Segway Napa

Ding Dong, the bells are ringing!

2011-12-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. This is when we dust off the boxes and take out the old ornaments, each wrapped carefully the year before. Memories come flooding in, kids handprints, first Christmas, homemade Christmas Tree Angels.

It's the time of giving. Yes, we give all year, but during this season, we step it up. More money for church, the Bell Ringers, people in need. We give anonymously because we know it's more about the gift, and less about us. It feels good!

(I had to include the above picture- after all, they weren't allowed to ring their bells in front of a certain barber shop. I love that they were creative with this and waved pictures of bells!)

Families playing together make the best memories of all..

..the sunsets this time of
year can be amazing!

Segway Napa donates to many fundraisers. If you see a gift certificate at
one of these, you can get a pretty good deal. A recent one was a Yountville Wine & Cheese tour for 2. They bought it for $75. Normal price would be $180! These do expire as they are a donation.

What does not expire are Gift Certificates that are purchased directly from us. So you needn't worry if your loved one doesn't use it right away. They can wait until Spring, or Fall- whenever they choose! Our Seasonal special is Buy One Tour, get One 1/2 Off. It's a great deal and makes a great present if you want to save it for later. Judging by how many people have bought one this
month -it's a hot ticket item! :)
http://www.segwaynapa.com/

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
Cheer!
Gale
Segway Napa

White Hot! Wines for summer

2010-08-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a while ago for another publication, but thought it bears repeating....

Napa's Respectful White Grape History

I asked quite a few winemakers in the valley- "what was the first white varietal planted in Napa?" Many puzzled over the answer, and guessed- mission grape. Well, I did my research before I asked the question - I already knew the mission grape was a red varietal- albeit a flabby, weak flavored wine with not much substance, its color was "light" maybe why so many winemakers mistakenly call it white. George Yount first planted the mission grape, he was given the vines from General Vallejo. In 1888 there were over 4000 acres of mission vines planted in Napa Valley. You would think that the mission grape would gracefully go away due to its lack of, well, taste. However, it fought for its place in history, grew angels wings and became a very popular dessert wine - Angelica. You'd be hard pressed (no pun intended) to find one grown and bottled in Napa today- maybe Heitz Cellars still makes one? If you do find one, buy it and enjoy some Napa history!
Dig a little deeper - and along comes the riesling grape. First planted in Napa Valley in 1861 - as far as I can tell, it is actually the very first white varietal planted in our valley. The German immigrants thought the steep hills of the valley were much like what they left behind, and felt riesling would do well here. They were right! (By the 1880's you could find a few whites, riesling, muscat and chenin blanc, etc.) The riesling grape held its own, surviving even Prohibition. It wasn't until the 1980's that riesling and these other whites were eventually pushed aside in the valley for Chardonnay - the queen, and Sauvignon Blanc, But be on the lookout for some whites that deserve your attention- viognier, roussanne, colombard, gewurztraminer, maybe some pinot grigio! Many small produces still grow these respectable whites - check with Small Lots Big Wines for advise on your next white wine tasting trip to Napa Valley!
Tour more than just wineries on your next trip to Napa..do a Segway Napa Tour and make a happy memory!

these little guys are waiting to be pollinated.

Below is a picture from the springtime - of "flowering" when the grapes get pollinated

this is what some zin grapes looked like today in Calistoga..

- August 25th

Calistoga Grapes, Guns and Geysers

2010-06-27T08:55:00.001-07:00

After a cold spring, it looks like summer is finally here.
Today we expect a high of 94 in Napa. That's nothing compared to how hot it got in Calistoga - around 105! You can always catch a cool breeze on a segway!

This is Jan, or Young - not sure. I use to see him riding his bike up and down Hwy 29 - he'd sit on someone's stone fence with his shirt off, getting a nice tan. He no longer does that - he now keeps his shirt on, says he needs protection from the sun. You can see him often in the mornings on Lincoln Ave in Calistoga. If you see him, be sure to say "hi" to this delightful Dutchman!
We are very excited to introduce our newest tour - Grapes, Guns and Geysers. It's a 3 hour tour and includes a very tiny "cult" winery where one can relax for a few minutes before getting back on the segways.

