Segway Riders Get High on Mount Washington 369
TacticalJack writes "Rob Owen, a retired clown, and two other riders surged up Mount Washington at 12.5 mph, the AP reports. It took the Segway riders two and half hours to complete the 7.6 mile endurance test. The team used six batteries, fought off 50 mph winds and battled bitter cold to reach the 6,288-foot mountain summit. All of which begs the question, why not buy a motorbike?"
*gasps* (Score:5, Funny)
What happened to the standard geek, 'How?'
Re:*gasps* (Score:5, Insightful)
Remember, this is the same crowd that will build antennae out of Pringles cans and will try to put Linux on every conceivable device with a microprocessor. We're geeks; it's because we can, and we'll do it with geek style while we're at it.
Re:*gasps* (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:*gasps* (Score:5, Funny)
Imagine a huge guy who stays on his computer for days on end.. Or even the malnourished walking stick variety. Is he going to want to actually walk around when he can get some computerized device to do it for him?
I didn't think so either. =D
walking machines, and the people who need them (Score:5, Interesting)
I have a wheelchair. I can walk just fine- for distances of a mile and a half or less. Any more and my joints can't take it, the inflammation gets too bad and i'm out of commission. So i can get through my workday, but i have the wheelchair for group adventures where it's more fun if i can keep up. Great for museums, but more difficult outside, especially on hills. My arms aren't any better than my legs, so it needs to be pushed, rather than wheeled by me. It works out great, we all take turns, and while i can't push anyone in it, everybody gets a chance to ride and that way i can walk for a little of it and still be part of the adventure. For them it's novel and fun; for me, it's my chance to take part in these excursions. Without it, i'd miss out on a lot.
A segway would be a great thing to have, but before i spend that kind of money on it, i need to know how it does in real-world operation, with real-world surroundings like dirt and tree branches and so on. So i watch for things like this. It's not a wheelchair and it's not a walker and it's not a little red wagon to be pulled in- it's a scooter that you don't have to propel on your own. Believe me, the energy it saves will be put to use elsewhere. I would love to be able to keep up on a hike!!!
Re:walking machines, and the people who need them (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:walking machines, and the people who need them (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:*gasps* (Score:3, Insightful)
I mean, sure it would be nice to take the car down to the downtown area, find a parking space *somewhere*, then just segway around to wherever you need to be, but... problems:
1) Almost no one has a segway so there aren't any special parking accomodations set up
Re:*gasps* (Score:2, Insightful)
Care to site that? At any rate, segways are designed for sidewalk use. People walk on sidewalks. Crowded cities have crowdes sidewalks (New York as an example). People are slow. Whole hell of a lot of good that does there, huh.
If anything, I'd take a lesson from big city messengers: use a mountian bike. It's bunches smaller, can go between cars to get around the trafic, and is pretty much acceptible to use on sidewalks. It uses your own power (ge
Re:*gasps* (Score:2, Insightful)
(I'm agreeing with you)
Mountain bikes are also much cheaper. :-) Or, you could use a conventional "non magic" scooter--although they can get tiring rather quickly. Yeah, go with the mountain bike.
Re:*gasps* (Score:5, Insightful)
The "average" speed of cars driving on downtown roads during rush hour includes stopping for traffic lights and slowing for congestion... both of which a Segway would need to do on a crowded urban sidewalk (assuming the city even lets them on the sidewalk, instead of on the street with the bicycles where they belong.)
In other words, you just compared the Segway's top potential speed to the real-world speed of cars in traffic. A completely invalid comparison. A Segway in the city during rush hour will go at almost exactly the same speed as the cars... and on a cold Minnesota day, with sleet pounding down on you, that would be completely intolerable.
Not to mention the fact that most cars are out of downtown traffic and flying down the interstate highway in a matter of blocks, at least in the Twin Cities area. A Segway might get me from the Metrodome to the Target Center in 10 minutes, but can it get me out to Lakeville (a distant suburb) in under 45? Obviously not.
Take notes, inventors who wish to change the world. No personal vehicle will ever replace the car for daily commutes in the US unless it offers the following:
1. A comfortable enclosed cab to protect from the elements.
2. A top speed that at least approaches one mile per minute, and do so reasonably safely and under control.
3. Enough passenger space for a mother of two to drop her kids off at day care on the way to the office.
4. Luggage space allowing enough room for a laptop case, a gym bag, maintenance parts for the vehicle (just like cars almost always have a spare tire, a jack, and jumper cables in the trunk).
