Greetings from Segway Fest NH!!!

[macgeek]

Well, hooked up my laptop and hotel has wireless high speed internet. So I will be posting and uploading pictures whenever I can.

I gotta tell you folks the first day was GREAT!!!

the people at LLC where the warmest most welcoming group of people and the tours and the demos and seg polo was AWESOME!!

but for me.. Meeting WOZ was a experience of a lifetime.

I HAVE A SEGWAY llc SMILE!!!

Lots more to come!

Jonathan

"Think outside the car"

[drolsinatas]

Keep us posted. Is it like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory over there?

This thing rules.

[SegwayUtah]

Being at the factory is a very, very cool experience. Segway LLC gave tours today, had a bunch of munchies out for us, let people build their own HTs, etc. etc.

Plus, there were a bunch of us just hanging out. It seems that no matter how cool the venue is where we meet, the best part is just hanging out with other Segway enthusiasts.

And yes, I would agree that Segway's people are really, really great.

Chris

[macgeek]

We got to see a almost finished 10.mph movie and to (well for a hour and a half) Ride along with the intrepid crew - learned some things I did'nt know, and it was great to recconect with Josh & Hunter.

There was a night tour of Manchester, NH in the rain (cold, pouring rain) I choose to sit in a bar with Karl, and drink and eat. lots dryer, lots warmer. and a good time!

Jon

"Think outside the car"

[mrleisure]

I have posted some early pics from the SegwayFest on The Red Key. (http://www.wingnut.com/theredkey/)

Thanks again to MacGeek for graciously sharing his images. If anyone else will send their SegFest pics, I will happily color-correct, convert and host them in a similar web gallery.

http://www.wingnut.com/images/redkey-web-logo-100px.gif (http://theredkey.wingnut.com)

[fredkap]

Jonathon & Chris,

Thanks for the pictures! I wish I were there. Hope to see you in DC!

Fred

[wwhopper]

Even Mother Nature is upset that every Segway owner is not here in New Hampshire, she has been crying very heavily since late this afternoon.

So those of us here attending SegwayFest NH have been out gliding in the rain to try and get her to stop. She won't stop until she sees more Segways! So come on out, everyone is wearing ponchos and having a blast!

Today - Trail Glides, that I would not have taken my SUV on, great fun! A seminar on how to fix your HT, very interesting! A plant tour, most enlighting! SEG Polo, Now that is SPORT! and alot of friendships made and remade from years gone by!

Tommorow - Can't WaiT!

So far my impression is that there is a real difference up here. Everyone who makes or works at Segway is like 15 and everyone who owns a Segway is like 55. Kinda odd! Even the kids that made the 10 MPH movie are like 17 or 18! (I know not real ages, but that is the kind of difference there is - though everyone acts totaly like they are over 18, or maybe 21 when we go out!)

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25 in Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[macgeek]

Will has such a way with words!!

I call it "will power"

The Segway Polo was on "the great lawn" At LLC. playing polo on the Mothership grounds was kinda surrel.

Day two!

Jonathan

"Think outside the car"

[Brooster]

Send some of that rain this way ... we need it! Sounds like a nice gathering. Thanks for the reports and photos. Me, I'll be Segging to the dry cleaners today (not quite so exciting). Tomorrow, Skip (Scoghill) and I are going to go out and play with his two new i180's (one yellow, one red) with LiIons. It'll be the first time I've ever even seen an i180, and of course the first go at the new batteries. Should be interesting.

Have fun out there!

Brooster

[macgeek]

Just came from a presentation from the new CEO, he is a GREAT guy, a real in your face, roll up your sleves and work! kinda fella, I am very impressed. he not your stuffed shirt "exec" - moved out of his corner office, took a cubicle said "give me a laptop, a screen, some internet and a phone thats all I need to do my job!"
(Im not quoting directly, I'm paraphrasing) -- His big news

** THE CENTAR WILL BE RELEASED **

Not exactly the version we have been looking at, but something similar
also LLC is going after more markets, and LOTS more.

1:00 is the presentation by doug field, and you KNOW I want to be at that!!

:)

Jonathan

"Think outside the car"

[pam]

Ooooho, I am soooo jealous. It sounds wonderful. Thanks Mac, and Will and Chris, and everyone else who posts the news and views. I'm so excited to hear about the centaur. Wow!

Just had the first feeder band from Dennis move through, down here. Gonna get damp, must be sympathy rain LOL.
Pam

[Brooster]

Sounds like a good day Jonathan, with encouraging news all around. That's the kind of stuff I like to hear. I'm delighted to hear your good impressions of Mr. Norrod and his plans. I'd like to say I'll raise my expectations accordingly, but I'll opt for the "cautious optimism" approach. I hope for good things.