The grapes in the valley are growing fast! Here are some pictures of Spring and Summer grapes.

Hope to see you all soon!

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Spring Break= Bud break – how’s that for a segue !

2010-04-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Breaking it! Spring or Bud? This time of the year in Napa Valley is known as Bud Break. Tiny little florets of green, red and yellow spring up all over on the once dormant vines. The contrast of 50 year old wood and newborn leaves are a sight to see. Blue skies, puffy clouds, rainbows, as many different colors of green as the eyes can see- all of this is what you get in April.

We’re had a great time showing visiting families the town of Historic Napa; and the vineyard lined streets of Yountville with Spring taking a prominent place as buds break on the gnarly vineyards- getting ready for vintage 2010. Soon we’ll see tiny grapes forming with the promise of new beginnings.

Speaking of new beginnings- a very romantic way to stay in Napa is to be at one of our many historic Bed & Breakfast’s. This is a photo of McClelland Priest B&B – a Queen Anne style Victorian with beautiful rooms.

Stay there and visit Uncorked!@ the Oxbow to taste the wines Celeste and her husband Bruce make for Ahnfeldt and Cartucci. Where else can you get a really good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for only $22? Definitely worth a visit.

Tired of paying those high taxes? Every little bit helps, this month we are running a tax break special, because we think you deserve it! Take 10% off all tours for the month of April, and, like Sam and Jessica, you'll be happy you did.

Last month we had a guest who wasn’t able to walk long distances- you can see by this smile that Faith has discovered that, on a Segway, she can easily get around and attend a comprehensive tour about Napa. That’s what I love about these personal mobility devises, it helps those who cannot easily get around to feel liberated and free. We cover a lot of ground on our tours. A normal walking tour might get to 3 major stories in about 1 mile distance. On a segway, you’ll cover around 4-6 miles and learn a lot more – almost like being on a bus tour. Except – on a segway you see more, feel more, and just plain ol’ smile more!

We hope to see you soon!
Cheers!

Segway Napa

Contact: 707-254-9773

http://www.segwaynapa.com/

segwaynapa@aol.com

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No Blarney - Napa does have it's own stone!

2010-03-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Wee Bit O’History

When you think “Irish”, certain images are bound to come to mind. We see a tall glass of whiskey laced coffee topped with cream, emerald hills, pots of gold, leprechauns, four leaf clovers, Lucky Charms, pink stars, yellow moons….. wine?

Sure – Napa is rich in wine history and Irish immigrants. Think Fitzpatrick, O’Brien, Brown, Dillon, Sullivan, Taylor Family, Twomey – that’s just a wee sampling of the Irish owned wineries in Napa Valley.But I sort of wanted to get away from wine this time. I wanted to cut through the blarney. How’s that for a segue?

There is a lot of history about this Stone, which is part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland. Biblical characters used the stone- Moses, Jacob, David, maybe it was even the stone that was rolled away on the third day! It eventually made its way back to Ireland. My favorite story was that Elizabeth I was also queen over Ireland- Queen Bess wanted all the land owners to sign their land over to her, but she’d let them continue to act as landlord. The Lord of Blarney, with wit and good humor, would send notes to her pledging his support, but never really signing over his land. It finally dawned on her that he was flattering her, she threw down his last letter and in frustration claimed “Oh! He’s just giving me a lot more blarney!!!” If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Ireland – kiss the Stone and you too will be imparted with eloquent speech and the ability to sling the bull.

