Zipping Through Summer

As I’ve grown older, I often give gifts of experience to family members and close friends. For example, after Steve and I had so much fun kayaking, we gave our son Patrick a kayak excursion for his birthday. For our son Andy’s birthday, we all went to the Magic Castle for dinner.

Oftentimes (like for our son’s birthday dinner) I include myself in the gift. That way I can share in the fun. Such was the case on Saturday when Amy and I headed to Long Beach for an afternoon tour on Segways.

For Christmas I gave Amy the gift of a Segway tour for two in Long Beach. We were both so excited (albeit nervous) about mounting the moving personal transportation vehicles and taking to the streets where the Grand Prix of Long Beach is held. I mean, expectations were high. I was so nervous, in fact, that I called the tour company not once but twice to confirm that the Segways could handle two middle-aged women who weren’t as skinny as they once were. Representatives assured me that yes they could handle us. So off we went.

Our tour guide Landon was amazing! A young guy, he was not only patient and kind, but also a great teacher who instilled confidence in us. In less time than it took us to travel two blocks, Amy and I, along with the three other members of our group, felt like Segway pros. We zipped here, we zipped there all the while learning the history of Long Beach from Landon. And what history there was! I didn’t know the role that Long Beach played in WWII (evidenced by the bunker still visible at the top of The Breakers Hotel).

I had so much fun that afterward I decided to get a tour for our three boys still living at home and Steve and me.

I just need to wait until it’s someone’s birthday to give it…

  robin goldsworthy