My rather mundane report is that my Seg-friendly dry cleaner is closing up shop ... kinda sad, their landlord is pricing them out. I was able to pick up my clothes, but couldn't leave anything. They've always been so good about letting me ride the Seg right into their store.

There's another dry cleaner in the same block, which I'd never been to before, and of course I had clothes in my backpack that I need to have cleaned. I approached with similar "cautious optimism," powering down the machine completely before pushing it inside. The little Chinaman and his wife LOVED the Seg, and I even wound up giving the man a demo right there in his shop. There were smiles all around, and I have a new Seg-friendly dry cleaner ... all was not lost!

Speaking of smiles all around, thanks again for the reports. Doug always gives a fantastic presentation, and I'm sure you guys will have "the icing on the cake" tonight.

Brooster

[PD1]

An observation I'd like to make is that I enjoyed seeing so many Segways on Elm Street (Manchester's main street) at the lunch hour. There were perhaps one Seg for every 10 pedestrians on the sidewalks. That's the kind of density of machines I'd like to see in every day life. PD1

The Seg I ride is named after my Aunt Eileen.

[Brooster]

It's what we'd all like to see, PD1. I'd be overjoyed just to see another Seg here along the lakeshore in Chicago. I don't see any here in my part of the city, just 5 miles north of the city center. It's just me and my dry cleaning, flapping in the breeze. :)

Hopefully, you got a little glimpse of the future.

Brooster

[Brooster]

I spoke with Skip, and he'll be here at 9am with the i180s. So while you guys are gliding and winding up SegFest, we'll be thinking of you and putting the new machines and the Lithium Phosphates to the test here along the shore of Lake Michigan. I guess I'll need my cap and sunscreen, because I'll be out there for so long, won't I? <grin> I'm excited about this. :)

Brooster

[macgeek]

More pics on there way to Mr. leisure for the next segwayfest edition of redkey!

;)

Jonathan

"Think outside the car"

[wwhopper]

WOW what a fesT - so many faces from past years, so many NEW and EXCITED gliders too!

Kinda fun to hear the enthusiasm from the first years!

One incident in SEG polo (which is way cool - and I don't like team sports at all - and I am hooked) was that we had a guy who got hurt and an ambulnce was called to Dean's house for him, but he would not leave until Dean autographed a book! Sorry the book went in the Emergency Vehicle to the hospital, so I have no idea what it was. Big thanks to Dick Segar of Segnation, Segway of Annapolis, who saved this guys life!!!!

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25 in Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[Brooster]

What was the book? LOL

Hope the guy's OK. He's a trooper, whoever he is.

Brooster

[Brooster]

quote:Originally posted by wwhopper

Sorry the book went in the Emergency Vehicle to the hospital, so I have no idea what it was. Big thanks to Dick Segar of Segnation, Segway of Annapolis, who saved this guys life!!!!


Well ... what the heck happened? Maybe this Segway polo thing isn't such a good idea ...

Brooster

[SegwayUtah]

This weekend has been so incredibly cool. Tonight, we went to Dean's house and had a big [catered] barbeque in his back yard. And we got tours of his house. And he gave a brief speech and thanked all of us sincerely--and then hung around and we chatted with him personally for a while.

The iBot 4000 (new version -- 3rd generation iBot!) was there, and we got to ride that. It's a revision on the old one--it's really, really, really nice.

Also, Jim did say that he really wants to turn the Centaur into a product. He's pretty darn committed to it, since it's so darn cool and could fit in so many markets.

And another also--urban commuting is a big segment of the Segway market, and is expected to grow and grow and grow. Oh, and Segway shared a bit of their marketing plans with us. These guys are starting to do some really, really good marketing--I was very impressed.

Chris

[SegwayUtah]

quote:Originally posted by Brooster

What was the book? LOL

Hope the guy's OK. He's a trooper, whoever he is.

I sure hope so too. He so wanted Dean to sign something--even while the paramedics were taking care of him, what he wanted most was Dean's signature.

I glanced over at the ambulance a bit later before he left, and Dean was standing there at the back of the ambulance, taking the time to chat with/comfort him. He seems like a real class-act.

SEG Polo is really exciting, and like any other sport there's a certain level of risk involved. The gentleman's injuries seemed more like bruises than anything broken--but he's in our thoughts/prayers tonight for sure.

This is an incredible community, truly.

Chris

[Brooster]

It is a good community. I received a voicemail message from my friend 4Seg this evening with well wishes from a number of people in NH--including a few old friends from the LLC--and that meant a lot to me.

I'm glad you guys had a great gathering.

Brooster

[mzokc]

Thanks for posting the messages and photos from NH. Of course we would love to be there, but I'm happy that many Segway friends are enjoying the great adventure of attending the barbecue, the excitement of meeting the Segway team and seeing the factory in person.