Napa too has a stone – thousands of folks visit it every year. Oh, that’s just blarney- more like hundreds, from our tour! It’s the amazing communal grinding stone that the Wappo Indians used. You can see where the village squaws sat or stood for hours grinding acorns to make the meal that would sustain their families through the cold and wet winter months. Tiny starter mortars crown the top of the stone, probably from some little kid sitting on top of the stone helping her mom out. And wow – look at Spike – he uses the mortars for fresh rain water when he needs a drink! The deep holes are shaped like porous cones where the pestle ground the meal for thousands of years. Come on the Segway Napa Beyond Wine Tour and I’ll take you there! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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March Mustard Madness, and Segway Napa Fun!

2010-03-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

March is always a fun month in the Napa Valley. The mustard is in full bloom, the lupin are starting to bud all over the valley. The annual Mustard Festival will soon have their marketplace- this year at the River Walk in Downtown Napa. (March 13/14)
Green emerald hills, rainbows arched over the vineyards, bright yellow patches please your eyes as you drive down the country roads. St. Patrick Day celebrations are in full swing. Check out our fun history article at http://www.smalllotsbigwine.com/virtual-tours, then click on Napa History.

The downtown merchants are getting ready for the season. Lots of sales to move merchandise as new arrivals get stacked in the back rooms. The downtown tasting rooms are gearing up as more and more tourist realize how much Napa has to offer in the way of history and wine tasting. Stop by Mason Cellars at the Oxbow for a complimentary tasting. Get a Napa Valley wine for the $20 range you won’t find that often. Unbelievable that this tasting room hasn’t truly been discovered – but now you know!

Another fun tasting room is Gustavo-Thrace. Stop by and maybe Gustavo- of Bottle Shock fame – will be in the tasting room pouring his wines. Or you can get lucky and the ever so charming Thrace will share her vast knowledge of wine and the best places in town to visit. Or - - set up a private tasting tour with Segway Napa and we’ll take you there, and throw in a little history.

Our regular Napa History tour does not include the tasting rooms, but we will show you where many of them are. What you get on our Beyond Wine Tour is a few treats that are exclusive to Napa, quirky facts about Napa that will surprise and delight you, and a fun ride as we glide through redwood lined streets of painted ladies. Oh, yes, we did have a red light district, but painted ladies refers to the glorious Victorian Mansions, many of which are now Bed and Breakfasts! You can stay in the spring for a pretty good discount and get the best breakfast Napa has to offer!

Spike is our promotional mascot. Those of you who follow me on Facebook know that Spike likes really expensive cheese that is accidentally left in the grocery bag - so now he has to work for his room and board! Here he is making sure gliders stay safe on the trails!

Below is a very short video of segwaying in Yountville - this is a family shot, our family-we don't normally allow little kids to ride with their moms - but it's cute so we thought we'd share it :)

We hope to see you soon!
Happy St. Patricks Day!
Segway Napa
http://www.segwaynapa.com/
segwaynapa@aol.com

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February - A Sweetheart of a Deal!

2010-02-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

A Sweetheart of a Deal! and a Contest to boot (scroll to the end for details)
February is upon us. For Valentine’s Day and Presidents Weekend only – have we got a deal for you! Book a tour with us, and bring your sweetheart for ½ off. That’s Feb 12th -15th (If you book that weekend and we have to cancel due to rain, we will reschedule at the discounted price) For some reason, gliding on a segway is romantic. Really! Here are some pictures to prove it :

The Vineyards
It’s a new year, and another season has stated here in the Napa Valley. If you visit now, or in the next month or so, you will notice that some vines have lots of “wood” and some have been pruned to the base. The pruning needs to be completed before bud-break. The vines are dormant right now, so the rain we are currently getting will not do any harm. You will see some vineyard workers in the fields, pruning the vines. These are 92-yr old Zinfandel vines! Ever seen a grapevine wreath? This is the time to harvest that portion of the vine.
It is also Mustard Festival Time! You will see vineyards with brilliant yellow flowers. I took this picture during a storm, in a moving car, when the sun all of the sudden broke through – so it’s a little fuzzy – but gorgeous!
The mustard plant adds nutrients to the vineyard land during the dormant season. Napa Valley has a Mustard Festival – amateur and professional photographers are all over the valley trying to get that winning shot! You might see some segway photos too!
The Segways
Lots of rain in January meant few tours for Segway Napa. Spike kept a watch over the Napa River to make sure there were no floods.

