NC-226A Tar Snakes

[leedavis]

Heads up to NC highland visitors. NC-226A is a well known "must do" motorcycle road south of the BRP at Little Switzerland, aka "Diamondback" or part of the "Diamondback Loop" and other monikers depending on who's talking.

Late last year it was covered with tar snakes and I've never seen more tar snakes applied to a road in my life - it's unbelievable. I've been up and down the road and you can no longer throw the bike into curves with wild abandon without regard to hunting a line to avoid tar snakes which isn't always possible. I'm running Pilot Power tires (biased for traction versus mileage) and they slip out when I get it wrong.

I've given up on 226A. IMO, it's is no longer a great or even good motorcycle road if you enjoy challenging the twisties. if you ride 226A to cross it off your bucket list or whatever, watch out. It isn't what it was.

 

[garyahouse]

Thanks for the warning Lee. Wouldn't want anybody to provide a new FJR lawn ornament for any of the neighbors on 226a.

I just love that road. I know what cha mean. Rode it just recently. It's also covered with grass clippings when fellers are out mowing their lawns. Sometimes I think they do it on purpose as a little gift to the idiots that drive at 90 miles an hour in front of their house. Heaven forbid if one of their kids wants to play in the yard.

For me it's a wonderful road and I'll be happy to ride it again this summer. The tar snakes and the grass clippings are no issue at all at the speeds I ride. What a beautiful area to live in. I may just retire and move there one day.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[GeorgiaRoller]

I've given up on 226A. IMO, it's is no longer a great or even good motorcycle road if you enjoy challenging the twisties. if you ride 226A to cross it off your bucket list or whatever, watch out. It isn't what it was.

Thanks for the current status on that road! Thats good info. I hate tar snakes, I'm sure we all do. I don't remember the road being in bad enough shape last year when I rode it that it needed tar in the cracks...don't even remember any cracks in the road. I wonder if this winter did a number on that section for some reason?

Is NC-80 just to the west still in good shape?

 

[luvtoride]

What a bummer. This was such a good section of road.

 

[ericboutin]

We rode NC 80 a few months ago and all was good. Shame about 226A, I like the road...short but fun....bought the T-Shirt. lol

 

[leedavis]

Thanks for the current status on that road! Thats good info. I hate tar snakes, I'm sure we all do. I don't remember the road being in bad enough shape last year when I rode it that it needed tar in the cracks...don't even remember any cracks in the road. I wonder if this winter did a number on that section for some reason?

Is NC-80 just to the west still in good shape?

NC-80 is good as ever.

They laid down the tar snakes prior to winter and I don't remember the road having many cracks either. Something less than a year before the tar snakes they put up more 35mph signs than I've ever seen on a single stretch of road so obviously the local residents take issue to some of the motorcycle activity. If I was a conspiracy nut I'd say the tar snakes were part of the program.

 

[ToyQuest]

+1 to Lee's warning on the 226A tar snakes. The wife and I went through two weeks ago and she has forbid us from riding it again. This is coming from a woman that is extremely tolerant to speed and curves. The tar snakes found her limit

 

[dean]

a few of us were down there this week for the annual FJ spring rally. that road sucked balls with all the tar snakes. i went about 1/4 mile past the little switzerland restaurant/gift shop, encountered all that crap on the road, and turned around. no way. there were 4 of us that tried it, 2 on fjr's, one on a ktm adventure bike, and one on a suzuki dl400 (or something like that), and none of us liked it.

 

[ToyQuest]

Update on 226A... Road it today, the tar snakes are no more.

A fresh, smooth black top from top to bottom is complete! On the inside corners, just watch out for the fill rock that was applied to the shoulders. It is getting kicked-up by the cages.

Almost no traffic, but I expect that to change soon

 

[majicmaker]

Update on 226A... Road it today, the tar snakes are no more.
A fresh, smooth black top from top to bottom is complete! On the inside corners, just watch out for the fill rock that was applied to the shoulders. It is getting kicked-up by the cages.

Almost no traffic, but I expect that to change soon

Thanks, TQ. That'll come in handy for the EOM.

 

[beachy]

rode it this morning nice watch out for the trooper I guess they want you to go 35

 

[leedavis]

There was a trooper this morning, Sunday, as well with car load of family pulled over. Looks like they're doing weekend patrol for a while. I imagine every bike owner within 100 miles is checking out the new pavement.

 

[Burnspot]

226A is a nice piece of road...glad it's gotten sorted out now!

Unfortunately in NC, tar snakes and the negative effects on motorcycles are still a mystery to the DOT and the principles of tar snake application appear to vary by county. In the county where I work, they like to tar snake seemingly hairline cracks...to the point where the road looks more like a jigsaw puzzle than road. Hot days make them treacherous...

 

[Bounce]

Not a mystery at all. "Plasticized Crack Sealant" application procedures are documented by the manufacturer and FHWA (Fed) to all state DOTs with cautions about improper/over application and the impact on safety. Has been since at least the 90s. I offered to give copies of memos sent between FHWA and Region 6's State DOTs to the AMA and they never bothered to respond.

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/preservation/ppcl01.pdf

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/preservation/ppcl02.pdf

"Over band (overlap)" references over application beyond the crack proper. It's supposed to be limited as is total area coated (large patched areas aren't safe, etc.).

One example of manufacturer's application recommendation:

https://www.gripset.com/images/file_groups/6905/elastoproof_asphalt_crack_sealing_band_pds.pdf

Cracks greater than 10mm wide are to be filled using: Gripset B29, Gripset B26 or Gripset Cold Mix filler


IOW: DON'T use it in those cases. I've also seen document that say not to use it on case where the cracks run parallel to the flow of traffic.

 

[Burnspot]

IOW: DON'T use it in those cases. I've also seen document that say not to use it on case where the cracks run parallel to the flow of traffic.

THIS.

There's a good long stretch of parallel tar snakes on the highway I take on the way home...they lead you right into and through a curve. I'd estimate the snakes are 3" wide, so there's plenty of slippy space for a motorcycle tire to lose grip on (the FJR really wiggles on them). It pays to pay attention in that section on a hot day or you'll be on your side.

Like I said earlier, many in NC's DOT haven't caught onto the idea unfortunately.

 

[Bungie]

I really need to snap a pic of the tar snakes up here in the boonies. Parallel, perpendicular, diagonal. Usually about 4" wide about 1/8 to 1/4" above the road surface. Seriously, it just be easier to completely cover the road in the **** than trying to be selective.

Burnspot is right though, the FJR really gets it's wiggle on traversing them on a hot day. Even in a straight line.

 

[COGnosticator]

I tried to ride 226a from south to north to Little Switz last week while at the COG national rally, but some ****** trucker got his truck stuck about 2 miles up the road, we sat there 10 minutes, then turned around and went back south to see another way back to Johnson City. I really wanted to ride it too. Oh well, next time

 

[LKLD]

I'll be up there in little more than a week. Hopefully I'll enjoy it again, along with 151.

 

[LKLD]

Update on 226A... Road it today, the tar snakes are no more.
A fresh, smooth black top from top to bottom is complete! On the inside corners, just watch out for the fill rock that was applied to the shoulders. It is getting kicked-up by the cages.

Almost no traffic, but I expect that to change soon

There's no change to this, as I rode it today. Beautiful blacktop, with loose gravel all along the shoulders. Mostly it pops up on the inside of curves, but there are the occasional rogue patches that defy sense. I would love to ride it hard, but the gravel keeps me sane.