Happy gliding everyone!

Mark Z

[KSagal]

Man-o-man. Great fest.

Credit where credit is due. Seg America organized a great fest, LLC came thru.

All involved are a class act.

Karl Ian Sagal

Each road you travel should be just a bit better for having had you pass.

[wwhopper]

Today folks have already left early, and it will be sad as everyone packs up to head out. Karl was right EXCELLENT fesT, run by the folks of SEG America - Kelsey the local coordinator, Joanne (aided by the ever present Steven) and Stan were always visable and always there making this fesT work so well and so much fun for everyone! Big thanks to everyone. Big shoes to fill for September's DC SegwayFest!!!

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25 in Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[macgeek]

Morning at Segfest 05 winds down, sunny today and 11:00 is our last game of segway polo across from the hotel. - Redkey has all my pictures and is getting them online (THANKS MR. LEISURE!!) I can say in all honesty I have had the best time of my life here.

Jonathan


"Think outside the car"

[mrleisure]

I just posted a 79 images from the SegwayFest on The Red Key (http://www.wingnut.com/theredkey/)

MacGeek gets the credit and many thanks for the images in this web gallery!

http://www.wingnut.com/images/redkey-web-logo-100px.gif (http://theredkey.wingnut.com)

[Hauptagon]

Is this what you call a devoted fanbase?
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010008.JPG

Just a little wet.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010027.JPG

Dean's place.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010011.JPG

Segway polo: Amoung the players are Josh and Hunter of the 10mph crew and Woz.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010015.JPG

Enjoying the barbeque. The glass wall is Dean's helicopter garage.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010019.JPG

Parked for a small group glide to lunch.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010020.JPG

Is it going to rain again?
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010022.JPG

Myself on the iBot.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010048.JPG

Dean!
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010052.JPG

The closing speech.
http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Hauptagon/qP1010063.JPG

-Justin

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

[Lohja]

Pam,

What's going on with the hurricane? Will you be the first to ride a HT in a category 4 hurricane? Please give us some info on your situation.

[email protected]
Of all the things I have lost in my life, I miss my mind the most.

[Tom Schindler]

I have uploaded all of my pics to my website..

http://pics.tomschindler.net/main.php?g2_view=core:ShowItem&g2_itemId=5762

If anyone wants a print-able high res version of any pics let me know..

Nice meeting you all this weekend

Tom

[SegwayUtah]

Man, this has been so much fun.

So, I was sitting in the airport this evening, typing here on my computer, and every once in a while I'd see someone move by smoothly and hear a` soft "whirring" sound in the background. Three times I glanced up to see if it was a Segway HT.

Seeing so many HTs is a funny thing . . . you get used to thinking they're there. And when they're not, you kind of wonder where they are!

Chris

P.S.

Notice the iBOT in the above photos. That's the new iBOT 4000 -- the 3rd-generation iBOT (and also notice the tweel casters on front!) It is a very refined version of the original, and is even more incredible. And it looks like some industrial designers got together to do an awesome job at making it look oh-so-good. It's a beauty! And it's now costs 10% less than it used to be--hopefully that price will continue to fall as volume goes up.

[fathertime]

It looks like it was a fun time. How many people were there?

JR

[Kevinakohls]

Thanks to the Segway LLC folks and the SegAmerica folks for putting on a great show. I am more of a reader than a poster on this site, and it was good to see some of the names match the faces! Everyone was great, and my wife and I are already trying to see if we can make it to DC.

Nice to meet everyone!

Kevin & Denise


The goal of the glide is not the destination.

[SegwayUtah]

quote:Originally posted by fathertime

It looks like it was a fun time. How many people were there?

I understand we had something like 80 or 90 enthusiasts and dozens of Segway people at the event, especially at the barbeque.

Chris

[voiceguy]

I read about the nice news regarding the near-future release of the Centaur(!)

Were there any new/other concepts shown at the fest this year?

Voiceguy

"All I need is a full battery ... and a star to steer her by"

[wwhopper]

Sad to see everyone leave the town green about 1pm and go on with their lives.

I went over to the art museum and was told that I was the first to arrive by Segway and ask for a place to lock up - they have no bike or Segway racks - because no one goes there by HT or bike.

When I went back to the hotel another group was checking in, very dull, unexciting, and boring - oh yeah no HT's gliding about.

Now to make DC's fesT as good as this one! Tough Job - but one we will work hard to do for everyone.

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25 in Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[L.I. Glider]

What a weekend! It was wonderful to see old friends I hadn't seen in a while and to meet so many new people.