In addition to rain, we even had some snow! Check out this picture – mustard blooming on the valley floor and snow on the top of Mount St. Helena!

We take this opportunity to do maintenance, take mini vacations and time to enjoy the sunsets!

We added two more segways to our fleet – yeah!! 2009 was a good year for us, 2010- should be great! Even in this rain, every week we’ve had gliders don the ponchos and head to the streets. Luckily, no one got too wet! I love this adventurous side of segway riders- why let a little rain stop you? Especially if you’re on vacation.

New Tour Coming Soon! Calistoga is jam packed with interesting history! This year we will be adding a Calistoga Historical Tour. We’re working out the kinks right now. It promises to be a fun and entertaining tour.

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A Contest!! Be sure to check out our history article at http://napa.smalllotsbigwines.com/napa-history/the-zin-trial email us the correct answer and your name will be submitted into a drawing for a segway ride for two! Winner will be announced on Valentines Day!

Segway into the Season of Giving!

2009-12-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

November left Napa with a wind storm which resulted in downed trees, power outages - and shops losing out on the big weekend after Thanksgiving spending spree. Luckily it only lasted until 4 pm. Good thing too, since the parade started at 5!

Segway Napa participated again in the Light Parade - handing out awesome savings coupons. Did you get one? It expires on December 31, 2009. We do this once a year, during the parade. If you missed out - don't worry - we have various specials going through April.

December has been chilly, getting as low as 21 degrees! Even so, we've had a lot of segway riders braving the cold to see Napa in this unique, fun way. We love our customers - you are truly adventerous!

Something that surprised me - mustard blooming in Carneros! This is the earliest I can remember it blooming! I've seen it often in late December, but not during the first week.

Are you looking for that special unique gift? Consider a Segway Napa Gift Certificate. With our 25% Christmas special (and Hanukkah :) it's a win/win.

December is a time for giving - this year we have received many requests for gift certificates for Christmas presents. Assuming the last order was also a Christmas Gift, I offered cute Christmas stickers to make it festive. The lady laughed and said that would be great, except this was a Hanukkah gift! I couldn't find any Hanukkah stickers :( but hopefully the present will be well received.

Speaking of giving- Small Lots Big Wines is holding their monthly tasting this Sunday (Dec. 13th) at the Rutherford Grange, featuring "Wines That Give Back" - it's a very cool event with some very amazing wines being poured. (like Cloud's Rest) Wineries will be taking wine orders, a portion of profits go to the charity of their choice. There will also be baked goods, art, jewelry and wine swag. And - weather permitting, free segway lessons. So, if you're in the valley and still need some gifts, stop by! 2pm - 6 pm. $15 at the door.

Contact: www.segwaynapa.com, segwaynapa@aol.com, 707-254-9773

3 blokes on Segways; Team Building

2009-10-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Crush Update: Today is probably the wettest days ever in recent memory during crush, we may get as much as 4 inches of rain! Lots of vineyard managers and winemakers hurried to get the fruit off the vine this past weekend - the brix was not yet what they were hoping for. The aftermath of Typhoon Melor that hit Japan last week is wreaking havoc!

3 Blokes on Segways
I was getting ready for one tour when I received a call from someone wanting a Yountville tour the next morning. He wanted to come by the shop to check things out. Well, we don’t have a shop. Like many Segway businesses – we are mobile and bring the Segways to where you want to go!
What I liked was how he phrased this – we’re just three blokes who want to ride Segways – can you give us a private tour, we shouldn’t be around other people– we want to taste wine! After some discussion I decided to take them to the Verismo tasting room to start.

