NC county to end service on ‘Tail of the Dragon’

ROBBINSVILLE, N.C. — Motorcyclists in western North Carolina should take note. Beginning next year, emergency help on the Swain County part of the route known as the “Tail of the Dragon” may take longer to arrive.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Graham County is ending its ambulance service into Swain County to respond to wrecks on the well-known motorcycle route on U.S. 129.

The road starts in Blount County, Tenn., and packs 318 curves in 11 miles.

It takes about 22 minutes for an ambulance to get to that part of U.S. 129 in Swain County from Robbinsville in Graham County. It can take as long as 50 minutes to get there from Bryson City in Swain County.

County leaders say they used to get few emergency calls for the route but now get about 30 a year, at cost of about $100,000 annually.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)