Segnation.com

DC Segway Enthusiast Group (DCSEG) members were recently treated to a special day and a tour by Segway of Annapolis customer and DCSEG member SegTours, LLC. What a great way to see this Civil War battlefield National Park, but by Segway.

We had a handful of newer users on the tour but most of the 20 or so gliders were experienced users. SegTours split us up into two groups with two certified licensed Gettysburg National Park Guides as well as two tour meisters - folks who actually led us and watched the segs while we were on foot at the monuments.

SegTours uses official certified NPS Guides for their Gettysburg Tours and are certified by the NPS to do tours in Gettysburg because of this. It was great to have a knowledgeable tour guide, no question put to them was a stumper, and our group was pretty well versed in history.

At first there was concern that we would have to be on the roads the whole time,but that turned out not to be a concern at all. And according to the guides that was one of the busiest days for the park this year, with motorcyclists, cars, buses, bikers, hikers, pedestrians and all manner of people everywhere - all on the road. The Segways fit in perfectly and it was real cool to see a group of seggers in the middle of a flock of Boy Scouts or a Soccer Team on bikes or gliding by the massive tour buses as they diesel smoked their way around the battlefield.

The group spent the better part of 3 hours on the tour going around the park. At the highest point in the park it was great to look over to where everyone had glided during the tour.

Numerous stops, including an outhouse break, were a part of the tour. SegTours uses the headsets for its tourists so that when the guide speaks everyone can hear. This is great to have with a group, both on and off the Segways, everyone could hear what was being said. Though one glider mentioned that it a little much hearing the guide’s voice describe the battle while he was inside the outhouse!

When you do go, contact SegTours to see if you can pay to join one of their tours, as the guides give you so much information, it makes you realize what Gettysburg is all about.

If you bring your own Segway and go out on your own, Segways are not allowed on the NPS paths, walkways, sidewalks or on the grass. Only glide in the Streets, roads and official by-ways that are set up for vehicles.

Our group really enjoyed the tour, and we only did one of their tours, the western tour. They do an eastern and a western tour of the battlefield as well as a Segway Experience tour. I would highly recommend it, it was well run, very informative and a lot of fun!

See their website at www.segtours.com