Gliding with my grandson--again!

[SegwayDan]

Colin's going to be here tomorrow! He'll be 10 in November, and he's flying down from New Hampshire by himself to stay with us for a month.

So we've got some major gliding action in store!

This is he and I two Decembers ago during his family's last visit:



He weighed about 50 lbs back then, so he's probably heavier now. If he's game to try it, I'm going to take him to a dive shop and see how much weight he'd be comfortable wearing on a weight belt, so that he can control the machine better. But if not, he was pretty good at it back then. So we should be OK no matter what he decides.

He and his family lived down here until he was four, and I did a lot of baby sitting with him. We had a lot of fun together when I pulled him around town with his Radio Flyer wagon tied to my Segway.

Clearwater's downtown faces the Intracoastal Waterway, and our Jul 4th fireworks are set up across the water. So they're visible from a long distance away. So we should be able to see them, while avoiding the crowds, by gliding up to the Seminole boat ramp a few blocks north.

That was one of his favorite destinations when he was a toddler. He used to say to me from his wagon, "See boats, Papa!"

There's also a great park down south off of the Pinellas Trail with a mile-long smooth gravel path circling a lake. And there's often an alligator sunning himself near the shore.

So get ready to see some new pics of the "Swanson Boys" out gliding in our Florida Paradise!

[KSagal]

Have fun. I am sure you will.

[SegwayDan]

Originally Posted by KSagal

Have fun. I am sure you will.

Thanks, Karl!

We're leaving now to meet him at Tampa International.

[SegwayDan]

One more week, and Colin will be returning home.

We've had a great time together, and we got a lot of gliding in.

Colin is a great kid and is now a much more accomplished glider because of all the gliding we've done during this visit. He's totally relaxed on the machine, and he leans into turns like a champion slalom skier.

Though he's a bit hampered by his 65 lbs which is lighter than the recommended 100, he does his best to stick his butt out to shift his weight back, and he manages pretty well.

Being an active 9-year-old who's a Little League pitcher and also plays tackle football, he's wont to "goof around", so I've had to ride herd on him to "cool it" while we've been out, and he's been pretty cooperative in that. It's confirmed for me the requirement for a glider to have good judgement in order to remain safe.

As rare as we Segway owners are, it's been quite unique for me to observe a really glider in one so young.

It's an interesting commentary on how much mere attitudes keep so many from experiencing gliding.

[[email protected]]

I empathize.

My 3 grandsons have been frequently gliding with us since they were ages 6, 8, and 8. They are now almost-12, 14, and 14.

They always glide with supervision, helmets, and flags. And it is a joy.

It's a shame that some states (including mine) have statues that say:

" Persons under sixteen years of age shall not operate an electric personal assistive mobility device, except for an operator with a mobility-related disability."

[SegwayDan]

Too bad about the more restrictive state statutes.

Sorry, but it makes me that much more proud and pleased to be a Florida resident with its better-crafted EPAMD laws. Even better, our climate allows for near all-year gliding!

Clearwater is actually a model community for gliding, too, with its active programs to "streetscape" Cleveland street (which includes very wide sidewalks); upgrading curbings and crosswalks to ADA standards; and its fully embracing via city ordinance the state's Uniform Traffic Code which contains the EPAMD statutes.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by SegwayDan

Too bad about the more restrictive state statutes..

Other than asking the legislature to remove the restriction (which is my intention for after the elections), there are two approaches:

1. Rely on the discretion of usually-overcommitted police to not remember that obscure restriction, especially if small gliders are polite and supervised. This has so far worked perfectly.

2. Declare that a glider is disabled. It's my understanding that it is contrary to state and federal law for someone to be questioned as to the nature of the disability, much less to be asked to prove that they are disabled. Testing this has so far been unnecessary.

[SegwayDan]

Here are some photos from numerous Segway glides Colin and I took:

Flicker photos

[KSagal]

Originally Posted by SegwayDan

Here are some photos from numerous Segway glides Colin and I took:

Flicker photos

Great snaps. I hope when finally get my sorry ole' butt to Florida, you show me some of those great locations...

[SegwayDan]

Our door is always open, my friend! Plan to stay awhile, as there is a lot of gliding ground to cover.