Of course, this is no garden variety Ford Falcon; it’s amazing how the right stance, wheels, and tires can completely transform a car.
The Ford Falcon was an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1970. It was a huge sales success for Ford initially, handily outselling rival compacts from Chrysler and General Motors introduced at the same time. During its lifespan, the Falcon was offered in a wide range of body styles: two-door and four-door sedans, two and four door station wagons, two door hardtops, convertibles, a sedan delivery and the Ranchero pickup.
But that’s not all:
Robert McNamara, a Ford executive who became Ford’s president briefly before being offered the job of U.S. Defense Secretary, is regarded by many as “the father of the Falcon”. McNamara left Ford shortly after the Falcon’s introduction, but his faith in the concept was vindicated with record sales; over half a million sold in the first year and over a million sold by the end of the second year (source).
However, we also witnessed the birth of an addiction— and not just to the Tail itself. In aggregate, the winding roads in the area that is the Great Smoky Mountains and its environs are far and away the finest we have driven to date. They are so good as to be habit-forming, and already we are hatching plans for what we hope will be a sort of yearly pilgrimage to the American South. And their names have been indelibly seared into our consciousness (a triumph of the marketing efforts of local businesspeople there, no doubt). Here are our impressions of some of the big ones we got to sample:
Tail of the Dragon (US 129). The grandaddy of them all. The main event. Some – okay, many – will say that the Tail has gotten too big, too popular. That the secret has been let out ages ago, consequently letting in innumerable car and motorcycle clubs, the Harley Davidson crowd, flatfooted thrillseekers, and local law enforcement officers. They wouldn’t be incorrect, but during our time there we really did feel there was nothing quite like the Dragon. So many banked 2nd gear switchback turns coming at you in an endless barrage, one right after the other. It’s a real workout, for car and for driver. The whole thing feels like a rollercoaster. And there are no intersections.
Even after all these years, after all the hype and build-up, the Tail didn’t disappoint, which is remarkable. For tight, technical driving this one is really hard to beat.
Moonshiner/Hellbender 28 (NC 28). The warm-up to the Tail of the Dragon— and what a heck of an appetizer it is. Not as tight and technical as the signature attraction that it precedes, but plenty entertaining in its own right. So good that it initially threw us for a loop— we thought we had stumbled onto the Tail before realizing we hadn’t reached it yet. Hugs Cheoah Lake for a short, scenic stretch. There are occasional intersections and driveways along the way (for things like lodging and campgrounds), but they are relatively far between and few.
Cherohala Skyway. Combines with Moonshiner and the Tail to form a lovely, varied driving loop. This is the longest of the three (stretching 43 miles) and also the fastest— there are some tight turns here as well, but this road is more about fast, sweeping corners. Virtually no intersections to speak of, though it can get foggy as you approach its peak elevation of one mile. Provided you don’t get caught behind slow-moving traffic, the Skyway ought to provide you with long, uninterrupted stretches of quality back roads driving.
’80s OGs.
Diamondback (NC 226A). A steep ascent. Tight 2nd gear turns. Sheer drop-offs. No guard rails. The occasional driveway dotting the road. The Diamondback is a white-knuckle ride, possibly the most thrilling of the bunch, and that’s why we loved it enough to do twice: once on an out-of-the-way but ultimately worthwhile detour en route to the Dragon, and again on the return home. Not the prettiest drive, but that’s not why you’re there— you are there to stretch your car and yourself as a driver. And in that regard, the Diamondback delivers. Big.
Devil’s Staircase (NC 80). The sleeper of the bunch. We stumbled onto this one purely by accident, and what a happy accident it was. Comparable in grade to the Diamondback – that is to say, steep – but with prettier views and corners that flow a little better by virtue of not being quite as tight. If all we could ever drive for the rest of our days was this road, we’d be happy— a testament to just how good it is.
Little Parkway (US 221). Arguably the prettiest road we drove – tree branches hang low to form a shady canopy over the road for much of its length – but with lots and lots of flowing corners, it’s not just for Sunday drivers (though you will encounter them also). The main challenge you will face is keeping your eyes on the road when you’ll want to be craning your neck to take in the incredibly lush surroundings.
Blue Ridge Parkway. An American treasure. Mind-boggling in its length (469 miles end to end, of which we ended up driving 350), and not quite an uninterrupted stretch of driving enjoyment (you will at times encounter any combination of long straight sections (watch your speed there), slow vehicles, bicyclists, road closures, and lots and lots of fog), we nevertheless couldn’t think of a better interstate (with a small ‘i’) road to take while traveling anywhere between central Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. The stunning panoramic vistas along the way are icing on the cake— this is *the* way to experience the majesty of the southeastern United States. You will arrive at your final destination later than if you were to take the Interstate system proper, but the Blue Ridge couldn’t be more of a welcome alternative to the mind-numbing monotony of the latter.
And a little video we made:
Acknowledgments and thanks:
Levent E. of Guten Parts for making the E30 supremely roadworthy on very last minute notice
Evan S., route master nonpareil, for help with planning a trip this epic and picking out only winners to drive on our tight schedule
Brandon M., master DIY craftsman, for the custom fabricated E30 headlights! Driving once the sun went down was made so much easier (and thus more enjoyable) thanks to the ability to actually see
Bradley P. of Automobiliac for the camaraderie and memories. Let’s do it again soon, man
Motoring Con Brio 