5. A convenient way to keep it powered on demand - extended downtime to recharge batteries is not acceptable.
Until the "Segway 2.0" or whatever meets all five of those points, anybody who wants to buy it would need to own both that, and a car... which means that it will remain nothing more than a toy for yuppies.
You forgot number 6 (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:*gasps* (Score:3, Insightful)
Wrong. Not often I get to argue from a professional standpoint on
Re:*gasps* (Score:2)
Answer? (Score:5, Insightful)
...like a fetishist on his way to the sex dungeon. (Score:5, Insightful)
I recall a small expedition done by the military to show that an truck caravan can be used to cross the continent. Everyone thought it was stupid because, well, anyone who is anyone carried their freight by rail. Eventually some people realized that the interstate highway system could be used.
But, even in light of this, I would rather hike all the way up that mountain than ride one of those dorkmobiles.
Here is a fun article:
http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/2
I quote:
"Anybody who rides around on a Segway is a mewling pantywaist passive-aggressive dork with arrested-development issues who probably saves his e-mail in tidy little folders organized with happy-face icons.
I already feel better."
and:
"One thing that makes me very very happy about the current political debate is that most lawmakers agree that Segways should require a helmet. Since an actual motorcycle helmet would conflict with the eco-friendly coolness of the Segway experience, they're tending toward some kind of modified bicycle helmet that looks like one of those strap-on leather jobbies worn by the Fighting Horsemen of Notre Dame. Put a computer programmer in a tieless linen suit on a Segway with a leather football helmet on his head, and he looks like a fetishist on his way to the sex dungeon."
I was thinking more like... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I was thinking more like... (Score:5, Funny)
Would he have done better time in a monocycle? Or a tiny VW with other twenty seven clowns? Now *those* questions should be answered!
Note: I like clowns. A great deal better than I like mimes, at least.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re:When I was a kid... (Score:2)
wippersnappers - no respect at all!
uphill! uphill! you were lucky to have a hill.
When I was a lad, I had to carry my segway 5 miles up a shear cliff while it hailed golf
ball-size ice. You were lucky to have a hill!
Begging the question (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Begging the question (Score:4, Funny)
Oh the irony.
Re:Begging the question (Score:2)
Re:Begging the question (Score:2, Informative)
The only person I've ever seen use the term correctly was Darl McBride, and he used it to say the kind of silly crap he always says.
12.5MPH, 7.6 Miles, 2.5 hours? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:12.5MPH, 7.6 Miles, 2.5 hours? (Score:2)
That brings up another two interesting questions. Can Segways get flats? And did they need special 'mud-like' tires for these things?
Re:12.5MPH, 7.6 Miles, 2.5 hours? (Score:2)
First, I'm not sure if they can get flats. Second, I think you misunderstand about Mt Washington. I've hiked it before and it's quite some climb, but it has an auto road going up it with a gift shop at the top. I'm assuming that they used the road, so didn't need special tires. I just pitty the cars that may have been stuck behind them (it's a small road).
Re:12.5MPH, 7.6 Miles, 2.5 hours? (Score:2)
Re:12.5MPH, 7.6 Miles, 2.5 hours? (Score:4, Funny)
And another thing, what would they possibly need rest from? All that strenuous leaning forward?
6 batteries? (Score:3, Interesting)
Another example of... (Score:5, Funny)
Six batteries? (Score:4, Insightful)
Wouldn't carrying six battery packs on a Segway be even more absurd than as trying to carry a couple five-gallon gas cans on a motorcycle?
What's next -- a shoebox on rollerblades as a "trailer"?
Re:Six batteries? (Score:2, Interesting)
Segway: useless tech for senseless people.
Re:Six batteries? (Score:2, Insightful)
Also, at some point, wouldn't the increased capacity of carrying more and more big heavy batteries be offset by the fact that you need more power to haul all that weight uphill?
I suspect that they had someone/thing else pacing them carrying the extras.
