Utica

[rrcraig]

Well, I've successfully moved *way* north of the Mason-Dixon line to Utica, New York.  It's a town of about 60,000 but it feels smaller.  It seems to be a very bike- and pedestrian-friendly place.  So far, it's a springstilt-friendly place as well.  I've begun exploring the city on the spring stilts.  My first trip was straight into the heart of town, where I was stopped by lots of inquisitive people.  Today, I went 90 degrees to my prevous course and went out past the Utica Zoo and wandered onto the municipal golf course.  The golfers thought I was a strange site. 

Utica is the home of The Boilermaker, an annual 15K road race.  I wonder if they'd let me run the Boilermaker next year with the spring stilts.  They are, after all, just high-tech shoes!

The public reaction to the springstilts has been a little more subdued here than in Raleigh but is still overwhelmingly positive.  The most frequent thing I hear shouted at me from passing cars is "Go for it!" as I bounce along the sidewalk.

[Kender]

Maybe I'm just shy, but I'm not sure I could even go out on powerisers in teh city :/

Glad you're enjoying your new home though!

[rrcraig]

I've only been able to take the bocks out for a spin around Utica once since my last post but I have a couple of new events to report.  I was getting my usual share of attention as I bounced along the sidewalks, people smiling, taking photos with their camera-phones.  Then one guy jumps off his porch and starts chasing me down the street shouting "Dude!  You're my hero!  You're my hero!"  I didn't stop to chat because a) guy seemed kind of nuts b) his dog was chasing me too and I didn't think I was his dog's hero.

The second incident was after I bought a washer and dryer for my new place.  I paid a guy with a truck and trailer to help me bring the appliances home and when we brought them inside he saw the powerbocks leaning against the wall in my entryway.  "Hey!  Are you that dude who's been going around town on those bionic stilts?  Everybody's talking about that."  At this point his phone rings and he answers it saying, "You know that dude on the robot stilts?  I'm in his house right now!"

My ego is reaching epic proportions and I can't even do a backflip yet. 

[Kender]

rofl

[freshgeardude]

wow that crazy

[woodster]

u seem quite the celebrety lol.

they do attract a lot of attention