The Ultimate Segway Tour???

dale@thecoys.net · 10-02-2017, 01:31 PM

The following article was sent to me by a friend:

Four Segways, four people, two dogs and one trip across America

http://www.theday.com/article/20170930/NWS01/170939968

New London — Allison Porter is having a mid-life crisis, and when she came to New London from Pennsylvania to visit family, she developed an unorthodox response: She suggested making a cross-country trip on Segways.

"I didn't really think anybody was going to be listening to me," she said. But "a week later they called me, and Kate had this film idea, and she wanted to move to California, and Dawn wanted to be involved with getting her there."

Kate Harkness is Porter's niece and Dawn Harkness is Kate's mother. Dawn Harkness owns Wheeling City Tours, a Segway tour company, in New London.

The three of them — along with Kate's boyfriend, Brett Van Egmond — are embarking from New London at 9 a.m. on Monday morning for what they're calling the "Ultimate Segway Tour" to Los Angeles. They're welcoming the public to bid them adieu at 8:15; the tour company is located at the back of 36 Bank St.

................................

dale@thecoys.net · 10-02-2017, 01:42 PM

Here's their Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnP...Zff5RPaebSBQbA

dale@thecoys.net · 10-08-2017, 10:27 AM

So far, the daily videos are interesting. Of course, a fair amount of "battery died", etc. But nice travelog.

Don M · 10-08-2017, 12:36 PM

Hard to believe they began this journey without a concrete plan for how they would recharge Seg batteries!

We regularly recharge both of ours in the van while we are driving. I installed a large AGM battery in the van and a 500 watt inverter

If they had a couple golf cart batteries wired into the charging system of the RV, they could recharge everything and anything 24/7 using them as the power source for an inverter and they wouldn't need to run the RV generator at all

An interesting trip for sure. Are they taking turns riding the Seg(s) so that when they get to California, there won't be anyone of them who actually made the entire trip on a Seg? Seems kinda pointless to me if that's the case

Don

dale@thecoys.net · 10-08-2017, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don M

Are they taking turns riding the Seg(s) so that when they get to California, there won't be anyone of them who actually made the entire trip on a Seg? Seems kinda pointless to me if that's the case
Don

It's not totally clear (yet), but from what I have seen, I believe that two of them are taking turns. And it's also not clear (yet) but I believe they have two Segways.

Plan?

gbrandwood · 10-10-2017, 07:23 AM

Reminds me a little of 10MPH:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_MPH

dale@thecoys.net · 10-16-2017, 10:18 PM

The tour ended after Day 13, having reached Gettysburg.

See the "Day 13" video at...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale@thecoys.net

Here's their Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnP...Zff5RPaebSBQbA

And the tour did NOT end just because the narrator could not pronounce the word "Cavalry".

Don M · 10-17-2017, 11:57 AM

Well, not *quite* all the way across the country

I was wondering what they were going to do in Denver in November - Snow tires??

They had a good format going - Plenty of gliding, lots of interesting stops and meeting up with organized Segway groups along th way. I was hoping they would make the whole trip! I wonder what happened? A 'family' disagreement?

Don

Pescador12 · 10-17-2017, 01:10 PM

They should have used someone with some video or vlogging experience. Lots of things the video (and audio) operator should not do to avoid aggravating (unsettling) the viewer. These guys seemed to do all of them.

Quit the rapid pans. Especially with a shutter not set to the 180 rule.

How do people feel about riding on two lane roads on a 10mph vehicle. I don't like the large difference of vehicle velocities. Safe? Hope they had fun though. I am sure they learned a lot.

