RIDING A SEGWAY IN SEDONA, AZ

There is so much to do in and near Sedona, Arizona – you can easily fill up your travel itinerary with different hikes, activities, good restaurants and sightseeing. When Chris and I visited Sedona in November 2021, a Segway tour was just one of the activities we signed up for. Here’s what it was like!

Riding a Segway is not easy! At least for me. When Chris and I booked the Thunder Mountain Experience Segway Tour, neither of us knew how to ride. Luckily, a full demonstration/lesson was included in the allotted tour time and since Chris and I were the only ones who signed up for our time slot, we got extra personal time with our instructor who made sure we were good to go before we hit the open road.

Fun fact: According to Grammarist: “A Segway is a self-balancing motorized vehicle that carries one person. The Segway was designed to be used in areas where a person must cover vast areas designed for pedestrian traffic in a short amount of time, it is popular with tourists and security guards. Segway is a trademarked name for a product first produced in 2001, and is therefore, always capitalized. The name Segway was chosen to echo the word segue.”

There’s a lot to think about while riding a Segway:

• Balance – Your weight should be evenly distributed at all times. If not, you risk moving in a direction or at a speed you’re not ready for.
• Grip & Posture – It’s important to maintain a strong posture with a relaxed grip and both hands on the handlebar.
• How to go/stop – To accelerate, you must lean forward; to slow down and stop, you must stand in an upright position. To steer, gently move the Segway handle in the direction you want to go.
• Sensitivity – Segways are sensitive! They accelerate fast even with the slightest lean forward. If you lean to much or too abruptly, you could fall off!

And those are just how to operate the machine! Of course, you have to watch out for your surroundings (people, cars, animals, etc.) and terrain (hills, rocks, uneven ground, etc.).

During our 4-mile tour, we rode around neighborhoods while learning about Sedona’s red rock formations, the town’s history, and local plant life, among other things. Our Segways also climbed hills to show us expansive views of different formations including Airport, Sugarloaf, Teapot, Chimney Rock, and more. Our tour guide was very nice and offered suggestions on what to do and eat in the area. Even though we were only a group of three, our tour guide communicated with us through a radio we were all wearing around our necks.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• Wear comfortable clothes like a t-shirt and leggings.
  Depending on the weather, you may want to wear a sweatshirt.
  
• Wear comfortable shoes like sneakers or hiking boots.
  Because I was focusing so hard on balance and weight distribution, my feet were very sore by the end of the tour. We did take multiple breaks, which helped!
  
• Be prepared to wear a helmet.
  Do whatever you need to do with your hair so your helmet fits right.
  
• Travel light.
  Segways do not have storage bins, and I would not recommend wearing a backpack while riding. Bring as little as possible so you can focus on riding the Segway correctly and safely.
  
• Prepare for the heat.
  Our tour guide provided us with water bottles, which we stored in the bottle holder on the Segway. You may want to consider putting on sunscreen and wearing sunglasses.
  
• The tour may run long!
  While our tour was scheduled for 1.5 hours, it lasted for at least 2 hours! This may not happen with larger groups, but something to keep in mind.
  
• Listen to the instructor.
  As soon as you may think you have the hang of riding, one second of lax concentration and your Segway will turn on you (literally and figuratively). Pay close attention to the instructor during your training time and during the tour. There is potential for you to get hurt while riding, and even trying to step off the Segway.

Overall, learning how to ride a Segway was a unique experience. It was challenging, but also fun. I’ll admit, Chris was a better rider than I was. He picked it up pretty quickly and was super relaxed while riding (I was gripping my handlebar pretty tightly). Chris also saved me a few times as I started rolling down a hill backwards! I would entertain the idea of riding a Segway again, just maybe for a shorter period of time!

HAPPY RIDING!

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