By GARRET JAROS/Lincoln Chronicle
YACHATS – People with mobility issues or perhaps just a temporary hitch in their giddy-up have a new – and thrilling – way of getting out and about to see the sights of Yachats.
“The Rig” as it called is a four-wheel all-terrain electric transport with fat knobby tires that can accelerate from zero to 12 miles an hour in the time it takes to holler “Where are the brakes!”
“It’s fast,” said Yachats Area Chamber of Commerce director Nichol Lippincott. “It seems like it goes a lot faster than it says it can.”
It is fun way to get around, she added, whether it is grandpa feeling the need for speed while recovering from a hip replacement, a wheelchair user looking to navigate the 804 Trail or a younger member of the family nursing an injury and just looking to keep up with the pack.
The kicker? It’s free. And it can be checked out for hours or even days if there’s a gap in reservations.
“There is no waiting list right now,” Lippincott said. “It is reserved for two different weekends in August. But right now we’re just getting the word out.”
The Rig has a range of 10-12 miles with eight hours-plus of battery life depending on the size of the rider and the terrain covered. A handlebar-mounted monitor displays speed, miles traveled and charge left. It is about five feet long and 32 inches wide with a seat width of 17½ inches.
While the factory specifications recommend it for users between 4½ and 6 feet tall and 225 pounds or less, the chamber is neither measuring nor weighing prospective riders.
The $4,968 vehicle was paid for with a grant from Travel Oregon, which also covered the cost of mapping Yachats to determine what buildings and spaces it can fit into. It went on a couple of test runs last summer but was stored for the winter.
“It is available this year until Labor Day,” Lippincott said. “And then next summer we’ll likely do Memorial Day through Labor Day – just the peak season.”
The only drawback is a wide turning radius, Lippincott said, but it is equipped with reverse. It is also fully autonomous so not designed to be pushed from behind, which some people have inquired about.
“And for now, our insurance requires it to stay within city limits, which includes the 804 Trail,” Lippincott said. “There is also no beach use for now because of access and saltwater issues.”
Reservations can be made by calling the visitor’s center at 541-547-2345, dropping by the center adjacent to the C&K Market or by emailing director@yachats.org, which is the preferred method. Pick up and drop off hours at the center are from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
- Garret Jaros covers the communities of Yachats, Waldport, south Lincoln County and natural resources issues for Lincoln Chronicle and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
