View Comments For 11-miles, U.S. 129 winds and twists more than 300 times through the mountains of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The area, known as the Tail of the Dragon, is full of natural beauty and attracts motorcycle riders from all over the country. But it can also be treacherous. According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network, in 2018, there were 83 traffic crashes on the Tail of the Dragon, 75% of which involved a motorcycle. Three of those motorcyclists died. The numbers for 2019 aren’t much better: 93 crashes, 67% involving motorcycle drivers. Four people died, three of whom were motorcyclists. In North Carolina, there were 10 crashes in 2019 on the Tail of the Dragon. Nobody died, but six of the 10 crashes were of motorcyclists.