Re:Six batteries? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Simple Math (Score:3, Insightful)
The way the article is written, they make it sound like it breezed up the mountian.
Still, 3 miles per hour is a pretty brisk pace for mountian climbing.
Astroturf? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Astroturf? (Score:2)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/
Re:Astroturf? (Score:2)
Um, this is about as "extreme" as playing bridge with the Ladies Auxillary. Now, tattooed chicks and Sugar-Ray-esque guys riding Segways on a half-pipe -- I wouldn't put it past 'em.
Re:Astroturf? (Score:2)
The people running operations at Mt Washington were probably just as interested in the publicity as the Segway folks -- I wouldn't be at all surprised if the idea started on their side, not on DEKA's.
"Picture it, the world famous New Hampshire invention climing the side of New Hampshire's most famous landmark."
Somehow I don't think that would have been a difficult sell...
Segway hacking? (Score:5, Interesting)
How long until people start hacking their segways to achieve maximum speed?
I don't know about you (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Segway hacking? (Score:2)
Re:Segway hacking? (Score:2, Funny)
Geeks, already used to chipping their playstations will take with glee to the project of modding segways for speed.
Wait for the segway case mods to come into vogue at lan parties
correction...can't increase maximum speed that way (Score:4, Interesting)
Why use a motorbike? (Score:2)
That said, motorbikes are 'cool' and I ride one and would rather that over a damn segway anyday.
Short grammar lesson (Score:3, Informative)
What 'begs the question' [2blowhards.com] really means [worksafe].
You can mod me 'flamebait' or 'troll' if you like but consider this - I'm just trying to enhance and improve your grammar-life, with no money down!
Which begs the question... (Score:2)
Frankly, it's a slippery slope. First you use begging the question to discount your opponent's argument, accusing them of skirting the issue. Then the person with a weaker position uses it against you, implanting a "glossed over" proposition which is NOT in dispute, but attempting to make you look like you ignored it, or getting someone less ignorant watch
[OT] Short linguistics lesson (Score:5, Insightful)
As any linguist will tell you, language changes. The dictionary is not the final word (so to speak) on word usage; real live speakers are. If the vast majority of current writers and editors say that "begs the question" means "provokes us to ask", then it does, no matter what some huffy dictionary author may try to convince you.
Re:[OT] Short linguistics lesson (Score:2)
Re:[OT] Short linguistics lesson (Score:4, Insightful)
In any case, how much harder is it to use the phrase "raises the question"?
Re:Short grammar lesson (Score:2)
It is amazing. (Score:5, Insightful)
I can understand slashdot's collective interest in all things Segway, but I think at this point there's probably nothing more that can be said about the subject.
I see this as a parallel to a prophetic article in which the Hurd is used to power the next Furby, thus sounding the death knell for both technologies.
Furby = nearly dead retired clown, and Segway = The Hurd, in case you didn't get my analogy.
It's an interesting technology looking for a market that doesn't exist. People in densely packed cities are doing just fine with inexpensive bikes. Americans like their cars. The Segway is the butt of a lot of unfunny jokes, and publicity stunts like this.
I predict that someone below this post will undoubtedly compare this to George Bush's run-in with the Segway, claiming he is less intelligent than a clown, and less fit to run the country.
Go at it slashdot. You'll only find +1 Funny posts here.
Guerrilla marketing (Score:5, Interesting)
Well what can you say about it? If this were merely a case of entertainment posing as a news story, that would be one thing. But this is advertising, pretending to be entertainment posing as a news story. It's not even infotainment, it's advertainment.
So far all the Segway stories I've seen on Slashdot (aside from the San Francisco sidewalk controversy) have had the character of guerrilla marketing. "Hey, we got to play with a Segway for a week, here are some movies of us having fun with it!" Other products appear on Slashdot this way, but usually only when their users have made strange or noteworthy modifications that the designers never intended. Like creating a case for it made of Legos, or incorporating it as a part in a rail gun, or running a free operating system on it.
This thing has been on the market for years now. At this point we should only be seeing Segway stories when people do similar things to Segways. If someone modified a Segway by installing a feeding tube, so that the rider could suck a high calorie substance like gravy through the tube while simultaneously avoiding exercise, that would be a cool Segway story. Another newsworthy modification might be converting the Segway from electric to diesel. Using the product normally, in the manner that was intended by the manufacturer, is simply not worth our attention. (Dressing up like a butler while you do it is cute, but hardly changes this.)
