We woke up early to an overcast and foggy morning, but you could tell that it would burn off quickly. Plus, the weather channel stated it was not going to rain anywhere on our entire route!  It did not take long to start up the motorcycle and get us back on US Route 16, the Back of the Dragon.

Riding down Gauley Mountain is like Riding The Tail of the Dragon and the trickiest parts of the Back of the Dragon…in fact it is some of the trickiest parts of the Back of the Dragon.  It is also part of the “Talon” one to the name riding roads in West Virginia.

At the bottom of the mountain is Cathedral Falls.  It is, after a rain, a spectacular 80-foot waterfall.  Many weddings and other events are held here, and it is worth your time for a quick stop and photo opportunity.

Back on the motorcycle we are riding through the old Town Gauley Bridge.  As you cross the bridge into town look north and you will see old bridge pilings looking forlorn in the river.  Those are the remains of the bridge burned down during the American Civil War.

Heading north out of Gauley Bridge it was quite clear that there had been a lot of rain, large sections of the road had dry mud that now trailed as dust behind the motorcycle. The Gauley River to our right was light brown and swollen to its banks.  It was a great view for the ride. 

The road was in good condition overall with only a few places showing excess wear and tear.  Long riverside valley rides gave way to mountain passes with sweepers and tight turns back to valley riding.  It was not long before we were passing through the towns of Clay, Grantsville, and Harrisville.  Which reminded me that the Back of the Dragon could also be called the county seat road.  Many of the towns along Route 16 are county seats all the way back to Tazwell, VA.

All too soon we were descending into the Ohio River valley and the town of Saint Mary’s, also a county seat, and the end of this Dragon. 

I highly recommend that you add the complete Back of the Dragon to your bucket list of rides. The tight mountain twisties, the smooth valley riding and the totally awesome vista make this a ride like few others.

*****

RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE