Friday 3 August 2012

Outdoorsy types

Mr Dunnit and his brother were given Segway Safaris for their birthdays in January. It was scheduled for last weekend, and his brother couldnt make it.  So I went.  See our lovely roundy heads and even stranger shapes?  Body armour, dontcha know. You need this for outdoors fun apparently. 

The sun shone on the righteous.  And the nervous.  While we waited for our safety briefing - something you have to go through before you can have fun in the outdoors, apparently - the thunder roared, the lightning bolted and the rain came down in torrents.  And elsewhere.  In charge chappie said he'd call it off if it didn't 'improve'.  My thoughts at this point were all based on armchairs, cups of tea and the difficulty of having fun outdoors. It's a lot of work.
First you have to get your balance, get over your normal driving and steering skill and work your way around cones and mini obstacles.  You drive with your feet and body, see. The handle is pretty well for holding onto because you need something to do with your hands - although you move it left and right for turning, that's it for the handle. To get it to go forward, you lean forward - sort of put your hips over your toes, and to break, you lean back on your heels.  It's not counter intuitive, but if you drive, it feels very strange.  After you've done the obstacle course a couple of times, you can move onto the 'safari' course...hills and bumpy straights, hills, corners...you  get it.  This is where the slightest incline starts to look horribly like a ridiculously vertical mountain.  Gather your guts, lean forward and don't lose momentum....stopping on the 'up' side isn't wrong, but getting going again takes an alarming amount of leaning and effort.  And besides, if you can get to the top of the hill with a decent amount of speed, the downward journey is an alarming sort of fun.  Feels like maximum velocity, upright, with absolutely no control.  Apparently I made a swear word last from the top to the bottom of the hill.  In a shrieky girly voice.  Sorry about that.  It was my first hill.  Afterwards I was much more contained...if I had to shriek, it was just a WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO.  
Proof that I did it..in less than flattering kit.  In public. 
So these outdoorsy types might be on to something.  I enjoyed it.  Very much.  But if I'm to be turned outdoorsy, I need to have adequate, dry kit, total sunshine and guaranteed fun. So no, you won't be seeing me out for a jog anytime.  But a short Segway roll...now that would be fun!
Have a great weekend.







29 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh wow Julia that's my kind of fun, wish I'd been there. I've seen those peculia thingys and wished I could ride/drive one.
Thanks for sharing your fun.
Cheers, Elaine

Candace said...

Totally jealous!

Tara Cardwell said...

Glad you had fun - we bought the same experience as a gift for our friends anniversary. I want a go now!

Annie said...

Now that looks like fun Julia. Jogging?....think I'd need eye protectors or I would end up with 2 black eyes at the very least :-)
Hugs,
A x

mark gould said...

looks like you had a blast, I did it a few months back with the better half, we both managed spectacular crashes ;) hope you fared better lol.
mark x

Glenda said...

Go girl!

Sandy said...

You go go go girl. Sandy :)

Di said...

Olympics next? Go Julia, looks like fun!

Di
xx

Morti said...

LOL - Oh the thought of Segway being an Olympic Sport! heheheheh We saw it at Moors Valley when we took Lil Miss to Go Ape last week - looks like such fun.

And get you, looking all slim and lovely!

Helen said...

Hmmm looks kind of fun if you like that sort of thing.... wish I'd heard you shrieking down the hill though....

Lisa-Jane said...

What a super idea! I think DH would enjoy this, as would I!

Redanne said...

Well done you!

scrappymo! said...

What a great tutorial on Segway. I have always wondered how it works.

There are hardly any businesses in our little village up at the lake.

There are maybe a dozen stores in total...and that includes the coffee shop and 2 restaurants. In the center of all this reatail glory, there is the Segway outdoor adventure place!

