Silly Questions!

It has been a while snce I had put up anything on my blog again :-( I guess we've been too busy with other things that kept us off-line for a while. Anyway, we're back and we've got 'stuff' to blog about! :-)

While out at Johsonville one afternoon, someone approached me; after asking about FrankenSeg and the technology behind Segways, he asked 'what is the silliest question you've every been asked?' And to be honest, the silliest one I've ever had, well, actually, I got it a few times, is 'what is wrong with walking?' It really puzzles me! To be honest, there is 'nothing wrong with walking! Or least as far as I know, maybe someone somewhere knows something I don't about walking! :-)

Another question that gets asked is: “is it true that you can't fall off a Segway?” That, of course, depends on how much you 'want' to fall off! Of course you can fall off a Segway and there are dozens of examples of people doing just that! More often than not they are deliberately putting themselves in danger by doing, what I consider to be, silly and moronic things. To be fair there are also clips of people actually getting into real accidents and falling off. But like a car or a bicycle, you can crash or fall off if you try hard enough! Try it if you don't believe me! :-)

The most difficult question to answer, maybe only because I am a 'tech' at heart and like my 'hard-data', is 'how far can you go?' The short answer is roughly 24km on a full charge around the Wellington area. I feel it is import to specify that because of the unique environment we have here, we have lots of hills! For example, when I go into the Wellington Central Business District, which is about 12.4 km from where I live, it'll 'cost' 2 battery bars to go that distance. However, the way home, same route, except that it is up hill will cost around 6 battey bars. And just to add to the fun, there are days when it 'costs' even less to get home when there is a good tail wind! Like in strong enough to push you and the Segway uphill fast enough of the speed limiter to kick in.

Not with-standing there are the questions as to “how is easy is it to learn?”, “where it can go” , “how steep a hill” and “how does it handle 'off-road'?” These of course, have all been answered here in this blog at some point in time, now in the past or in the future.

In general, people are curious about the technology that makes the Segway 'go'. I always make the time to stop, answer questions or explain how it all works. Others have even thanked me for allowing/letting them see a Segway 'in real life'.

FrankenSeg on the Western Hills

With FrankenSeg dressed up with the x2 kit and Betty ready for a bit of a adventure, we packed up and went off to explore a new track. However, Wellington wasn't really cooperating with us today, over cast skies and strong cold winds prevailed, but, the thirst for adventure was stronger!

A the end of the road near the Wilton Electricty sub-station is a 4-wheel drive track leading up to the Western Hills ridge.

From the top of this track one can see the wind farm out over in Makara to the East and Wellington to the South.

The track up ahead, narrow, very narrow!  Just past the top is a fork in the track, the left going towards Makara and the other to Mount Kaukau. Due to the worsening weather conditions we had to turn back not far past the summit.

And now a video of the trip down, enjoy!

A Time to Blog - Grenada North

Time passes quickly when you're busy! Have managed to do some really great off-road glides and haven't really sat down to blog about them, so here goes..........

Grenada North
North of the city of Wellington lies the suburb of Grenada North, at the end of Caribbean Drive there is a goat track which leads into the Belmont Regional park. Starting off as a 4x4 track it quickly becomes very steep and the track/path is mostly overgrown and almost non-existent.

We managed to go as far as the middle bit, halfway towards the Horokiwi Bridleway, but had to turn back as very steep and the track almost invisible under the growth of brush and grass. Maybe another day.....

On the way down we found another track to follow, and follow it we did! After a couple of kms we reached a dead-end and had to turn back.



The way back was just as fun and exhilarating with Betty leading the way back down to Grenada North.

FrankenSeg meets a BMX Track

Somewhere out there in the Internet is a video clip of some dude gliding an x2 on a Supercross track. It looked like fun so I went to find one here. The best I could find was a BMX track, not as 'clean' or as trimmed as the other one, but, fun! Feels like what the x2 was meant for...

We had visited this park on a previous trip, but now we're back equipped with a video camera :-)

And here's the first take on the track.......



After a quick trip around the area, well....we just had to come back :-)



And Little Black Dog took a breather and met some of the boys at the skate tube... :-)

Segway Regulatory Information

In New Zealand owners operate their Segway PT as a Mobility Device, the same category as a mobility scooter or electric wheelchair. Mobility Devices must be operated on footpaths whenever they exist and are reasonably accessible, otherwise along the side of the road with traffic (in which case road rules must be obeyed). On footpaths, operators must ride at a speed that does not endanger others, and give way to pedestrians.

