I hate that I missed this thread before your trip was over but it sounds like you had a whole lot of fun.
Next time you really need to check out
www.wheelsthroughtime.com.
It's a motorcycle museum that is only about 30 minutes from where you took the pics at the start of the Dragon. One guy owns the entire collection of around 300 vintage american motorcycles. I realize of course that we are fans of Triumphs but the I can appreciate a nice bike. Check out the web page for the museum. It is VERY cool and everything in the museum runs..yes everything! The owner, Dale Walksler hangs around and just starts bikes that people are looking at. I saw him do burnouts down the center of the museum floor on a 1905 Excelsior. It was nuts.
Yep, the Dragon can be addictive. I am in a Mustang club and we took 75 Mustangs over the Dragon at one time back in the spring on a benifit ride for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Glad you enjoyed the trip.