Maybe when little Miss C and Mr P are older, this would be a great adventure...but I may not be as brave as you...I think it is a perfect outing for.....Grandpa....!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I wondered what Segway Safari was until I read further. Had to enlarge the photo of you having a ball on that thing. I could tell how much fun it was from reading your account of the event. You may not be the outdoorsy type, but this looked like it took you away from your computer for a few hours. So good they finally allowed the games to begin! Unlike the Olympics, these games appear to have some common sense attached (grin).

I wanted you to know I finally got my very long and involved tutorial finished and posted. That means I can once again join you on another jaunt up and down internet hills next Wednesday.

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I always wondered how one didn't just fall over on those things. It does look like a spot of fun though.

Kath Stewart said...

looks like lots of fun butI'm used to skidding down mountains at stupid speeds on two planks of metal...hugs kath xxx

Bernice said...

Oh - haven't seen these before - they mustn't have made it to Northern Ireland yet! Looks like fun!
Bernice

voodoo vixen said...

LOL Julia, you certainly look the part!! I first saw these in the States, in houston the airport police get about on them which I found totally amusing... 'stop thief'... ;)
So glad you had a lovely time... even if you did teach peeps some new vocabulary!!

Carola Bartz said...

Kudos to you for doing it! I'm not sure that this is my idea of fun...

I'm pretty much of an outdoor type - on my own two legs with proper shoes. A bagpack and a good picnic in there. And don't forget the camera.

To answer your question: no, those weren't my hats, I only have a few. I took that picture at last year's county fair.

misteejay said...

Wow, aren't you the game one...whilst it looks fun you wouldn't get me on one for love nor money - I'm way too accident prone for that sort of 'play'.

I tried Off-road driving and after a friend had an argument with a branch I chickened out and sat in the passenger seat LOL (scary enough when you are chucking a jeep over a cliff - or so it seemed).

Toni xx

Neesie said...

What brilliant fun Julia...Good for you for having a go! I had such a giggle reading your post ;D
My brother did this earlier in the year and he had great fun...the photos proved it :D
Have a wonderful weekend!

Whimcees said...

Hello!

That sounds like fun but scary until you get the hang of it! I love that you made the word last from the top of the hill to the bottom! :<) Wishing you a good weekend with your family!

Hugs,

Barbara Diane

Eliza said...

We have these babies with the broadcast OBs and the cameramen use them to film it gets them upand sown the football ground fast. Well as you can imagine I tried to ride these babys and there was no way at all, I couldn't even stand up on it properly, so you have done some amazing things to even get going let alone tackle a mountain up and down it too. LOL

Glad you had a good time and goodluck with them in the future, there is no way I will ever try them again. LOL

Eliza

Cardarian said...

Ha, ha I wonder what that swear word was???? I couldn't do it with my knee know but it looks like great fun!
Hugs,
Cardarian

JoZart Designs said...

It looks a whole lot of fun and a day you'll remember. What an experience!
Love JoZarty x

Neet said...

How fabulous! Not that I am about to try it. Glad you blogged your experience.
Hugs, Neet xx

Unknown said...

Oh Julia

this is an hilariously funny and fun post - I was right there with you - I can imagine me shouting the same swearword; trouble is, I wouldn't have been in a position where I contained it to the one... it's scientific don't you know; if you swear, you can tolerate more pain and torment. Do you know - that's probably why I have a high pain threshold. It's not the drugs, it's the language lol....

I'd love a go on one of these... if you go on YouTube, search for Chimpanzee on a Segway... I keep saying that I one - a segway that is, not a chimp.

The gear isn't too bad, not fetching granted, but necessary - under the circumstances. You didn't mention falling off so I'm very proud of you - well, I'm proud of you for trying something outdoors!

Go girl....

Paula x xx

VonnyK said...

That looks like so much fun, I love your photos. Good on you for having a go and a very successful one at that. Such a funny post and nice to see the sun!!
Von

C said...

Good for you Julia!! My bad back and knee makes me think I better stay on terra firma though hubby would adore it, I'm sure.

BTW, what's a "kit"? ;-)