The weekend began with registration at noon on Friday. All the Friday afternoon events took place at Segway LLC's headquarters. People went on a factory tour, rode Concept Centaur, had refreshments, watched SegwayPolo, went on a group glide, saw a RMP demo, had their Segway upgraded to ver. 14.0 software and got acquainted with other attendees and with Segway staff. Several had the opportunity to build their own Segway on the assembly line. After arriving back at the hotel, everyone was on their own for dinner. There was a group glide scheduled for 7:30, a guided tour around Manchester by Segway staff. About 15 people decided the rain wasn't going to stop them from going for a glide, so equipped with rain ponchos, off they went. After they returned (and everyone dried off), everyone settled down with popcorn and soda for a private screening of the movie by the 10 mph group. Everyone seemed to love the film and gave Josh and Hunter a standing ovation.

The events on Saturday were at the Radisson and stared off at 9:00 with a welcome by Jim Norrod, new CEO of Segway. There were interesting sessions throughout the day including presentations by Ron Reich, Phil LaMay, Matt Dalida, Doug Field and Klee Kleber, all from Segway LLC. The sessions ended with a presentation by Josh and Hunter from 10mph.

At 3:30, people started over to Dean’s house in the busses provided. At the house, tours by Segway employees started every few minutes for groups of 10 people at a time. The house was absolutely amazing. No photo were allowed to be taken in the house, and I'm not good enough with words to paint a worthy picture. But there were beautiful wood floors, huge rooms, incredible Christmas presents from DEKA to Dean (such as a south-pointing chariot and other amazing machines), a library, a secret passage (no, we didn't get to see it), several workshops, a hanger for the 2 helicopters, an indoor pool, several spiral staircases, including one to a cupola with a walkway outside with a 360 view of the area. There was a lot of art on the walls created by Dean's father.

Outside, standard BBQ fare was available starting at 5:30. Many Segway employees also attended the BBQ. SegwayPolo was played on the lower lawn. It did rain on and off, but that didn’t seem to bother too many people. People were eating, socializing, gliding around the property, trying out the IBOT and touring the house. Dean arrive while the BBQ was in full swing and spoke to many people. At the end of the evening, he spoke briefly and thanked Kelsey for all her efforts arranging the event and presented her with a signed fender. Busses shuttled everyone back to the hotel and everyone was back by 10 p.m. or so.

Sunday morning there was SegwayPolo in the park across the street from the hotel. Members from Bay Area SEG showed everyone how to play and organized the match. Several Segway employees stopped by the park and joined in a few chukkers.

By noon, many people were packing up and starting home.

I had such a blast. Many thanks to Segway for all their support, for the tours and the events at headquarters and a very special thanks to Dean for opening his house to all of us.

Only 74 days till SegwayFest DC!


Regards,
Joanne

You must be the change you wish to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi

[Stan671]

We had 93 SEG America members attend the SegwayFest in New Hampshire. This is not including any number of Segway and DEKA employees that were milling around.

Some of them traveled a great distance. We had at least 10 people from California and three from Thailand.

All of the SegwayFest attendees went to the BBQ at Dean's along with another 80 (approx.) Segway/DEKA employees and guests at the BBQ for a total of about 170 for dinner.

Stan Dobrowski

[seedymac]

More NH pictures


http://homepage.mac.com/leaguilar/segway/PhotoAlbum18.html

--------
Seedymac

[Brooster]

Nice pictures, thank you very much Seedymac. And welcome to SegwayChat! What a nice first post.

PS, thanks also to everyone else who contributed all the pictures to the Red Key. I've been looking at all of them with my morning coffee in the wee hours of the morning over the past few days, and it looks like it was indeed a great gathering. Dean, the SegAmerica folks, Josh and Hunter, and the LLC obviously did everything they could to make it as nice as they could. It meant a lot to me to see that those signed banners from all the early trainings are still being displayed. My tan-colored Segway cap's off to all.

It stirs the heart of an old Segger. Now let's get some marketing! Oil and gasoline are at near record highs! Use that fact! :)

Brooster

[wwhopper]

Broo

Any chance we might see you DC side in September, would be great to see you gliding in the pictures of fesT DC!

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25 in Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[Brooster]

Ya never know Will. :) I'm in the process of car-shopping to replace my venerable (180,200 miles) 1992 GMC Jimmy at the moment.

If I have a new ride by that time, I may need to break it in. When the Jimmy was brand new, I loaded it with camping gear and headed solo straight for Glacier National Park in Montana. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken, and I met the nicest people.

Of course I have LadyBroo in my life these days, and I need to budget my vacation time somewhat accordingly. Well, maybe bigtime accordingly.

Top picks this time are the Honda Pilot and the Toyota 4Runner.

Anyway, we'll see. I'd like it if I could be there in spirit if not in person. You guys will have a great SegFest.



Brooster