Austin was great – he poured 4 delicious wines, told how the Stella label was named after the family dog, and was willing to pour other wines upon request. After a great stop - we were on our way. We rode through some vineyards – my blokes were definitely on the wild side! I felt like a mom telling them to be careful, don’t scare the cars, go slow around people. Like many boys, they didn’t listen. So I took them on some roads less traveled. One bloke – he was late 40’s I think, just went crazy – even on turtle mode he was zipping around – he laughed almost the entire time!
Our next stop was at a boutique winery that allows you to do hand punch downs. Hopper Creek is just the most unique experience. They got to chat with Winemaker Joseph inside the winery.

I know, I sound like a broken record – but if you want to get up close and personal to the grapes during crush – the Segway Yountville Tour is a MUST DO! They have two nice patios where you can enjoy watching the grapes ripen, our Dan’s vegetable garden grow. The dogs that hang there are in the Vineyard Dog books. The blokes really loved getting their hands stained, and winemaker Barry hung around to answer a lot of technical questions. All in all, I’d say it was a great tour!

Glide Your Way to Team Building!
So many companies are doing Team Building to get their employees to bond, to hone leadership skills, and to make, well, a team.

Segway Napa has jumped on that band wagon! At first we tried “leading your partner by blindfold” - that was disastrous! Then we tried an obstacle course. That was ok, but hey, who wants to waste time on a Segway going back and forth at the park. We finally realized that segwaying together through the beautiful countryside, visiting a winery – relaxing with wine and cheese – was really enough for the team building experience. Some from our recent team told us it was the best team building they’d ever done! And they do it often! Put a feather in my cap “)

Do you belong to a company or organization that does team building?

Suggest Segway Napa for your next adventure!

Small Lots Big Wines - Segway Napa Historty Article

Segway Napa does the history article for Small Lots Big Wines.

These two photos are teasers - to learn more, click on this link

http://napa.smalllotsbigwines.com/napa-history/urban-legends

Our Beyond Wine Tour of Historic Downtown Napa is jam packed with quirky, fun, facts!

Visit our website at www.segwaynapa.com

Bring It!~ Crush is here at last . . .

2009-09-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Don't let this picture upset you - the grapes are getting thinned to allow for maximum sun exposure to the rest of the red grapes to bring you the very best wine Napa has to offer!

Wow, things are definitely hopping here in the valley - harvest has started - traffic is getting heavy, and the mood is happy! The wineries are the happiest - since '08 yielded so little- this year there are tons of grapes for sale on the market. I guess the vineyard owners are not too happy about that! Unfortunately, you can't please all the people all the time.

Most wineries are crushing white. Some have even started on the reds.

Segway Napa can get you up close and personal to those red grapes - if you're not afraid to get your hands dirty, that is. Our Yountville tour is probably the most popular this time of year - Harvest is a great time to be in the valley - you can actually smell the grapes fermenting as you glide along the side roads.

If you've glided with us before - be on the lookout for some mail from Segway Napa - that is if you gave us your address :)

Do you like history - Check out our history articles at http://www.smalllotsbigwines.com/ Small Lots Big Wines is your concierge to unique boutique wineries in Napa and Sonoma - they can arrange a very special day with owners and winemakers. Here is link to our September article- http://napa.smalllotsbigwines.com/napa-history/napas-white-grape-roots

Summer is coming to a close, our family discount is good until September 22nd - so if you have kids - now is the time to take advantage of our kids tour for 1/2 off. But if you miss us this year, there's always next year!

Until then, happy gliding to you all!

Segway to Summer Happiness!

2009-07-06T18:07:00.001-07:00

mmm, summer, fresh berry pies, sun kissed cheeks, 4th of July, baseball, hot August nights, ah - segways! A new family tradition! Our Summer Family Special is a big hit with families making Napa their vacation destination - we have more kids riding segways this year then ever. Talk about making a memorable family experience! Brings back fond memories of our family vacation two years ago in San Antonio. Segwaying around the Alamo! We had a big family get together with 11 people - the youngest was 2- too young for a segway - so dad rented a bike with a trailer and came along for the fun! If you plan to visit Napa this summer, be sure to experience some of our down home events: Parades, Fairs, Farmer's Markets, Free Concerts in the Park, Town & County Fair, Movie nights outdoors in the Park, etc.