I think stories that are essentially guerrilla marketing, or that are about guerrilla marketing, should have their own icon. I'm picturing a gorilla on a Segway.
Coming out of retirement? (Score:2)
Did all three of them ride the same scooter? Can a clown who rides up a mountain with two other guys on an underpowered scooter in very unpleasant weather really be called "retired"? Or is this his "coming out of retirement" show?
Good thing it's not April 1st, or else I never would have believed this.
Segway Riders Get High on Mount Washington (Score:5, Funny)
Personally, I think a slightly more literal interpretation of this headline would be a lot more hilarious/interesting than the real story.
Stoned Segway Rider: "Whoah man....like, I lean and it moves and I don't fall over.....I wish I could do that on my own....."
New Segway target (Score:2, Funny)
Hike it? (Score:2)
Or, here's an insane thought, why not just hike it? Even part of it?
When hiking, you can stop and smell the flowers. When Segwaying, you can stop and change your batteries.
What did they do all that time? (Score:4, Insightful)
Anti SCO T-Shirts [anti-tshirts.com] donates to the Open Source Now Fund.
Re:What did they do all that time? (Score:2)
the article says "surged up Mount Washington at 12.5 mph" which means his driving speed was 12.5 miles per hour UP A MOUNTAIN
therefore he should have made it in 36 minutes
the article may be wrong, but his math isn't
GET A BIKE!!! (Score:2)
Of course, a bicycle got up in in under an hour--40% the Segway time. And to think that one day, I might be on a multi-use path, having to shout at these morons to yeild right-of-way!
Dotcom Era Fads... (Score:3, Funny)
Meanwhile ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Mount Washington Records [gsrs.com]
The only thing more pathetic than a clown is a clown riding up Mount Washington on a Segway.
Speaking of retired clowns (Score:2)
All this begs the question: (Score:2)
What is "endurance" about doing this on a Segway?
Or am I just missing something here?
every day (Score:2)
but then again, i do live in Colorado
heh (Score:2)
smash.
Re:heh (Score:2)
Dick's pain and effort won't go without reward. In addition to the obvious glory and inevitable fame associated with riding a scooter, Dick and his two companions will receive a bumper sticker.
The bumper sticker makes Dick's pain all worthwhile =D
Battery replacement logistics (Score:2)
Exercise: if you had to do this with nothing but Segways to carry the batteries, how many would you need?
Not the question I had in mind... (Score:5, Funny)
No, it begs the question "What the heck is this doing on the front page?" I can see how the Segway was at one point an interesting piece of technology when it first came out, but that was a long time ago. It's less "technology" and more "silly fad." I would sooner expect an article about who is going to win such-and-such "reality TV" show than this on Slashdot. What next, world's larget pet rock collection?
Heck, if anything the Segway is a shining example on exactly why the bottom fell out of the 90's IT economy. And the fact that mention of it still makes headlines in Slashdot demonstrates that people in the 21st century are still just as gullible and short-sighted as they were ten years ago.
Mt. Washington Auto Race(hillclimb) (Score:5, Interesting)
Slightly off topic, but this might be of interest to readers tonight, so what the hell!
This reminded me of the Mt. Washington Auto Road Race. To be a little more on-topic, one year they had a Geo Metro electric car 'do' the race- it looked really funny, because both driver and 'navigator' were required to wear helmets since it was a sanctioned race. Unlike some of the 600hp cars, the starter didn't exactly have to jump out of the way with them).
The hillclimb is the US's oldest motorsport event, believe it or not- however, it's also one of the most troubling. Despite attracting a healthy crowd every year, Audi pulled sponsorship after Frank Sprongl(driving an Audi S2 rally car) stopped winning, despite numerous VW and Audi entries.
The final straw for Audi, sponsorship-wise, was most likely the guy in the Legend car(motorcycle engine, 4 wheels, micro-sized chassis) who went off, clipped a rock, and was pulled from his car by a 16 year old cornerworker, right before the car burst into flames from a severed fuel line(the engine compartment was severed from the car by the rock). Long ago Audi had stopped their factory rally teams after a slew of deaths in the Group B category in various rallies; Piesch, now head of Volkswagon Audi Grouppe, declared at the time that he "never wanted to see rings stamped on a spectator's chest". Audi of America management were probably sneaking the Mt. Washington race under the radar of the parent company, but all that changed with the big crash(the kid even got a medal from the Governor).
