Its a must do road, but its sort of been there done that once you run it a few times.

It's best to do it during the middle of the week. On the weekends every squid with a sport bike is up there terrorizing the locals.

As stated there are much more interesting roads within a 30 mile radius of The Dragon.

Wife was navigating on a work trip/vacation. Didn't realize where we were. Stopped at a overlook to let the dogs pee and saw a bunch of burnout marks. Then a car came and stopped, street legal slicks on it, and his brakes were smoking. Then saw all the stickers plastered all over everything and figured it out.
This was on a Monday or Tuesday morning in the middle of winter. Drove the road, we only saw 1 other car the entire road. Pushed the family sedan hard a couple of turns until the wife started complaining.
Going there on the weekends sounds like it sucks.

I chuckle when I read this often used comment. It's a clear indication of people talking out their ass.

There isn't a piece a pavement I haven't been on in the southern Appalachians, multiple times.

There is nothing like 129 between Tapoco and the Reservoir.

For these reasons, condition of the road, length of continuous twisties, no driveways or side roads, and variation of elevation.

The closest is 421 between the store and Mountain city.

Forget the weekends on 129 in the summer.

If you don't do trackdays it's hard to appreciate 129 for what it is, a public road.

Like the track if you ride it enough you will wreck.

The track is much safer than knee dragging on 129, like isle of man riders you have to be a bit crazy to ride 129 hard.

Every single time.

Will probably get a chance to experience both the tail and the skyline in my M3 in Sept

The wife and I spent several days at the Fontana Dam cabins several years ago.  I was driving a pickup and went the speed limit or slightly over.  Lots of folks on motorcycles passing on double yellows, etc.  Three guys on Japanese bikes passed me on a double yellow, and also passed an unmarked cop stopped on the side of the road heading the other way.
I told my wife that he'd have a tough time catching those three, but when the road stops and you have to turn right or left, he had one in cuffs.
Got a feeling that was an expensive ride.

Ran the dragon in my WRX a few times and it was a blast!

Agreed 100%.    I have a cabin in the area and I rode mountain roads all over.  Nothing like 129.  

People bitching about it must've gone on it during peak time on weekends.   Go early on a weekday.   It's a HOOT!!    The fact there's no driveways, no cross roads, etc makes it way better and (to me) safer than most mountain roads.  

We make it up there from Florida at least once per year.

last year we ran the tail of the dragon in a rented Tahoe, was a blast!

100%.  

Just got back from a week up there. Did it twice last week. Ate some good food and did 1180 miles from Monday morning till Friday night. Was a fun trip!