We've been keeping a close eye on the grapes - they are starting to turn a beautiful deep purple. The sparkling wine grapes will probably be picked this month. Most of harvest is Sept-Oct. We have a boutique winery that we visit during harvest that allows guests to participate - it's fun to punch down the grapes in the bins! Get your hands stained - great reminder for a few days of the fun you had!

Small Lots, Big Wines finally re launched their site. Want to go to some fantastic hidden secrets of the Napa Valley? Small Lots will point the way. I recently scheduled a tasting at Bourassa Cellars. At first I had misgivings, I mean, seriously, going to a Corporate Park? But once you're inside you're beamed into a small, intimate winery, the ambiance makes you feel very special - and the wines are amazing - I can't wait to go back!!

Summer Family Fun with Segway Napa!

2009-06-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

Although June usually means summer weather - not so this year in the Napa Valley, at least not yet. We've had rain and thunder showers - cool mornings, overcast, breezy - people are digging through their clothes to find some winter gear! April and May had some temps over 100, we've been lucky this month to see anything over 70. My Aunt Polly said she went through Markleeville two days ago and got caught in a snow storm! In June! In California!

(TIP: you can click on the pictures to see a larger size, just remember to click the back button when you are done)

Usually summer brings hot weather - always summer brings families. Remember that song - "School's Out For Summer!" - here's a YouTube from the 70's with the Muppets! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWABJzHrGww

But I digress - what I want to say is - in celebration of families - Segway Napa is offering our SUMMER SPECIAL - all tours 1/2 off for kids *12-17 yrs old (*or at least 85lbs). We're very pro-family at Segway Napa - All our kids pitch in to help with the business.

Some of said kids probably have not been happy with the overcast cool days - but the grapes have been very happy with the cool mornings. Bud break is over, pollination is over - all that's left now is to grow. The grapes are getting to be about the size of a baby pea . Here are some pictures to show how much they have grown since last month!

We hope too see you soon!

Segway Napa

June calendar for downtown Napa:

Every Wednesday night- Art and wine at the Napa Mill

Every Thursday night- Chef's Market in Downtown Napa (1st Street)

Every Friday night - 3 bands live at the Veterans Park (Main and Third Street)

June 27th - outdoor movie - Shrek at the Veterans Park

St. Helena: 1st Friday of the month- May-October - Cheers! St. Helena

April/May Blog

2009-05-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

April/May Blog

April showers bring May flowers- so the rhyme goes. In Napa, April was full of showers! May continued with rain during the first week. This is ok for the vines. Speaking of vines = we are now in what is termed Bud Break.

Various levels of budding going on around the valley. (aren't those tiny grapes just too cute! click on the picture to see a bigger view, just remember to click you back button or you'll close out the blog.)

After the mustard and fava were plowed under, beautiful lupin dotted the hills and is absolutely gorgeous! Right now the purple lupin has given way to the yellow, but I don't have a picture of that - - yet!

Our second Concierge Day was a huge success. Thank-you! to all who participated. We glided around the wetlands trail by the Napa River - learned what the bums Bivouac was, and saw the 6th largest solar panel in the US (well, it was 6th when it was built!)
Next one will be in Yountville.

May is a beautiful month to segway in Napa Valley- with all the rain we've had, our hills will stay green at least until the end of the month. Unless we get another crazy hot spell like we did in April- 103 reported in some spots of the Napa Valley.

EXTREME SEGWAY - We had our first qualifying Mount St. Helena tour. Yeah! A recently engaged couple (congrats to S & T!) braved the mountain together - and an old farmer. Ok, well, the old farmer was my dad - but you should've seen how excited he was that someone finally was going up, he's been waiting since December.

