How do you cover your last mile?

MarkH

MarkH

Line Up and Wait
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MarkH
I have been thinking about this a bit since I purchased my Yankee, and I have seen solutions like one wheels and powered skateboards on Youtube videos, but I thought I would ask POA.

Other than ride-sharing (Uber/Lyft), taxis, or crew cars, what do you use for last mile transit? Why do you like it? What have you tried and do not use any more?
 
I'm not a big fan of the folding bikes, as they are commonly 28-32 pounds. I agree with @denverpilot. When I land last thing I want is a physical mishap and get stranded; which means crew car, rental, hotel shuttle, Lyft, or Uber. Rather pay $10 for Lyft. Cheap insurance for me anyway.
 
Since I mostly fly my plane for pleasure I hardly fly anywhere I don’t know someone who can pick me up. For the once in a blue moon I’m not I’ll either rent a car, Uber/lyft, or hotel shuttle, just depends what I’m planning on doing when there
 
Rental car or crew car has been my go-to for travel at a destination. People have said, "isn't a rental expensive for a day?" I just tell them that it was a whole lot cheaper than the plane ride and then they understand. Bikes. scooters, etc. for me just aren't practical to throw in the plane most of the time.
 
Dana said:
If it's only a mile, feet!
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:yeahthat:

20 minutes/mile is the measure that I use. 30 minutes (1.5 miles) is my threshold for strongly considering alternatives.
 
I have an electric skateboard, the kind with the bluetooth controller that you hold in your hand. It goes something like 20 mph flat out.


Wait. . . that's not me; that's the 13-year-old next door. I have a credit card and a phone with the Uber app.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
I have an electric skateboard, the kind with the bluetooth controller that you hold in your hand. It goes something like 20 mph flat out.


Wait. . . that's not me; that's the 13-year-old next door. I have a credit card and a phone with the Uber app.
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^^^ This. You are flying there in a private aircraft. You can call a car to pick you up.
 
We usually use a crew car or uber. I have a one wheel but my wife doesn't. So its not that practical for the final mile in my case.
 
Mostly crew cares or get picked up by whomever I'm visiting. I have used my bike to go from Dewitt Spain to downtown Memphis. It's got a Bike Motor and does about 20 mph on the flat.
 
Walk, if it's a short walk, and the pedestrian traffic situation is acceptable. In some places I can borrow a car from a friend. Or, if those options don't work out, a crew car for short, or day trips. Call ahead for availability. Rent car for longer stays. Have never had the want or need to Uber or Lyft, but have the apps on my phone just in case.
 
If I can't walk, then crew car, uber, cab or rental depending on circumstance.
 
As always, it depends...
  • Visiting friends? They pick up.
  • Staying a few days with much to do in the area not nearby? Rent a car.
  • Visiting a metro area? Public transport (e.g., Metro in DC).
  • Passing through? Crew car for lunch run.
 
We have 3 electric scooters we use if 3-10 miles. Or we Uber/Lyft if we have bags.
 
I was about to pull the trigger on an electric scooter for the plane then discovered the Onewheel XR. Freaking fell in love with that thing. Have almost 600 miles logged on it since December!

The XR will do 19 MPH and will haul my 210 lb arse 20 miles with the aftermarket tire I put on.

They are not cheap but they are built like a tank. You can ride on road or off road and you can just carry into a store or other place you arrive at. I do a lot of grocery shopping runs now with my XR and backpack and just toss it in the shopping cart in the store or carry it in the coffee shop for breakfast runs. They have the Pint which is cheaper, but the tradeoff is MUCH more limited range and speed.

We ended up buying a few of the Segway Ninebot electric scooters from Costco for work and while those are great, you have the problem of what to do with it at your destination a lot of times.

If the Onewheel is too adventurous, I would go with a smaller E-Bike if you want something for the plane. You can lock it up like a regular bike and the technology has really progressed the last few years.

Unless you are already or were an experienced skateboarder, E-Skateboards are not as easy as they might seem. A lot of limitation on where you can go on those tiny wheels.

The electric unicycles are really taking off as well and are awesome transportation machines, I just can't get over how goofy they look riding plus they are are also a bit cumbersome to deal with at your destination.

IMG_2227.JPG
 
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My daughter and I tried the Lime scooters in Portland. We did ok, considering. They were everywhere at the time, and getting up and running with their app was pretty quick and easy.

But, I'm convinced that sooner or later, one little old lady getting pinged walking out the door of a neighborhood shop is all its gonna take to get those things banned.
 
Uber/lyft are only available in cities, I usually use small airports in small towns.
Last time I used a crew car I ended up taking the wrong one, fortunately they got word to the cops before they did a felony stop.
 
AggieMike88 said:
First story I remember about you is you nearly severing your shin while trying to exit your hangar in the dark.
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Wasn’t dark. LOL. Broad daylight.

Gashed myself deep enough on a radio bracket in my Jeep after loading the airplane for a Vegas trip to a friend’s wedding, that the nurse wifey made me go get stitches before we could depart...

I wanted to mechanic bandage it with duct tape and a shop towel. She’s like ... no...

Pushed the plane back in...
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
Uber/lyft are only available in cities, I usually use small airports in small towns.
Last time I used a crew car I ended up taking the wrong one, fortunately they got word to the cops before they did a felony stop.
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The fact you weren't driving a Chrysler K car should have been an immediate tip off. ;)
 
MarkH said:
I have been thinking about this a bit since I purchased my Yankee, and I have seen solutions like one wheels and powered skateboards on Youtube videos, but I thought I would ask POA.

Other than ride-sharing (Uber/Lyft), taxis, or crew cars, what do you use for last mile transit? Why do you like it? What have you tried and do not use any more?
Click to expand...

Can’t think of anything I wouldn’t use again. Whatever is there and works. Once my last mile was a Tram. Flew into Palm Springs, took a cab to the https://pstramway.com/ and went a mile vertically and horizontally up to the top.
 
shire-horse-straw-wagon-country-show-farm-working-day-event-somerset-england-43592490.jpg
 
Friends usually want to see the plane and will pick us up. Rental car if overnight. Crew car if shorter. Thought we would love it when they have the car pulled up to the tie down locations, but nature's call to the bathroom usually takes away the coolness, especially with a kid....

We have considered buying 3 escooters but that is a lot of Avgas.
 
It's an Andoid app, named "FindERnow, at the Google Play Store to find the nearest Emergency Room.
 
Domenick said:
It's an Andoid app, named "FindERnow, at the Google Play Store to find the nearest Emergency Room.
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LOL! Oh now that’s funny. Sorry about the online security paranoia... trying to keep an entire staff from doing “questionable things” while working from home is messing with my head. LOL. LOL.
 
There's an article from more than a half-century ago in Air Facts magazine (I had a collection, shipped them to an aviation writer) of a guy using a fold-up scooter. I considered this, and a bicycle, but in the end, I had family pick me up if it was personal travel, and the client if it was business (except under two miles, in which case I walked.) I have never Uber/Lyft/taxicab'd my way from an airport to a destination.
 
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