Another Set of Wheels
By Natalie
July 15, 2009
Some friends from Arizona came to visit me in Minnesota for the Fourth of July weekend and we decided to try out a different type of two-wheeled vehicle, the Segway. I think being women
motorcycle riders made the three of us more curious about the Segways. We had to see how they performed vs. our main form of two-wheeled transportation. Plus, we couldn’t take our
Harleys on the Minneapolis city park pathways!
On a Harley you “go for a ride”, on a Segway you “glide”. After learning how to get on and off the Segway and practicing going forward, backwards and turning, we were
on our way for a 5-mile tour of the historic sites in Minneapolis. There’s no throttle or brake, you simply lean forward a little to move ahead and lean back to go in reverse. To
stop, simply balance. Like going on an organized motorcycle ride, we rode in formation. Our Segway formation was single file vs. staggered. On this tour there were about 20
“gliders” all in a row. Now you’re probably wondering what three avid motorcyclist thought of the speed… Well, let’s say it was “slower” than our
bikes! We were able to ride up to eight miles per hour! The top speed is roughly 12.5 miles per hour.
Like a motorcycle, safety is important.. We were all required to wear helmets and were told stories of some past riders who didn’t follow directions and ended up crashing their Segways
into the bushes and even worse the river!
Overall, they were easy and fun to glide on. I do have to say I’m glad I tried this out and we did have a great time! But, I won’t be giving up my current mode of two-wheeled
transportation for a Segway anytime soon (well, unless I go on another city tour).
Questions or comments for Dianne, Natalie or Darnell?
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