June
1997

Bike to Work events attract 1700



Two blocks of State Street in Santa Barbara were closed May 20 for the Bike to Work '97 celebration that attracted 800 bicycle commuters. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• At seven locations throughout Santa Barbara County, a record number of bicyclists gathered to celebrate the pleasures of bicycling to work. A tally showed that 1610 bicyclists officially registered, but since volunteers and late arrivals didn't register, the overall total was about 1700. That's 30% over the 1995 prior high! Registered bicyclists by site were: Santa Maria (70), Lompoc (120), Solvang (60), UCSB (120), Goleta (360), Santa Barbara (780), and Carpinteria (100).
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• New bike to work events this year were held in Carpinteria and Solvang, both of which turned out good numbers of first-time participants. Mayors of two cities set examples for their communities by bicycling to their events: Harriet Miller in Santa Barbara, and Joyce Howerton in Lompoc. In addition, other county and city officials joined in the fun. Awards for the most corporate participants went to Raytheon (25) and most bike club members went to Goleta Valley Cycling Club (37).
• Mayor Harriet Miller bicycling in Santa Barbara.
• Congratulations go to Gary Wissman who oversaw the entire vast undertaking, plus the local site coordinators: Tim Brummer, Rob Dayton, Welles Geary, Frances Gilliland, Jonathan Humphrey, Bob Nisbet, Mindy Norris, Donna Pearson, Bill Sargent, Dave Serge, and Rick Sweet. And about 60 other people contributed to these community events that enhanced public awareness of the benefits of bicycling for us all. Not only that, but over 100 sponsors helped make this the best Bike to Work day ever.
• A follow-up meeting to consider future directions will take place as this goes to press, but if you have suggestions for improvements, contact Wissman at 964-4607.
• Bike to Work events have helped raise the visibility of bicycling as a vehicle for everyday transportation, exercise, and recreation. That combination is simply unbeatable!

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Pro Bike conference plans move ahead

• Plans for the upcoming North American bike advocacy conference "Pro Bike/Pro Walk '98" are advancing, according to the local committee director Ralph Fertig. "We're having meetings each six weeks or so," says Fertig, "and even though this 600-person conference is 15 months away, time will go fast." Pro Bike is produced by the Bicycle Federation of America in Washington DC, but they need a local committee to make arrangements and recommendations.
• Right now there is a subcommittee, headed by Ann Lawler, working on walks and bike rides each day starting at the conference site, the Red Lion Resort in Santa Barbara. Benjamin Sawyer is doing research on potential speakers. Probably what we need most is a subcommittee to help with an envisioned "electric parade" of participants from the Red Lion, along the beach and up State Street to a dinner/gathering, possibly at the County Courthouse. Bikes and any other human conveyances would be strung with battery-operated Christmas lights. The parade and dinner could be the major chance for local people to mingle with conference participants.
• If you have ideas, come to the next general meeting, June 11, or the ride/walk subcommittee June 18, or phone Fertig 962-1479.

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SB City beachway congestion considered



Saturday locals and visitors bring an increasing frequency of accidents to the Santa Barbara beachway. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• On May 9-10, the City of Santa Barbara conducted workshops and group sessions that sought to ameliorate crowded conditions on the popular waterfront "beachway" path.
• The 1979 path that parallels Cabrillo Boulevard was created to provide a relatively safe place for cyclists off both the street and sidewalk. At the time, use was light, but over 18 years, the path has become increasingly popular. The advent of inline skates, baby joggers, plus a brisk tourist rental business of "surreys" and other wheeled devices has generated a mix of different speeds, experience, familiarity with the path, and needs.
• During morning hours, the path is fine because users are the regular bike commuters or local exercisers (skaters, joggers, walkers) who know each other and the path conditions. Afternoons—and especially weekend afternoons—attract droves of tourists, first-timers, families crossing the path toward the beach, busloads of gawking visitors, and kids looking for adventure. Conflict and collisions have increased.
• Experts invited from Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Long Beach and Huntington Beach spent two days traveling the beachway with different vehicles, attending a public workshop and forging recommendations. At the two-hour Friday evening workshop, most of the 30 participants were bicyclists. Many concerns and recommendations were voiced, including better cycling conditions on Cabrillo Boulevard. No consensus for treating the existing 10-foot concrete path was reached. And nobody even suggested that bicyclists should be slowed.
• The outcome of this all will be wrapped by City staff into a package that will go to the Planning Commission, then the City Council, perhaps by July. Stay tuned.

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ISTEA post cards stress bicyclists’ needs

• Last month, 1000 sets of ISTEA reauthorization post cards were printed and distributed thanks to considerate donations from Benjamin Sawyer and the Electric Transportation Company. These post cards and text describing the need to retain bikeway funding in the Federal "ISTEA" transportation bill this year were included with copies of May Quick Release, given out at Earth Day and Bike to Work events, and distributed to local bike shops.
• On the national scene, officers from Trek Bicycle, GT, and Specialized met in May with key congressional members to stress the importance of a bicyclist-favorable bill. We're pleased to see the bicycling industry becoming involved in legislation that will effect us so profoundly.
• A crucial vote in the key House Committee, pushed for early passage by pro-road chairman Bud Shuster, is now expected in early June. The proposal promoted by Shuster allows states the option of deleting up to half of their bikeway dollars, and paving more highways instead. Caltrans' director James Van Loben Sels has stated that they want "greater flexibility," meaning power, to determine our local needs.
• Senate action will follow that in the House. It's not too late to contact our House representatives and urge them to talk to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee members about the importance of supporting bikeways and other alternatives. Phone, write, or fax the following:
• Representative Walter Capps
  (for Santa Barbara County except Carpinteria)
  1118 Longworth House Building
  Washington, DC 20515
  phone 202-225-3601
  fax 202-225-5632
• Representative Elton Gallegly
  (for Carpinteria and Ventura County)
  2441 Rayburn Building
  Washington, DC 20515
  phone 202-225-05811
  fax 202-225-1100
• Tell them that it's important to continue the alternative transportation measures that the current Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) possesses.

