Saturday Segway DC

OK OK I gave in. 189 mph Yamaha R1 for a Segway where max thrills = 11mph? You live and learn. I'd rather be on the R1 at 190 mph than Segway at 11 mph! This was lairey! Let's back up a bit. Daniel Graves (far right in photo 1, an ACT! Certified Consultant from California... herein called ACCs...remember that acronym) organises mad-cap things whenever ACCs meet. So I learned that Jacqeline Zimmermann (Jax is easier) booked me on a nerd-mobile training/tour in DC. I was not happy. Then I thought about it. Adventure (like a throttle) can run both ways. It does not ALWAYS have to be MORE exciting. It can also be different or subtle. (NO I do not count cross-stitching classes and stamp-collecting as adventure!). So I turn up. BRILL! That's all I can say. Matt our instructor knew his architecture and his history and that was the icing on the cake. These Segways are amazing, agile, advantageous, enabling, and expensive. I AM ADDICTED! I NEED ONE TO SURVIVE!

Bearded Butch Bevan was definitely the star. He had that thing flying in minutes. Along with ACCs Bevan Wistar (Zipcity, DC), Daniel Graves CA and Jacqeline Zimmermann (Action Consulting CA) were Bevan's daughter Cass and boyfriend Toba, and a family we knew not. The father had had a stroke and was limited on one side of his body. And he wants to try a Segway? He was fabulous! He fell off once but got back on and whizzed off.. Of course he slowly revealed he was a biker of 30 years who had owned Moto Guzzis, Bultacos, BMWs... I hope I can be as brave, witty and quietly reassuring as this man if I have such limitations.

Matt taught us in the busiest truck alley in DC, then whisked us off to the Ford Theatre where Lincoln was shot (the President you plonkers...not the car, although the cars deserve it more than the man). As we progressed our confidence and agility grew but Matt had warned us not to give in to ego-centric showing off so we were all relatively well-behaved and arrived safe but bitterly disappointed that the 1/2 day Segway tour was over. JUST FLIPPIN DO IT! $70.00 35 Quid. Addiction guaranteed!

Saturday evening Bevan threw a BBQ for ACCs. He worked for HOURS preparing food. Of course Paul and Jenny from Toronto Canada had to arrive in their Corvette and squeal the tyres in doughnuts to announce their arrival. We loved it! I'll be visiting that crazy couple in Toronto later! Steve Stroz snapped pics of his daughter on the R1 and Travis Campbell's boys David (9) and Daniel (6) made our evening as they begged to stay up and talk with grown-ups. Never send kids to bed early. Marc Norton from Montreal took photos, Lesley Denny was there from Boston, Susan Slattery braved it after cancer treatment and many others joined together for one of the most rewarding, restful evenings I have had in a long, long time. Thanks to Bevan and all the ACCs. Send me snaps if you have 'em folks.