Another factor is that Audi now considers rallying a been-there-done-that(Audi dominated rallying in the early 80's with the first Quattro Coupes and Sport Quattros), no-longer-cool kinda deal; their customer base just doesn't care, or so they think; guys who drive A8's don't like hanging out in the rain watching cars go by throwing rocks into their faces; they like sitting in a hospitality tent in cool comfort. So that's why Audi threw themselves into LeMans and ALMS(American LeMans Series), along with the Speedvision(er, SPEED Channel) SpeedGT(S4's, last year) and ProGT(RS6's, this year) races.
Mt. Washington management has given a variety of excuses for not continuing the race; first it was Audi, because they couldn't find another sponsor(rumor was they were looking for 1 million- an ABSURD amount of sponsorship money; it may be the oldest motorsports events, but it's also one of the lowest profile). Then it was because the road needed resurfacing(although honestly, having driven it myself three times as well, it WAS getting really bad). Then it was because the lodge, which had absolutely nothing to do with the race, burned to the ground and was 'behind schedule' on being rebuilt, or some such nonsense.
There are rumors going around that the race will continue next year. The local region of the Audi Club of America might attend(as it has for many, many years- we were the yahoos with all the Audis parked to the left of the starting area). Depending upon how solid the Audi+VW marques are represented, I'll be there- our little sub-event is a great family affair and I've always enjoyed myself; it's pretty gosh darn cheap, and getting there and back is half the fun(there are some GREAT roads in the area). Spectators can do whatever floats their boat- you can go up to any of several points on the mountain via van to watch the races(warning- you're limited as to when you can get back down!), you can hike the mountain(not for the inexperienced), you can watch from the start line and see trap speeds etc...and you can also watch from a nice point that's just a few minute's hike and gives you about 20 second's view per car.
The basic idea, if you're wondering, is simply to get up the mountain as absolutely fast as possible. Frank Sprongl was a regular winner, but his S2 is no longer competitive against some of the cars that started showing up- Jerry Driscoll(sp?) kept building meaner+meaner purpose-built tube-frame cars with insane engines in 'em until he started winning, despite not having all wheel drive(which is a MAJOR advantage, to the point that it's a seperate class in any sanctioned rally).
Re:Mt. Washington Auto Race(hillclimb) (Score:2)
I own a 92 LeMans HB, that POS couldn't win a race against a metro (but it's cheap on gas, so I drive it anyway), especially a rally (more to do with my shocks being shot to hell)
Re:Mt. Washington Auto Race(hillclimb) (Score:2, Offtopic)
Yeah, Pontiac has a habit for naming cars which are complete pieces of shit after famous races; it's an insult of the deepest kind to some truly great events, since Pontiac, for the last couple of decades, wouldn't have known perfomance if it bit them on the ass(everything after the mid-60's GTO was just downhill, sorry). I know you're making a joke :-), but for those who are interested:
http://www.americanlemans.com/
But the IMPORTANT question is... (Score:2)
Did they get bumper stickers that say This Segway climbed Mt. Washington?
Why? Ya ain't from around here, are ya? (Score:5, Informative)
Segway / DEKA Research [dekaresearch.com] is a New Hampshire company.
Mount Washington [mountwashington.org] is the highest point in New Hampshire (or New England for that matter, but not -- as is commonly believed around here -- the highest point on the US east coast: that title goes to North Carolina's Mount Mitchell [unc.edu]).
As a popular landmark & attraction, Mount Washington has great appeal in New England. The "This car climbed Mt. Washington!" [whitelands.com] bumper stickers are ubiquitous, and driving up the mountain's wind-swept road [mt-washington.com] in the family minivan or station wagon has been a rite of passage for generations of New Englanders.
That is why they had to drive Segways up the mountain. This is a New England transportation invention, but that just wouldn't be complete without the obligatory drive up Mount Washington.