Small Lot Wine Tours, one of our sponsors, is undergoing some remodeling. They will now be called, Small Lots, Big Wines - your key to boutique wineries. Looks like a good change - they will start to offer guided tours to the boutique wineries - guess they got a lot of requests for those. Anyway, we highly recommend going to their website and signing up for their newsletter http://smalllotsbigwines.com . They have done a tremendous amount of research into the smaller wineries in the Napa Valley - in order to be on the site, the winery has to be 10,000 cases or less! Definitely worth checking out.

Another new sponsor - please welcome Shelleys-Style.com - Shelley is a local artist with many talents. She sells her tiles at Robert Mondavi Winery, and hopefully soon some other places.

Segway Napa Mustard Madness!

2009-03-01T14:18:00.001-08:00

March Mustard Madness!

It’s that time of the year in Napa, when the rains give way to seas of purple, yellow and green.

The hills a hue of emerald, with waves of purple lupin and yellow mustard. It’s breathtaking in so many ways.

A prefect time of the year to visit. The Mustard Festival http://www.mustardfestival.org/ is in full swing, with a Marketplace Weekend, Jazz Weekend, A Tate of Yountville, and photo finish at Mumm Napa.
Lot’s of pictures! I want you to see the valley in all it’s splendor.
Cheers!
Segway Napa

Extreme Segway - Mount St. Helena

2009-02-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

I was asked if I would be willing to do a private Segway Tour up Mount St. Helena.

View to the East

At first I thought "no, that's way too steep, and I don't think the segways can make it".

Eventually I gave in, and am SO glad I did. It was amazing - so beautiful.

The Napa Valley was covered with clouds, but high on the mountain the sun shone and you could see forever!

We now offer this special tour to experienced riders. The tour must be paid in advance- since there is a lot of prep getting the segways up there. Still a great deal at $125 per person - 3.5 hours. Minimum two riders. The tour includes a snack and amazing photo opps!

Hope to see you on the mountain!

Cheers!

Segway Napa

707-254-9773

segwaynapa@aol.com

December in the Napa Valley

2008-12-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

December – a time for Giving.
The wisdom of the Bible tells us there is a time for everything. Reaping, sowing, living, December is the time for giving. Our favorite charities at Segway Napa are Compassion International and Segs 4 Vets. Speaking of charities (nice segue, huh?) have you checked out the website to Small Lot Wine Tours? www.smalllotwinetours.com They are featuring 4 different wineries in the valley that give back.
1. Ehlers Estate-Heart Warming
2. Hill Family Estate
3. Humanitas-Drink Charitably
4. Clark-Claudon-Cab Cares

With our struggling economy, it’s difficult to find that extra dollar to donate. I gave up my latte’s for a week – that was NOT easy! And buying a bottle of good Napa Valley wine where the proceeds go to good causes, well, that IS easy!

December, so far, has been a very slow month for us – we have had one Team Building tour.

Well, we did expect that to happen, so we were prepared. It was a lot of fun, gliding in the vineyards. The lone vine you see, it's called an Old Soldier and is located in the famous ToKalon Vineyard. It was planted in the 1940's.

These photos show what Napa Valley looks like in December – still very pretty! The video is not great quality - heck, it was done with a pocket digital - however, you can hear the bells ringing from the Carmelite Monastary. It was so pretty to be out in the vineyards and hear the song of the bells.

Wait until you see March, with all the mustard in bloom!!!
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Segway Napa

HINT: You can click on the pictures to see their full size - just be sure to hit the back button to get back to the website.

Segway Napa November 16th Blog

2008-11-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

Segway Napa Yountville and Napa Tour

November, one of my favorite months here in Napa Valley. Not only are the vineyards breathtakingly beautiful, we get to gather with those we love and have turkey and stuffing, with all the fixings! We feel blessed to live in such a wondrous place.

