Day trip to DC: Segway tour and a failed search for the Webb telescope mockup

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Jimmy Snyder
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I took a day trip to DC today. I had two purposes in mind. I wanted to see the mockup of the Webb telescope outside the Air and Space Museum and I wanted to take the Segway for a spin. It turns out that the telescope was only in DC for a short time and has long since gone, I know not where. But the Segway was great. For $45 you get a 1 hour tour of the city. I feel that I got my money's worth though I wouldn't pay 45 cents for the tour, It gives you a chance to get used to the Segway. And now that I have done so, I will probably never again as I cannot imagine what purpose I would put it to. There is an overlap in the distances that I am used to walking and those I am used to biking and so there is no interval in which the $5000 Segway would be the right choice for me.

By the way, they got the helicopter off the Washington Monument.
 
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What's the Segway? I plan to return to Dc for the Museums, is it a shuttle from hotels. to restaurants. There are some awesome restaurants within close walking distance from the Smithsonian.
 
Evo said:
What's the Segway? ... is it a shuttle from hotels. to restaurants.
No, it's a thingamabob. www.segway.com
Evo said:
There are some awesome restaurants within close walking distance from the Smithsonian.
That there are.
 
You picked a nice time to visit. The weather has been aces.
 
I actually saw cops on segways coupe of days ago.. going down the street in New York...
 
Unfortunately, the Webb telescope model had a limited display during May 9-12 this year in front of the Air and Space Museum. It's apparently making a tour.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Webb_Slinger_Heads_To_Washington_999.html

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/webb_slinger.html (same article in spacedaily)

It should be out and about periodically. Apparently it was in Dublin (Ireland) in June 2007.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2007/dublin_webb.html

http://jwst.gsfc.nasa.gov/

A good place to stay in Washington DC is the Hotel Washington - http://www.hotelwashington.com/ - if one doesn't have a friend with whom one can stay. It very near the White House and Mall.
 
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cyrusabdollahi said:
You picked a nice time to visit. The weather has been aces.
The weather was aces. It was a Sunday, so you would think the place might be crowded, but I only encountered a very few opportunities to run anyone down. Perhaps they were all in church. Praying.

Astronuc said:
Unfortunately, the Webb telescope model had a limited display during May 9-12 this year in front of the Air and Space Museum. It's apparently making a tour.
Thanks for those links. Those photos are the first ones that I have seen. Up til now I just saw cartoony images. When I asked at the Air and Space museum, the lady behind the counter started looking up the tour schedule on the web (more Webb on the web, haha) but I foolishly told her not to as I could do it myself. Unfortunately I have not found a schedule. I did send an e-mail to the manager of media relations at Northrop Grumman.

Astronuc said:
A good place to stay in Washington DC is the Hotel Washington.
I haven't stayed over in Washington in quite a while. When I was single, I used to stay at the Harrington Hotel which is practically on the mall. They used to have a really good buffet style cafeteria, but that was 30 years ago. It's gone now.
 
You might also send an email to NASA PR, or Goddard PR.

I have some contacts at Goddard I could ask.
 
Ah, the memories. This is way off topic, but then it's my topic. During the cherry blossom festival, I invited a pretty young thing to accompany me to Washington. Two roundtrip tickets from Philly and a night at the Harrington. Cherry blossoms and museums. A pleasant time was had by all. I recommend it.
 
Chi Meson said:
"[PLAIN

They need to install seats on these things.
 
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jimmysnyder said:
The weather was aces. It was a Sunday, so you would think the place might be crowded, but I only encountered a very few opportunities to run anyone down. Perhaps they were all in church. Praying.

Probably hung over from saturday :-p
 
zoobyshoe said:
Chi Meson said:
"[PLAIN
They need to install seats on these things.
Hm, found some sketches of a hypothesized futurific personal mobility device based on the Segway idea:
http://www.hoveround.com/images/photo_scooter_rotator.gif
 
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robphy said:
http://www.segseat.com/SideBright2.jpg
http://www.segseat.com/

That's the ticket! However, it shouldn't cost $449.00 for the seat, (unless it's for the military).
 
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