Don M · 10-17-2017, 02:21 PM

We would never *think* of riding many of the places they did, even when there's a narrow 'bike lane' beside a 50 or 60 mph roadway. Doesn't seem safe to me, even with their tiny rear view mirror - You could never get out of the way even if you did see someone about to mow you down . . . . but we're very envious of many of the bike trails they got to ride. We've done a few longer bike trails and they are prefect for Segs, with no danger of getting hit by cars. The one in St Louis even had push button stoplights wherever you had to cross a public street. Ride up, push the button and the light turns red so the traffic stops and you can safely cross

I thought they did a fair job for first time videographers - They're never going to make a living at it, but for documenting a blog it wasn't bad. Not all of us are pros at what we try

Don

10-02-2017, 01:31 PM	#1
dale@thecoys.net Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lee's Summit, MO, USA Posts: 1,217	The Ultimate Segway Tour??? The following article was sent to me by a friend: Four Segways, four people, two dogs and one trip across America http://www.theday.com/article/20170930/NWS01/170939968 New London — Allison Porter is having a mid-life crisis, and when she came to New London from Pennsylvania to visit family, she developed an unorthodox response: She suggested making a cross-country trip on Segways. "I didn't really think anybody was going to be listening to me," she said. But "a week later they called me, and Kate had this film idea, and she wanted to move to California, and Dawn wanted to be involved with getting her there." Kate Harkness is Porter's niece and Dawn Harkness is Kate's mother. Dawn Harkness owns Wheeling City Tours, a Segway tour company, in New London. The three of them — along with Kate's boyfriend, Brett Van Egmond — are embarking from New London at 9 a.m. on Monday morning for what they're calling the "Ultimate Segway Tour" to Los Angeles. They're welcoming the public to bid them adieu at 8:15; the tour company is located at the back of 36 Bank St. ................................

10-10-2017, 07:23 AM	#6
gbrandwood Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North west England, UK. Posts: 3,043	Reminds me a little of 10MPH: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_MPH __________________ Gareth Brandwood The comments posted are made by the fat figners of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the brain.

10-02-2017, 01:42 PM	#2
dale@thecoys.net Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lee's Summit, MO, USA Posts: 1,217	Here's their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnP...Zff5RPaebSBQbA

10-08-2017, 10:27 AM	#3
dale@thecoys.net Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lee's Summit, MO, USA Posts: 1,217	So far, the daily videos are interesting. Of course, a fair amount of "battery died", etc. But nice travelog.

10-08-2017, 12:36 PM	#4
Don M Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Ocean Springs MS Posts: 242	Hard to believe they began this journey without a concrete plan for how they would recharge Seg batteries! We regularly recharge both of ours in the van while we are driving. I installed a large AGM battery in the van and a 500 watt inverter If they had a couple golf cart batteries wired into the charging system of the RV, they could recharge everything and anything 24/7 using them as the power source for an inverter and they wouldn't need to run the RV generator at all An interesting trip for sure. Are they taking turns riding the Seg(s) so that when they get to California, there won't be anyone of them who actually made the entire trip on a Seg? Seems kinda pointless to me if that's the case Don

10-17-2017, 11:57 AM	#8
Don M Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Ocean Springs MS Posts: 242	Well, not quite all the way across the country I was wondering what they were going to do in Denver in November - Snow tires?? They had a good format going - Plenty of gliding, lots of interesting stops and meeting up with organized Segway groups along th way. I was hoping they would make the whole trip! I wonder what happened? A 'family' disagreement? Don

10-17-2017, 01:10 PM	#9
Pescador12 Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: USA Posts: 168	They should have used someone with some video or vlogging experience. Lots of things the video (and audio) operator should not do to avoid aggravating (unsettling) the viewer. These guys seemed to do all of them. Quit the rapid pans. Especially with a shutter not set to the 180 rule. How do people feel about riding on two lane roads on a 10mph vehicle. I don't like the large difference of vehicle velocities. Safe? Hope they had fun though. I am sure they learned a lot.

10-17-2017, 02:21 PM	#10
Don M Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Ocean Springs MS Posts: 242	We would never think of riding many of the places they did, even when there's a narrow 'bike lane' beside a 50 or 60 mph roadway. Doesn't seem safe to me, even with their tiny rear view mirror - You could never get out of the way even if you did see someone about to mow you down . . . . but we're very envious of many of the bike trails they got to ride. We've done a few longer bike trails and they are prefect for Segs, with no danger of getting hit by cars. The one in St Louis even had push button stoplights wherever you had to cross a public street. Ride up, push the button and the light turns red so the traffic stops and you can safely cross I thought they did a fair job for first time videographers - They're never going to make a living at it, but for documenting a blog it wasn't bad. Not all of us are pros at what we try Don

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