Santa Monica Glide, Sat. 9/8 @10am-ish

[poohbear]

I hope it's okay for me to start a post here...

Anybody interested in taking a little glide from the Segway LA store in Santa Monica? Their page says they open @10am.

My friend, Meno, is coming down next weekend (some of you may remember him from SegwayFest Long Beach) and he's bringing his i170 that he picked up through Plo. Anyway, we're going to go to Segway LA when they open and try to get his software upgrade done. Afterwards we're planning to glide along the beach path from Santa Monica to Venice and probably grab a bite.

Does anybody remember the name of the little pizza place some of us went to in Santa Monica? I was thinking of maybe stopping there again, 'cuz their pizza is yummy and they let us plug in.

Anybody who's interested in joining us, please do. The more the merrier!!!

[outside]

Hi Poohbear,

I'm up for a glide on the 8th. If you can send me directions from Long Beach and let me know where to park, I would be very appreciative. Haven't seen you since the Long Beach glide. It will be good to catch up.

Sharon

[poohbear]

Hi Sharon!

It will be great to glide again and catch up!

I think I am attaching a Google Earth file here with directions from Long Beach to Segway LA. If you follow these directions, the store will be on your right-hand side about a block after you turn on to Ocean Avenue.

Since I never drive myself there, I can only tell you that there is meter parking on both sides of Ocean Avenue and some pay parking lots down by the beach and near the Santa Monica Pier --about a block away from the store in various directions. If you zoom in, you'll see them. There should be plenty of signs for "Beach Parking". Also, if you get into the very congested-looking area just north of the store, that's the Santa Monica Promenade and mall area. There will be public parking structures there, as well.

The cool thing about finding parking for these things is that people don't mind parking a bit further away and just gliding in. =)

I'm looking forward to seeing you!

[SEGsby]

10ish? It's so close to me, I can do that. :)

SEGsby

[poohbear]

WooHoo! Our number has already doubled! =)

[outside]

Thank you for the directions. See you there.

[SEGsby]

For anyone who joins us on their Segway-- I will buy your lunch if you glide with us...

What's better than Food, folks & Fun? ;)

SEGsby

[Legally Blonde]

Count us in! There will be at least two of us, maybe three.
Sounds like fun!

[Mr. Protocol]

I should be there. I also mentioned to Jason that we'd be descending on the store, which was news to him. He'll be out of town but said he'd tell his folks that we'll be showing up.

[poohbear]

I told Meno this was how it works: you just go on SegwayChat and post "when & where" and people will come to glide.

Thanks to all of you for proving me right!
I just LOVE being right. =)

[outside]

Post it and they will come.

[outside]

Well, it looks like I will not be able to attend Saturday's glide. A client called and I'll be working that day. Hope I can make the next one.

[poohbear]

Well, it looks like I will not be able to attend Saturday's glide. A client called and I'll be working that day. Hope I can make the next one.

Bummer! We'll miss you.
Definitely hope to see you at the next glide.

Take care.

[polo_pro]

You should have scheduled a polo match afterwards...that'd have convinced beachrider to play hooky from work!

[Mr. Protocol]

You should have scheduled a polo match afterwards...that'd have convinced beachrider to play hooky from work!

Thinking about this, I remembered when Fred Kaplan asked me to scout out possible polo locations in the Santa Monica area. They're a bit slim.

Therefore, in good old forward-thinking adaptive Segway style, I propose we modify Segway polo to fit. Palisades Park is long and skinny, so I propose...linear polo!

Linear polo is much like regular polo, only the field is five times as long and one-fifth as wide. The game consists primarily of mad charges to and from the goal, and very little side-to-side lateral passing. "Segway chicken" is the primary tactic.

It's a thrill a minute!

[Timezkware Tim]

Have fun, you guys. For now, I'm still working Saturdays and can't make these weekend glides :(

The Pizza place is Bravo, on Main St. at Hollister. Hollister is a 2 block glide from the SM beach entrance about a ½ mile so of the Pier. They open at 11. Mapquest it to be sure. You can plug in on the patio.

Bravo is owned by the family that has a legendary 115 year old bakery in Little Italy in NY called Ferrara's. I used to manage their 3rd restaurant. They fly the cannolis in from NYC 3x a week. It's the best.

Tim

[polo_pro]

Thinking about this, I remembered when Fred Kaplan asked me to scout out possible polo locations in the Santa Monica area. They're a bit slim.

Therefore, in good old forward-thinking adaptive Segway style, I propose we modify Segway polo to fit. Palisades Park is long and skinny, so I propose...linear polo!

Linear polo is much like regular polo, only the field is five times as long and one-fifth as wide. The game consists primarily of mad charges to and from the goal, and very little side-to-side lateral passing. "Segway chicken" is the primary tactic.

It's a thrill a minute!

