It's a Segway Kind of Day

Our guide from All American Segway
teaching us how not to die on a
segway.

It was beautiful this weekend. There was still a mild sunny warmth of summer, but the humidity and debilitating persistence of the heat had disappeared to reveal the first crisp notes of autumn. It was weather where comfort could be had in both a tee shirt or lightweight pullover. There was enough green to continue to celebrate summer and enough yellowing of leaves to begin stirring the desires for fall thinking; school, football, harvest and Halloween.

It was a fortunate day that my girlfriend and I selected for a new experience. One that had been on her bucket list for a time and one that was as simple as a Groupon to give her for her birthday. A Segway tour along the descending portion of the Browns Creek trail into old downtown Stillwater, MN. The tour was comprised of a Segway ride of 3 miles into town, some food tasting and the ride back. Set on the Ominous schedule of a "three hour tour". However, the weather did not get rough, nor did we find ourselves on an island with Gilligan and the rest.

Like most, I thought the Segway as a lazy way to walk. I was surprised that it required a bit of balance and feet and legs got rather tired along the way from staying planted and having to maintain the proper lean. In reality, the scooter was downright fun. I turned circles when I could and envisioned myself getting in trouble for off-roading or attempting an ollie/bunny hop. Indeed, the mischief visions seemed to be a function of that dastardly Y chromosome as it seemed like the guys wanted to veer around a little more than the girls. I even lost balance during "training" and had to humbly remount my high tech steed.

In the end the tour was fun. Progress was made checking off a bucket list item and we now even have a new bike trail to try riding. It was an excellent fall-mer (the "brunch" of fall and summer) day.