I'm so thankful for my God, my family, my country - and really, to those who fight to keep us free. November is a month to be Thankful for our country - and to Thank a Vet - you can do that by clicking on any of these links:

http://www.give2thetroops.org/

http://www.anysoldier.com

http://www.soldiersangels.com/

Oh, and that pile of cuttings in the photo. What is that? Well, after harvest has ended, the vines get pruned. Some of the blocks even get pulled due to disease or poor production. These are gathered in big piles, and then burned. Some days in November and December you can drive through a very smokey Napa Valley, but don't worry, it's just a control burn day in the valley. The Vineyard Managers are still hard at work to bring you some of the best wines in the world!

BTW- You can view the pictures in their actual size - be sure to click the back arrow on your toolbar after viewing to get back to SegwayNapa.Com!

FAQ's

2008-11-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Up until yesterday - we had our FAQ's (frequently asked questions) linked to our homepage on AOL - well, they no longer offer that, so excuse this post - but I have to fit it in somewhere :)

How long will it take me to learn how to ride the Segway™? About 5-10 minutes
Is there a training with the rental? All tours and rentals include training and instructions. Time varies pending level of experience - please arrive 15 minutes early so it doesn't cut into your tour time.
How safe is the Segway™?The highest levels of care and research have gone in to ensuring that the Segway™ is safe to operate. To this end, the Segway™ features self-balancing technology, on five gyros, and sophisticated alerts. A significant amount of hours of testing and usage have demonstrated the Segway’s™ safety when properly used by a trained rider.
Can I ride the Segway™ indoors and outdoors? Yes, but not all stores or hotelswill allow you to bring the Segway inside.
Can I ride the Segway™ in the street? Yes, Napa also has bike lanes that you are allowed to use.
Can I ride the Segway anywhere? The Segway operates best on a hard, dry surface. However, its unique design and special tires allow it to travel on virtually any surface where a person can walk – roads, sidewalks, grass, hard sand, gravel, dirt, shallow puddles, uphill, downhill, etc. Caution: Do not attempt to use the Segway™ on slippery surfaces such as ice, slick roads, wet grass, etc.
Do the batteries come charged with the rental? The Segways will be fully charged and will last about 24 miles.
Can two people ride on one Segway™? No, these are for individual use only.
Can I buy a Segway™ from Segway of Napa? Yes, you can purchase a new or used Segway from us.
Is there any insurance coverage provided? Yes, we have liability insurance, however, the renter is responsible for the safe-keeping of the Segway™ at all times.
Am I responsible if a tire deflates or becomes flat? The renter is not responsible to pay for “normal wear and tear” on the Segway™ during the rental period. However, damage due to rough use, accident, collision, neglect, or any other cause aside from normal wear and tear would be the renter’s responsibility.
Can kids ride a Segway? Yes, if you look at the pictures on our site, you'll see several kids having fun riding with their parents
Can we drop our kids off and pick them up later, we might want to go wine tasting? All kids under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian
Are helmets provided? Yes, anyone under 18 has to have a helmet. Adults may assume liability and choose not to wear one. If so, they need to initial the waiver.
What is the weight limit for the Segway™? 85-250 pounds.
Is maintenance included in the rental? Segways require very little maintenance. However, normal wear and tear is included in the cost of the rental.

2008-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

Segway Napa and Crush! Cool morning fog burns off to warm days during October - waming the grapes and causing the sugars to rise -at about 24-26% Brix all the grapes will be harvested to make the most delicious wines in the world! 2008 promises to be a good vintage.

Napa in the Fall

2008-10-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Napa lately? It's beautiful, crush is in full swing, the grapes are almost gone, and the leaves are starting to turn color. Yep - our vineyards give us the colors of fall.

Segway Napa gets you up close and personal to the vineyards. Don't miss out on this beautiful season!

Historic Napa

2008-04-02T21:27:00.000-07:00