Put yourself on a Segway for fun, frolic, sights of Fort Lauderdale

 

Enjoying their Segways: Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
are Segway devotees, thanks to a terrific guide and a beautiful venue.  

CALM YET EXCITING: FUN IN FLORIDA AS COOKIE CONQUERS HER FEAR OF SEGWAY  

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Confident after her lesson,
Cookie takes off, following
guide Michael on Riverwalk.

I'D BEEN on a Segway once --  22 years ago when they were first coming into vogue. It didn't go well.
I was with a large group of travel writers and we didn't have a proper lesson. Midway through, I lost my balance and careened into a ditch. Fortunately it was a small ditch, and not deep. But both my body and my ego were bruised.
So I took a break from the this unique two-wheeled mode of transportation, and didn't take the sport up again until recently.

Segway fans show how easy it is to find
balance, by proper foot placement.

HAPPILY, I had a wonderful, safe experience thanks to Michael, who taught me how to operate and ride my new friend with a thorough 20-minute lesson. He was patient and encouraging and I had an entirely different experience than that first adventure. Bruce Keller, a natural born athlete, was at ease from the get-go. But I needed Michael's assistance.

Michael is a terrific guide,
here patiently instructing
a nervous Cookie.

His tutoring gave me courage and calmed my frayed nerves. I can't wait to do it again. He made our Segway experience a treat, and soon I had graduated from the parking lot and back roads to the city's winding Riverwalk.  He guided us past glistening yachts, towering skyscrapers, opulent mansions, and celebrity homes in this gorgeous, well manicured corner of south Florida.

Michael is a skilled and patient guide
with knowledge of his home town,
including the rainbow eucalyptus.

THE KEY to my success this second time around on a Segway was good coaching. Michael took time to make sure I understood how important it is to balance my feet properly. He gave careful instructions on starting, stopping and turning. Soon I was confident, no longer the cowardly lion of my first experience.

ONE MAY choose from several tours. We booked the yacht and mansion tour, which gave us close-up looks of some of the spectacular homes in Fort Lauderdale and a nature park. Other tours highlight the beach, comedy clubs, restaurants. One may also customize a private tour to highlight a specific fancy, perhaps food. Both one and two-hour tours are available, and small groups are welcome. Michael insists one does not need to have experience, balance, or coordination. He complimented cowardly me and I felt good on my machine. "Anyone with reasonable co-ordination can learn it in just minutes," he said. When we return, we'll look into Michael's eco/nature tours. He also offers vespa scooter tours lasting 2.5 miles.

Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk
is lovely at dusk on a Segway.

Fort Lauderdale's famed 17th Street
Bridge forms a dramatic backdrop.  

SINCE YOU'RE on wheels, you’re obviously going much faster than you would by walking. You are guaranteed to cover a greater amount of space in a shorter amount of time, thus the Segway rider is able to see more of the sights you've heard about,
If you’re pressed for time, Michael and his fellow Segway tour guides will tailor a tour to the specific places you want to see so you can customize your tour in a shorter period of time.  

Segway riders keep a safe distance from one
another as they transit the pathways.

We can't stress our guide's talents enough. He was simply terrific, and we're tour veterans -- on horses, camels and mules, in helicopters, kayaks and speed boats. Michael knew everyone in Fort Lauderdale, so we were greeted with waves and a friendly "Hi, how are you?" at every stop. 

Fort Lauderdale's famed 17th Street Bridge
opens to allow tall traffic to enter and exit.

THERE ARE a couple stops, for brief rests and a little local lore. We learned about the city's beautiful rainbow eucalyptus trees, gleaned details about the fancy yachts and who owns them, and got permission for a photo shoot on the 17th Street Bridge because Michael knows the bridge operator. He enriched the two hours, making sure we saw the hotels, park and museum we wanted to revisit and photograph. He is a proud native of the city and his stories, history and anecdotes gave us information we'd never find in a guide book.

We're Segway devotees -- and Michael fans!

 www.segwayfortlauderdale.com  (Seven days a week, by reservation.)

    

Have you really had to go and can't find a place?
Tips on finding a toilet while traveling abroad.
First, don't ask for a restroom or bathroom. You
might be directed to a shower. It's WC or toilet
and we'll give you pointers on "Europeein." 

COMING SOON:  We're having fun with bathrooms abroad.  We've photographed them for years and so we're taking a light hearted look at bathroom protocol while traveling abroad. Look for our tips on dealing with the perplexing protocol of "toilets on the road."  Then we commune with the unique art of Salvador Dali, visit Antoni Gaudi's spectacular Guell Park in Barcelona and tour New York City's prettiest places -- Central Park, the High Line and Museum of Modern Art.  Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, performance, travel, family, breaking news and more: www.whereiscookie.com