Now that I’ve been sucked into the seedy underworld of the sub-culture, I find myself attending bizarre celebrations of the faith. As a result, Kate, myself, and Steve Pierce, Ypsilanti’s eccentric millionaire; visited Lansing yesterday for the State of Michigan’s only showing of 10 mph, an independent film chronicling a trip from Seattle to Boston on a Segway in 100 days.

In a Fellini-esque kind of way, I fully expected to see dozens of like-minded Segway riders at the theatre. Unfortunately, there were only two of us on Segways. But it was all good. They let us take them in theatre. They even gave us free guacamole.
The movie was originally supposed to have a stop in Ann Arbor, but it was cancelled. Rumors swirled that it was because the city had banned their use on sidewalks. In actuality, Ann Arbor City Council once considered banning them, but backed off on that threat as it’s just stupid. Once we heard about the cancellation, we considered lobbying for an Ypsilanti tour stop, but chose not to pursue it. Ironically, had the event been held in Ypsilanti instead of Lansing, there would have been four segways instead of just two.

The movie is fun. It’s about a two guys who quit their jobs with the dream of becoming filmmakers. They decided — despite not having any money or sponsorships — to ride a Segway 4000 miles across the United States in 100 days. The movie sort of evolved into pep talk encouraging people to stop daydreaming and go do their thing.

Whether or not Segways become a pop-culture footnote remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. Everyone loves Segways.