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The
Pro Bike/Pro Walk 98 Conference took place in Santa Barbara
on September 8-11, 1998. There were several bike rides for the
520 conference participants led by members of the Santa Barbara
Bicycle Coalition, the local advocacy group that helped host
the international event. This is one of those rides that anybody
can enjoy. They all start and end at the DoubleTree Pro Bike/Pro
Walk Conference hotel, but you can pick them up anywhere along
the route.
Santa
Babara City College Bike Ride
This
spectacular view looks northeast from the City College bluffs
toward Santa Barbara Harbor, after a short but steep bike climb.
Photo by Ralph Fertig.
Highlights
of the Ride
1.
Cabrillo Boulevard.
This ride leads from the DoubleTree resort along the beach. On
Cabrillo Boulevard, note the vast public beach and absence of
high-ride hotels or exclusive residences. At an early date, the City
of Santa Barbara decided to dedicate its miles of waterfront
land for public use instead of private development. Oceanfront
Cabrillo Boulevard, named for Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo,
provides a scenic drive and access to ocean activities.
2. Pershing Park. Turning off Cabrillo Boulevard, go past
the band shell in Pershing Park. At the turn of the century,
Cabrillo Boulevard ended here with a famous bathing area, hence
nearby Bath Street.
3. Santa Barbara Carriage & Western Arts Museum. This
museum houses historic carriages, stagecoaches, and saddles from
the 1700s and 1800s.
4. Santa Barbara City College. Perched on a spectacular
blufftop above the City and Harbor, the Santa Barbara City College
is one of 107 California two-year institutions. Its 12,000 students
study liberal arts, career-oriented, and transfer education programs.
The panoramic view at the top of the winding bikepath is especially
striking.
5. Santa Cruz traffic circle. Before modern traffic-calming
roundabouts, larger traffic circles existed. This is one of two
historic circles in the City, both of them on the "Mesa,"
the residential area south of the Downtown city.
6. Shoreline Drive. Again, the City of Santa Barbara preserved
an oceanfront area for the public, here site of popular Shoreline
Park. Bikelanes were striped only after vigouous opposition from
residents who didn't want to lose convenient parking. The compromise
was that westbound parking would be allowed only at night, freeing
the space for bicyclists during the daytime.
7. Santa Barbara Harbor. This harbor is home to hundreds
of fishing and pleasure boats, plus 25 shops and restaurants.
Rent boats, take cruises to the Channel Islands, go whale watching, or
para-sail nearby.
8. Stearns Wharf. Built by John Peck Stearns in 1872, Stearns
Wharf is the oldest operating wharf on the West Coast. Originally
a Y-shaped wharf with railroad tracks, storms have swept one
leg away, leaving a truncated spur section.
Route
sheet
At
Mile
Distance |
Bicycle
Direction |
Name of
Street or Path |
Distance
on Street |
| |
START |
DoubleTree
Resort entrance |
|
| 0.0 |
East |
DoubleTree
entry drive |
0.1 |
| 0.1 |
R |
Calle
Puerto Vallerta |
0.1 |
| 0.2 |
R |
Cabrillo
Boulevard |
1.3 |
| 1.4 |
S |
becomes
Shoreline Drive |
0.1 |
| 1.5 |
R |
onto
path at yellow bollards |
0.3 |
| 1.7 |
S |
College
parking drive |
0.3 |
| 2.0 |
L |
enter
bridge, continue on sidewalk |
0.1 |
| 2.1 |
L |
enter
gravel path |
0.2 |
| 2.3 |
S |
enter
service drive |
0.1 |
| 2.4 |
L |
enter
connecting sidewalk |
0.0 |
| 2.4 |
S |
Del
Mar Avenue |
0.3 |
| 2.8 |
R |
Los
Ondas |
0.2 |
| 2.9 |
L |
San
Miguel Avenue |
0.5 |
| 3.4 |
L |
Santa
Cruz Boulevard |
0.1 |
| 3.5 |
circle |
go
half-way around traffic circle |
0.1 |
| 3.6 |
L |
Shoreline
Drive |
1.3 |
| 5.0 |
R |
Harbor
Way |
0.0 |
| 5.0 |
L |
enter
"Bike Lane" |
1.6 |
| 6.5 |
L |
Calle
Puerto Vallerta |
0.1 |
| 6.6 |
L |
DoubleTree
entry drive |
0.1 |
| 6.7 |
END |
DoubleTree
Resort entrance |
|
R=right L=left S=straight
Map
For
a large printable version of this map, click
here.
Select
another Pro Bike ride:
Channel
Drive
Casa de la Guerra
Eastside Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Mission
Montecito Village
El Presidio
City
College
Westside Santa Barbara
Stearns Wharf
Eastern Montecito
South Coast Tour
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