[KarenH]

I finally got around to answering my own poll! Thanks to everyone who has responded. I love the sailboat picture. (Sorry, Madison, that Kamikaze is just too much for me!)

My short answer: My favorite ride is a horse.

My first couple of times on a Segway, I was pretty excited about getting to ride. It seemed like an easily-mastered skill. In the years since that July 2003 experience, I have read a lot about “gliding” and its pros and cons. Our family has debated owning one; at one point, we even checked into what insurance would cost.

But above all, I wanted to ride a Segway again. I told myself that the next time I rode, I would insist on learning how to get on and off by myself, without someone the handlebars for me. I've also been keen on “gliding in the wild,” not just a turning few pirouettes in a private driveway. Our training in Long Beach did meet these basic requirements. The two-hour tour itself, however, was a different story. After the initial training session, we were instructed to key our machines to yellow (middle speed). Most of the tour was run at the top of that range, which was exciting—too exciting at times.

I found that I really didn’t enjoy the ride as much as I’d expected. Although the machines appeared to be well-maintained, my unit swayed and vibrated side to side so much that I wondered if there was something not quite right about it.

Worst of all, I was insecure on the turns. I came to understand how easy it would be to dump the Segway sideways if the rider isn’t careful; I nearly did so time after time.

The other woman on our tour did in fact crash—twice. The first time, she oversteered on a narrow garden path and landed in the plants. The second time, she goofed when remounting after one of our planned stops, and went down in a tangle with the Segway. She was a real trooper, though. She said that she had a great time, in spite of getting a bloody shin. She and her husband still wanted to buy one (or two).

I liked the ride better when we rode slower. I liked hanging around the store and talking about Segways with the staff. Also, I have a particular affection for that area of Long Beach, with fond memories of past experiences there. (We think it would also be a great venue for the Los Angeles Regional, but that’s a different issue altogether—a Segway store being just two blocks away would be a killer perk for some FIRSTers—to say nothing of the Islands, Borders, Queen Mary, and other treats nearby.)

So why didn’t I enjoy this Segway experience? I think there were several reasons:

1) I needed more practice time at a slower speed, especially when negotiating the myriad obstacles such as the bike path/wheelchair ramps, the sand-coated boardwalk, and the wet stone pavement.

2) My feet were hurting me. I don’t know if this was because of my shoes, or because I had been trail building the day before, or if it was due to having to stand still on the Segway. But I realized that standing in one place is one of my least favorite activities.

3) A Segway just doesn’t compare to riding a horse. My favorite ride has always been, and will always be, a horse—even when health or old age renders me unable to ride. (I hope no one is surprised by this! Don’t ask me why, if I don’t like Kamikaze, I would venture riding something riskier and occasionally more exciting.)

Even so, I would be willing to ride a Segway again—but I wouldn’t do the tour. I would go at my own pace and, I hope, enjoy the ride more.