Memorial Day has come and gone again, but this year was even more special to me. It was the first Memorial Day for CCS and I owe a big thank you to Col. William Baugh, USAF. He was an F4 Phantom pilot in Vietnam and a POW for over 6 years. He was also my father-in-law and the first person to ever get me on a Segway. After being a POW, Bill developed a number of physical issues, but the biggest problems were neuropathy in his feet and needing supplemental oxygen. He had a handheld oxygen pack and would have to stop frequently when walking. Then everything changed the day the Segway became available on Amazon.
Bill was one of the first people in Colorado to have a Segway and he took it everywhere. He would strap his oxygen to the front handle bar and take off, with all of the skill and grace that made him a fighter pilot in the first place. He rode a Segway for the rest of his life (well into his 70s) and he took tremendous pleasure in having people “checked out on the Segway,” which was his term for teaching them to ride. I saw the excitement and joy in people’s faces when they learned to ride and I saw how much Bill enjoyed teaching them. I think of him every time I teach a new rider. Segways are fun and easy to ride, but sometimes they can change lives, like for me and Bill. Taking a tour may not change your life, but it might make your day better and I will do my best to make sure you have a good time.
Your Tour Guide Happy