The real question is whether or not the Segways they took up the mountain have any space for the bumper sticker :-)
Hmm. Nice copyright infringement (Score:2)
Check it out for yourself here [theregister.co.uk].
Is Slashdot getting paid for these Segway articles (Score:3, Insightful)
Get a style manual, Register! (Score:2, Redundant)
Wow (Score:2)
a few random thoughts (Score:2)
7.6 miles in 2.5 hours. Average speed: 3 mph. Speed of a human walking: 4 mph.
It remains unclear as to why Owen dressed up like a butler for the epic ride up Mount Washington.
Why do clowns do anything?
Saw a Segway for the first time today... (Score:5, Interesting)
The old guy made it across the street in a jiffy and was a block and a half away by the time the light turned green. From the looks, if an older person can master a Segway, then they shouldn't have as big a need for a car, particularly in urban areas. Perhaps it'd be safer for them to have a Segway (so long as they're not falling off it and breaking a hip)?
simple solution to math problem (Score:2, Funny)
their combined speed was 12.5 MPH.
Hence about 4.2MPH each.
2.5 hours, but at least 5*10=50 minutes changing batteries, so 1.6 hours
so 4.2MPH * 1.6Hrs = 6.7 miles.
So why 7.6 miles? someone switched the digits!
Solution looking for a problem (Score:3, Informative)
NO, that does NOT beg the question (Score:2, Redundant)
"Bet the question" is an English translation from the Latin "petitio principii." Look it up.
Am I terribly disappointed th
high? (Score:2)
That said, a segway is *perfect* for your average pot-head. I mean think about it. When the munchies sets in you can hop on your segway for a short cruise to the 7-11. It's a gentle ride. Also it's fast enough that you don't get distracted and forget why you hopped on in the first place, but slow enough that you don't get too bored.
All the benefits to crippled folks aside... (Score:2)
Honestly, you know michael jackson is going to buy a
$5,000... (Score:4, Funny)
38 pairs of fairly nice (~$130) hiking boots
a decent used car and the tank of gas
:)
Or.......
A nice used motorcycle that can go way faster than 12.5 mph! [cycletrader.com]
Nope, don't know the guy, just getting an example...
Coming soon.. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Hah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Motorized (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Retired Clown == John Howard (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Retired Clown == John Howard (Score:2)
No, if he was the real John Howard, PM of Australia, he'd be wearing a bright yellow tracksuit with 'VODAFONE' emblazoned across the front, and he'd be power walking, not riding a segway. 'course, the eyebrows do look kinda similar, don't they.
Re:Or just buy a damn Rascal. (Score:2)
Weight Capacity: 450 lbs
Maximum Range: 20 miles
Hell, that could have carried CowboyNeal to the top of Mt Washingto
Re:It (Score:2)
Any imbecile riding one of these toys on a bike path anywhere near me will be receiving a gentle nudge into oncoming traffic (or off the side of the mountain).
Re:It (Score:2)
Sure there is: the same reason you don't have bikes on (some) footpaths. That is: a human foot is primarily downward force, while a moving wheel puts in quite a bit of horizontal force, as well as the downward force. Also, a wheel puts down a continuous rut-like impression, which can easily lead to real ruts and speed up erosion. A fo
Re:It (Score:2)
Footpaths exist for a varity of reasons, from pure entertainment of walking / hiking to encourging a healthy lifestile to allowing for the appreciation of nature.
A segway would destroy any entertainment value of walking / hiking. It promotes sedation, not activity. And if the path is good enough to allow for a segway to travel on it, then your conquring nature, not appreciatin it.
Re:Whoopdee-friggin-do! (Score:2)
Christ, that isn't a fucking mountain...
While I have heard that other, lesser states have higher mountains... none of them have the same fame as Mt. Washington, except perhaps McKinley in Alaska. (Rushmore, of course, is not famous as a mountain per se...)
Of those that are famous, I daresay Mt. Washington is the only one with an auto road leading up to the peak. Insofar as they were on Segways, that kind of limited their choices.
Re:Use a bike, it's faster (Score:3, Informative)
Re:6288 feet.. whoopidedodah (Score:4, Funny)
But hey, since you live in a place with much more in the way of impressive peaks, why don't *you* get your own segway and test to see how well it works in your enviroment.