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.
Stearns
Wharf Bike Ride
Stearns
Wharf, the oldest operating wharf on the West Coast, today houses
a sea museum, restaurants, a bait store, and other shops. 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
oceanfront hotels and residences. Early in the 20th Century, 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. Amtrak Depot. This 1905 Mission Revival railway station
welcomes travelers. It was located here to serve the nearby elegant
Potter Hotel, that has since burned down. The depot and surrounding
area recently underwent historic restoration that returned it to its original
appearance.
3. Moreton Bay fig tree. Planted in 1874, this Australian
native tree now has a 160-foot span. It is the largest representative
of its species in the United States.
4. Railroad crossing. This illustrates the Santa Barbara/Union
Pacific railroad standard for bicycle-friendly railroad crossings.
The concrete pans have replaced rubberized treatments that were
previously used.
5. Bath Street. This street was named because it led from
town to a popular bath house by the beach.
6. 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, or para-sail
nearby.
7. 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 spur section attached. Today it
houses the Sea Center museum), restaurants, shops, a bait and tackle store,
and other shops. Look for pelicans at the end of the Wharf.
8. Cabrillo Beachway. Originally called the "Cabrillo
Bikeway," this 3-mile long concrete path offers scenic off-street
recreation and commuting. On weekends and all summer afternoons,
it is jammed with people engaged in multiple forms of recreation.
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 | cross street & lawn, enter bikepath | 0.9 |
| 1.0 | R | State Street (at Dolphin Fountain) | 0.2 |
| 1.2 | L | Yanonali Street, enter Amtrak Depot lot | 0.1 |
| 1.4 | R | Chapala Street | 0.0 |
| 1.4 | L | Montecito Street | 0.2 |
| 1.6 | L | Bath Street | 0.3 |
| 1.9 | R | Cabrillo Boulevard | 0.1 |
| 2.0 | S | becomes Shoreline Drive | 0.3 |
| 2.3 | L | Harbor Way | 0.0 |
| 2.3 | L | enter "bike lane" | 0.7 |
| 3.0 | R | Stearns Wharf | 0.4 |
| 3.4 | U-turn | turn around, head back to shore | 0.4 |
| 3.7 | R | enter bike path | 0.9 |
| 4.6 | L | cross street onto Calle Puerto Vallerta | 0.1 |
| 4.7 | L | DoubleTree entry drive | 0.1 |
| 4.8 | 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