am

What's a Road Warrior theme?

And how is Lane planning on doing this?

rngdng · Post by **rngdng** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:07 am

The idea is to dress up like the characters from the movie "Road Warrior". You know....early Mel Gibson.

Lane

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:54 pm

Oh lordie, I can see it now. A bunch of old farts dressing up.

Sorry can't help but tease.

Nah, it sounds like fun! You do, what u gotta do! Be young, be open, try new things always. But just remember, old bones take a long time to heal.

So start taking your Cod Liver Oil and Glucosomine, to help with the creaking joints.

TLRam1 · Post by **TLRam1** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:18 am

rngdng wrote:The idea is to dress up like the characters from the movie "Road Warrior". You know....early Mel Gibson.

Lane

That's right up my alley! Something different is always adds a little spice to the mix, I draw the line wearing tights like Peter Pan.

Kelly · Post by **Kelly** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:37 am

Well Terry,

If u have legs that a dog would love ie boney, then I can agree that tights would definitely be a no no!

However, if u do have nice gams, hmmmmmmmmm.

tz375 · Post by **tz375** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:05 pm

LAne,

I'm confused. Does that mean we have to ride Z1s or does it mean I can bring a sawn off shotgun and chain people to burning cars.

I lived in OZ when that movie was made and used a couple of those back roads on the way home if I had to get there in a hurry in the old XC Falcon 2 door company car.