Hmmm....that'd be "interesting". I think if you wanted to seriously try this, you'd have to divide the field up into "lanes" and modify the rules to establish who "has the lane" and "how to safely change lanes". Actually what you seem to be describing is more of a chaotic relay race, eh? 8^) 8^) 8^)

As a side note, after literally dozens of matches, I saw my first head on collision at full speed. The causes were clear...complete inattention as one person was riding, one player not riding their own segway, not following the most basic polo rule (pass on the right) and finally not enough yelling (like whoa Whoa WHOA). Both players were experienced at playing polo, so the "newb" cause can't be blamed....though I'd readily add "getting too competitive during the runup to the Woz World Cup tournament" as a cause to this list.

I think someone came away with a finger injury, but it couldn't have been that bad since he's playing in the Woz World Cup tournament this week and next week.

[Eric Payne]

Post it and they will come.

And there are some websites that make good money utilizing the above philosophy... and they don't even have to worry about clean-up!

Eric Payne
Glendale, AZ

(Yes... yes... I know. That was bad. Truly vulgar. Nasty, even. But hey, it's Friday; it's hot; I've got a headache and some angina... I'm allowed. Because I'm special. Ask anyone who knows me. And not special in that Stephen Lynch "A Little Bit Special" song kind of way. Just truly special. You know those people who always park beside an outside-kiosk ATM machine, right up against the machine, in a no parking zone, blocking all the handicapped spots? Well, they only THINK they're special. I'm TRULY special. I don't even have to go to the ATM machine; I have a spouse who does it....)

[poohbear]

Have fun, you guys. For now, I'm still working Saturdays and can't make these weekend glides :(

The Pizza place is Bravo, on Main St. at Hollister. Hollister is a 2 block glide from the SM beach entrance about a ½ mile so of the Pier. They open at 11. Mapquest it to be sure. You can plug in on the patio.

Bravo is owned by the family that has a legendary 115 year old bakery in Little Italy in NY called Ferrara's. I used to manage their 3rd restaurant. They fly the cannolis in from NYC 3x a week. It's the best.

Tim

Thanks for confirming that!

I found them on the web and guessed that was the place I was looking for. I remembered you talking about the canollis AND I figured not too many places had patio dining to advertise. I also remembered there was someplace on the Promenade with the same name --though not affiliated. I even remember you talking about the distinction between the animal shoulders...

...but I just couldn't remember the name! Ack! I'm getting old.

Sorry you won't be able to join us. How about Sundays? Maybe we need to plan a Sunday glide?

[poohbear]

You should have scheduled a polo match afterwards...that'd have convinced beachrider to play hooky from work!

Yeah, yeah. Every glide should end in polo. Unfortunately, we don't have the people, place, or equipment with us in West LA.

Given the space we DO have (Palisades Park), I was thinking back to an early idea I was discussing with some of my friends... Segway Joust. I don't know a whole lot about jousting, but a long narrow alley sounds suitable. I've got Meno thinking about it.

[Timezkware Tim]

Thanks for confirming that!

I found them on the web and guessed that was the place I was looking for. I remembered you talking about the canollis AND I figured not too many places had patio dining to advertise. I also remembered there was someplace on the Promenade with the same name --though not affiliated. I even remember you talking about the distinction between the animal shoulders...

...but I just couldn't remember the name! Ack! I'm getting old.

Sorry you won't be able to join us. How about Sundays? Maybe we need to plan a Sunday glide?

Thanks for the invite, but until sometime early next year, my days off are Tues & Wed.

If a Wednesday glide ever comes up, I'm there!

Tim

[poohbear]

Nice little glide. =)

Thanks to everyone who came!
Thank you to SEGsby for lunch!

We got a little bit of a late start, so we went straight to lunch @Bravo. As Mr. Protocol said, these things are as much about the socializing as the gliding. We had a yummy lunch and some good conversation. We got back on our wheels and did a brisk pace down to the Venice pier. The breeze was wonderful, the water was beautiful and we paused to enjoy the scenery and each others company. A couple of demos and Q&A... handed out some Segway LA cards and back down the strand.

At this point, we kind of split up. Some people headed right back, some went off to book shop at Small World Books and some of us just browsed the street vendors. I'm just getting back home now and I'm tired but it was a very pleasant day.

Friends, fun & food. THIS is why I glide. =)

[SEGsby]

It was fun! I got some footage of everyone, I think...

And yeah, it was a beautiful day; MUCH cooler than it has been earlier this week.

Was awesome riding with you guys. I haven't been able to smile while gliding for a while; today was a nice change. Thanks.

SEGsby

[Legally Blonde]

That was fun! What a beautiful day for a glide at the beach! Thanks to poohbear for organizing this glide. Thanks to SEGsby for lunch. Thanks to everyone there for a great time! Great food, great company, and great fun!