Sunday, August 17, 2008
And Now For This Segue Segway...
Recently, we had the opportunity to test ride a pair of Segways on a tour of Deadwood. Being the up & coming, cutting edge geekster that I am, I jumped at the chance. No matter what you think, having the owner of the business give us a "buy one, get one" pass didn't sway me in the least.
We were informed there was to be a short talk about the do's & don't's (is there such a word?) of riding, followed by a short "acclimation" period. During the talking portion, it was mentioned that riding the Segway was akin to skiing. I thought back to the one & only time I was
After the talk, we were invited to get on the Segway (they kept referring to it as "The Segway", as if it were a sentient mechanical being or something). Me being the gentleman that I am, I volunteered LeAnna to go first. Within one minute she was tooling around the parking lot like she'd been born on one.
Now I was beginning to worry. It was my turn. In my youth, I was fair on a skateboard, but have never been able to skate or ski, no matter what the medium. Brazenly, I proceeded to "mount up". After just a few seconds of wobbling, I was amazed to find that "The Segway" was actually balancing me for me (if that makes sense). I just stood there and it did all the work of staying under me!
I have to tell ya...these damn things are cool! They are so easy to ride and it really is like skiing, or how you'd think skiing ought to be. Just lean a bit forward and you go forward. A bit back and you stop, then go in reverse. The handlebar that you hang on to leans left or right and lets you actually levitate the thing right off the ground. Well, not really. It mostly makes it go left or right.
Within minutes of taking off on the tour we were all like old Segway pros. I really liked the freedom it gave me personally. I can't walk very far without stopping to rest & I definitely can't walk as fast as The Segway rolls. In fact, most people couldn't. A very moderate 5mph pace on The Segway would soon tire even the most ardent walker after an hour or two. I felt The Segway empowered me! It gave me back mobility! I was a whole human again! Well, it gave me mobility, anyway.
The tour lasted an entirely too short 45 minutes. And in those 45 minutes, The Segway had done a better sales job on me than a gold chain wearin', smooth talkin', southern boy sellin' all purpose spot cleaner. I HAD TO HAVE ONE! No, two! What fun would it be gliding by my fellow man on the walkways of America without my woman by my side? Besides, it would be embarrassing for me to have her trotting after me everywhere I go.
When we got home, I fired up the internet to find out how many bananas two of these marvels of modern technology was gonna set me back.
Oh yeah. The Segway retails for around $4500.00. Each. IF you are a member of Sam's Club.
The dream of breezing down the bikeways and paved hiking trails of America vanished faster than David Copperfield doing the Statue Of Liberty. Well, who really needs something like that anyway? I mean isn't it really just a big toy? Yeah, like I really need some overpriced flashy excuse for an electric scooter.....
Man, I miss The Segway.....
Now I was beginning to worry. It was my turn. In my youth, I was fair on a skateboard, but have never been able to skate or ski, no matter what the medium. Brazenly, I proceeded to "mount up". After just a few seconds of wobbling, I was amazed to find that "The Segway" was actually balancing me for me (if that makes sense). I just stood there and it did all the work of staying under me!
I have to tell ya...these damn things are cool! They are so easy to ride and it really is like skiing, or how you'd think skiing ought to be. Just lean a bit forward and you go forward. A bit back and you stop, then go in reverse. The handlebar that you hang on to leans left or right and lets you actually levitate the thing right off the ground. Well, not really. It mostly makes it go left or right.
Within minutes of taking off on the tour we were all like old Segway pros. I really liked the freedom it gave me personally. I can't walk very far without stopping to rest & I definitely can't walk as fast as The Segway rolls. In fact, most people couldn't. A very moderate 5mph pace on The Segway would soon tire even the most ardent walker after an hour or two. I felt The Segway empowered me! It gave me back mobility! I was a whole human again! Well, it gave me mobility, anyway.
The tour lasted an entirely too short 45 minutes. And in those 45 minutes, The Segway had done a better sales job on me than a gold chain wearin', smooth talkin', southern boy sellin' all purpose spot cleaner. I HAD TO HAVE ONE! No, two! What fun would it be gliding by my fellow man on the walkways of America without my woman by my side? Besides, it would be embarrassing for me to have her trotting after me everywhere I go.
When we got home, I fired up the internet to find out how many bananas two of these marvels of modern technology was gonna set me back.
Here's a clue....
Oh yeah. The Segway retails for around $4500.00. Each. IF you are a member of Sam's Club.
The dream of breezing down the bikeways and paved hiking trails of America vanished faster than David Copperfield doing the Statue Of Liberty. Well, who really needs something like that anyway? I mean isn't it really just a big toy? Yeah, like I really need some overpriced flashy excuse for an electric scooter.....
Man, I miss The Segway.....
