Segway Climbs to New England's Tallest Mountain Peak [with 6 sets of Batteries]

CNN ^ | August 28, 2003 | wire report

[prarie earth]

It took 6 sets of batteries and three drivers, but a Segway scooter made it to the top of New England's tallest peak.

The scooter climbed Mouut Washignton's auto road in about two and one half hours Wednesday.

The standup scooter, invented by Manchester's Dean Kamen and manufactured in Beford, was the first Segway to make it to the top of the 6,288 foot mountain in 7.6 miles.

[prarie earth]

[duckman]

Are these the new mountain climbing cloths?

[prarie earth]

How about a 'Tour De France' for Segways!

[1Old Pro]

3 miles an hour?? I think a brisk walk or a mountain bike would be healthier.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Wearing a bowtie while driving a Segway should be mandatory.

[FreePaul]

...was the first Segway to make it to the top of the 6,288 foot mountain in 7.6 miles.

I don't understand that part of the sentence. Is the road 7.6 miles long? I also wonder who paints the yellow stripes on their roads. Maybe the altitude got to them on that last stretch.

[montag813]

This "story" is very silly. 6 changes of batteries?

[discostu]

BWAAHAHAHA. The harder Kaimen pushes these things the worse they look. Meanwhile variations on this http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B00005O0DE/qid%3D1062086059/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-5242063-3810442 seem to be pretty popular.

[prarie earth]

This could definitely become a fad sport.

Mountain climbing on scooters at the next X-Games! The only catch is that you have to carry 6 batteries with you

[Chewbacca]

Probably a lot of switchbacks on the road going up the mountain top.

[GraniteStateConservative]

60 Minutes II reaired last night a Dan Rather interview with Dean Kamen. He is working on a Sterling Engine way of providing distilled water to parts of the world where safe water is scarce. He also is marketing the Segway to Europe where the population density is greater and where they already have trails and other accomodations that would make integrating the Segway easy.

[prarie earth]

Maybe there are different routes to the top of the mountain?

[blackdog]

The drive clutching system in that thing is ripped off copy of Kirby's really cool forwards/backwards self propelled vacum cleaner. That drive system (made in Germany) was brilliant and simple. It even is actuated the same by the upright handle on the scooter. The weight shift for forward/neutral/backwards is the same too. I'm waiting for the patent infringement case. That is unless Kirby was too stooopid to expand their claims to cover the drive mechanism in items other than vacum cleaners. Which knowing Kirby is quite likely.

[kinsman redeemer]

The system is fun to ride and surprisingly stable. It can handle rather rough terrain and I believe there is a version that climbs steps.

Russ

[Blood of Tyrants]

The road is 7.6 miles from base to the top. The yellow lin is the MIDDLE of the road and the road is VERY narrow, very steep, and with no guard rails. My wife tried to drive up it a couple of years ago and chickened out halfway up.

[prarie earth]

I would think that the battery would be able to go longer with less weight on the device, kind of like jockeys in Horse Racing?

[prarie earth]

How about going down mountains, any brakes that work on these things?

[Joe Hadenuf]

The truck behind him is carrying all the batteries, and a rubber suit for guy in the bow tie.....

[scott7278]

 

Must double as a time machine.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

How about going down mountains, any brakes that work on these things?

The trip down took no batteries and was completed in thirteen and a half minutes.