Kids on Segway -

It was a fine day and off to the local school grounds we ventured.



Clarinda showing off her Segway skills!



And here's Isabella going for a cruise along the sports field.

Setton-Nossiter Park - Videos

Here are a couple of experimental videos done by strapping a video camera to the fender of the Segway.

Map of the surrounding area, Woodridge, Paparanigi and Newlands


View Seton-Nossiter Park in a larger map

And of course, the Little Black Dog (LBD)  aka Betty, features during random scenes within the videos!
Most of the track could be done with the i2 tires, but, it's more fun with the 'fatties' on!

This is a definitely a fun track to do again! Hopefully next time we'll get our hands on a helmet-cam of some sort, bearing in mind that in several places the branches hang kinda low. Come to think of it, it would be interesting to find out what wireless coverage there is down there.


Part I -



Part II - Yes, this is a narrow track! In a couple of places there is only a few inches to spare. Of course having LBD leading the way helped to keep us on track! :-)



Well, that's that for now!

Breaker Bay - Wellington, New Zealand

Type: Sandy beach; Walking track

Wheels: x2

Grade: Medium

Breaker Bay is another one of those hidden secrets around Wellingtons eastern bays. It features a sheltered beach at one end for swimmers and sunbathers (and the occasional nudists!), at other end is a popular dive entry point.  The car park near the Southern entrance to the bay is a great spot  from which one can 'chill out'  and watch the ferries and leisure boats go in and out of Wellington harbor.


View Larger Map

Much of the beach is made up of fine, wheel eating sand and can be quite taxing on the batteries, not to mention, interesting to glide through! Patience and good balance are important as a momentary lapse of attention can be painful.

This was shot from the car park and gives and 'over view' of the beach and the path leading up to the lookout.

One the interesting features here is the 'hole' in the rock which can be seen in the following clip.

Getting around on the sand was a real struggle for the Segway, chewing through a 'bar' per kilometer, but no problem for the Betty, the Little Black Dog, seen recharging at the top of the lookout.

Also a the top we found these guys watching over the entrance to Wellington harbor.

And here's a view from top........

And....Segway at rest!

Looking across to the houses around Breaker Bay and Eves Bay

Wakely Road, Newlands

Type: Walking Track

Wheels: i2 or x2

Grade: Easy

One of the greatest joys of having a Segway is being able to explore alternative ways and routes to get around. Wakely Road offers a scenic short cut down to the Ngauranga Gorge interchange, (1.5 km vs 2.4km going along the bicycle path next to the motorway).


View Larger Map

A view of Wellington a third of the way from the top of the track: 

The steep descent ahead and gravel all the way.

Looking back to where we came from...somehow it looks steeper from this angle!

At the exit at the Gorge.

Red Rocks - Part I

Wellington's South Coast is an outdoors persons playground and home to the South Coast Marine Reserve and Red Rocks Scientific Reserve. The Marine Conservation Centre gives access to both Red Rocks and the Te Kopahau Reserve, and offers the first views of the city from air or sea. It is full of wild life and costal birds as well as little blue penguins and fur seals, the fur seals congregate around Red Rocks (where the rocks are really red!) Activities out there range from walking and diving to four-wheel driving, and now .... Segway off-roading ;-)

One of the challenges of the South Coast is the ever changing landscape and weather, the track is never the same and seems to change every time you look away! This makes it a place where off-roaders, be they mountain bikes or 4x4s go for to play. And the perils are many, there is soft sand that eats wheels and sharp shards of hard rock that cut into your hands and tires, not to mention the wind! The wind that can sneak up on you starting as a gentle breeze into one that will literally blow you away.

Imagery ©2009 DigitalGlobe, Wellington City Council, GeoEye, Map data ©2009 MapData Sciences Pty Ltd - Terms of Use

Map

Terrain

Satellite

Of course this makes it the ideal place to test some of the capabilities of the Segway and the x2 tires.

Known as Pariwhero (Red Rocks) to the local iwi, this was popular place for fishing, paua collection and harvesting Bull Kelp. There is a legend about how Maui stained the surrounding rocks with his blood as bait for his hook prior to catching Te Ika a Maui - the North Island. Another legend tells us that the red of the rock comes from the blood of Kupe who had wounded himself on the surrounding paua.

Looking across the entrance to Wellington to Pencarrow Head.

A view of the snowy mountains over in the South Island and Devil's Gate.

Betty re-charging.....

Bluebridge ferry passing by on its way to Picton, South Island.

Another shot of Devils Gate in the distance