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.

[blackdog]

And the trip down was aided by a parachute and a clean pair of underwear at the bottom.

[Ruth A.]

What did she do when she chicken out halfway up? Go back in reverse? (I know, I know, you took over the driving.)

[Ruth A.]

And when she chickened out, she went back in reverse?

I know, I know, you drove the rest of the way.

[blackdog]

Actually the guy in the bowtie was given a viagra at the start of the trip and was told that a naked Anna Kornikova was waiting for him at the top of the mountain. After the first mile, he had discarded the scooter in favor of sprinting. The joke was on him though. It was actually Helen Thomas waiting for him and his viagra. A joke obviously fostered from the internet site freerepublic.com

[Ruth A.]

So these are less energy efficient than, say, SUV's?

I'd rather have bike trials and bike paths expanded, than have these thing multiply on the land.

[dead]

Somebody apparently needed a butler at 6,200 feet.

[KellyAdmirer]

The trip down was flawless and quick, there was a bit of a problem with the landing, though.

[prarie earth]

I thought the guy was going to start making cherry coks from the soda fountains at the top..

[Blood of Tyrants]

I wasn't with her. I was on a remote job and since I already had the car and the hotel paid for, it was a nice little getaway for her and the kids. There are a few turnarounds on the way up.

[Calvin Locke]

there was a bit of a problem with the landing, though.

Saw a news clip about a family's car that lost the brakes some forgotten distance from the bottom.

One of those lived-to-tell-about-it tales.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Back in the pre-Segway hysteria hoopla days we were told by Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos that this invention would change the world - change the way we live and work. I guess this story proves that. NOT.

[prarie earth]

Not unless there are going to be huge mountains in the middle of utopian cities that we need to traverse.

[Abe Froman]

Interesting......Kriby vacuum cleaners are the bomb. Mine works awesome.

[Tamzee]

We drove up several times when we lived in NH. There is only one road, very steep and twisting.

I'm impressed the Segway made it :-)

[CheneyChick]

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

That is curious. Can you "make it to the top" in a distance other than 7.6 miles (if you stay on the main road)? A time measurement seems in order here.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I did the Mt. Washington Hillclimb bicycle race there in 1984. I'm surprised this thing made it. (I almost didn't)

[ChewedGum]

The bottom line is it is a really cool gizmo with some fascinating technology and a great implementation. And it really doesn't apply to any part of our lives. It's too slow and has too limited of a range for transportation and people need to walk more anyways.

Kudos for the idea and engineering. Now make something people will buy.

Gum

[Tijeras_Slim]

Segway ping you brute.

[gura]

I'll bet you were a lot faster than the Segway.

[FreePaul]

I think that you and I see the same problem with the sentence. I hope someone can explain the wiggle in the yellow stripe. Doesn't seem to follow the road.