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Coalition membership

• We thank the individuals who have renewed their Coalition memberships for 1997 and welcome the new support of Timothy Graffius and David Lawson. To date, 30 members from 1996 have renewed for 1997, and 13 new individuals or businesses have joined us. Please renew or join.

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Road racing is alive & well in Santa Barbara



Typical of local criterium races, the Crits of Fury on May 10 attracted racers to Goleta's Research Park from all over Southern California. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• In spite of the impressive rise in mountain bike racing over the last decade, road racing in Santa Barbara County is not only alive but thriving. Local racer Lee Carter observes that the largest increase is in the "masters," or more experienced cyclist, ranks.
• Races might be criteriums (groups racing multiple laps around a short course), time trials (individuals racing against a clock), road races (like the recent Death Valley to Mount Whitney race), or combined-sport biathlons or triathlons. The number of races is fairly stable, but according to Carter, the majority are becoming criterium races due to the increasing difficulty with closing roads for the longer road races.
• Races are sponsored by Santa Barbara Bicycle Club, Tailwinds Bicycle Club, Cielo Velo, and Echelon Santa Barbara. Beginners and experienced riders are encouraged in all clubs. Noteworthy for young people is Echelon's Junior Team being coached by local Olympic cyclist Rory O'Reilly.
• Interested? Head to your local bike shop, where you'll find about the next races and be directed toward a local racing club.

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Coalition Members to vote at election June 4

• Nominations for Bicycle Coalition Officers and other Board of Directors member positions were made at the May 7 Coalition meeting. There were so many good people nominated to be on the new Board that the current Board may vote at the start of the next meeting to expand the number from three to five members. Please return the following ballot to us or come to our June 4th meeting to vote in person.
• BALLOT Vote for one person for each of the following officer positions:
• President
  Robert Bernstein
  Gary Wissman
• Vice President
  Robert Bernstein
  Ralph Fertig
• Treasurer
  Owen Patmor
  other __________
• Secretary
  Sandra Wintermoss
  other __________
• Choose three of the following for Board of Directors:
  Alan Bergquist
  Robert Bernstein
  Kevin Brown
  Rob Dayton
  Ralph Fertig
  Wilson Hubbell
  Ann Lawler
  Alex Trieger
  other __________
  other __________

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Goleta transportation plan under review

• On May 8, the County Planning Commission considered changes to the 1995 Goleta Transportation Improvement Plan (GTIP) that identifies $49 million of projects, including bikeways, that will ease congestion in Goleta between 1997 and 2007. A proposed change eliminates the three-tiered categorization of projects, and replaces it with one list. This may effect future schedules.
• Current bikeway projects will cost $7 million. They include a bridge (over Highway 101) near Ellwood Station Road, and a bikepath along San Jose Creek (under 101).
• Of great importance to bicyclists is the 20% transportation impact fee charged to developers to offset costs of dealing with increased traffic; it's used to fund alternatives like bicycling, walking and bus. For the moment, all appears to be moving ahead smoothly. After the Planning Commission, the document goes to the Supervisors for approval.

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Gail Lowenstine aims to bike tour all 50 states
by Wilson Hubbell



Gail Lowenstine with her well-loaded bike beneath Mount Rainier in Washington.

• Gail Lowenstine has a goal: "I've toured by bicycle in 43 states, now I need to figure out how to put rides together for the other 7. The problem is that some of the missing states, like Ohio and South Carolina, are widely scattered and may require individual trips to each state, but I'll get there sooner or later."
• The 43 states (and more than 26,000 touring miles) have been collected by Gail during 20 plus years of cycling that include a 1976 Bikecentennial crossing by tandem from Oregon to Virginia, a bicycle camping tour from Montana to Alaska, and a couple of foreign tours in Canada and Mexico added for good measure. Almost all of these trips have been self-contained, most have been camping expeditions, and hardly any have had a sag wagon. This is a serious bicycle tourist.
• Gail's bike looks the part: 40 spoke wheels with Phil Wood hubs and 32c touring tires, Bruce Gordon Racks both front and rear, Jandd pannier bags and no-nonsense gearing low enough to drag 50 pounds of luggage up a 20% grade. She is meticulous about mileage and maps every route for her files. Ask her how far she rode in 1986 and she can tell you exactly—along with when and where.
• Commuting to and from work has also been an important part of Gail's cycling activity. Working as the Human Resources and Office Manager for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art while living in Goleta has provided an opportunity for Gail to put in some mileage on a regular basis during the week, but this has been hindered somewhat by the museum's hours of operation and Gail's desire to get into the high security building earlier than is allowable so that she can take advantage of the shower facilities that are provided for employees.
• As a long term member of organizations such as the Goleta Valley Cycling Club, Adventure Cycling and the American Youth Hostels—and also as a strong supporter of the Bicycle Coalition—Gail looks forward to collecting her next 7 states and the cycling adventures that await her.

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USCB students win NASA moon buggy contest

• On April 19, a human-powered vehicle designed by USCB mechanical engineering students won top honors at NASA's Huntsville, Alabama site. Greg Rutland, project manager, said that they beat 25 other student teams by pedaling their two-person, four-wheeled vehicle to victory over a rough track that simulates lunar topography.
• Many parts were custom designed and machined at University facilities, but others were donated by local firms: Stratos Sports, Chris King Cycle Group, and VeloPro Cyclery.