Segways Haunt Manchester Cemeteries

The last thing anyone wants to see when they're in a graveyard is mysterious figures gliding silently among the tombstones. Don't worry though, they're not ghosts you're seeing in Manchester's cemeteries-after all, ghosts don't sport helmets.

Segway of Manchester now offers among its eight city tours a cemetery tour and a ghost tour of Manchester's haunted spots-all aboard personal transporters that utter no more than a soft whir and move in response to a person's movements.

Segway of Manchester opened a retail store downtown in the summer of 2010 and, in addition to the tours, sells and services Segways. The store conducts 12 to 13 tours weekly for up to six riders per tour. That's up from only one choice-a historic tour-when the store first opened. Guides also lead corporate trips and take Segways to company outings and parties.

The Segway PT has been around since 2001, but to many people it's still a novelty, says store manager Rick Tyson, who is full-time and employs part-time guides. No matter how many times we go on a tour, people have their eyes on us. Tours mix fun with learning. Local historians lead the cemetery tour; an ornithologist leads the bird watching tour. The Manchester Millyard tour provides an overview of the city's industrial past. On the fun side, the popular Chocolate tour includes a history of chocolate, tastings at local confectioneries and a tour of the Van Otis factory. Everyone loves the Chocolate tour, says Tyson, adding that they recently expanded it from the last Saturday of every month to six days a week.

Tours last two to three hours, cost $69 to $99, and are preceded by a safety video and driving lesson. Segways are meant to be intuitive, with steering involving no more than moving your body forward, backward and side-to-side. But that takes some getting used to. While the majority of guests are 55-plus and retired, the store is increasingly attracting young people with 10-minute rides in the store for $10, as well as the ghost tours.

Corporate clients are a growing part of the mix. Groups from Citizens Bank in Manchester, the Raymond School District, and Stonyfield Farm and Appletree Business Services in Londonderry have all sent staff on tailor-made tours. They reach out to me and say, We want to do something special and memorable', Tyson says.

For more information, visit www.segwayofmanchester.com