June
1999

Bike to Work Day attracts multitudes throughout County



Hundreds of cyclists jammed closed-off State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara for the Sixth Annual Bike to Work celebration. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Our Annual Bike to Work celebration took place around our County on May 18th. The weather was sunny and, by many measures, it was a fine success for us and our communities countywide. Bike to Work attracted hundreds of bicyclists to gatherings in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, UCSB, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria.
• The total attendance won't be known until all registration forms are sent back and tallied, but numbers for Santa Maria, Goleta, and UCSB indicate an overall decline at those locations compared to both 1997 and 1998 Bike to Work totals. We'll have to do some analysis and thinking about what might be happening.
• Applause goes out to our Bike-to-Work coordinator Jonathan Humfrey who worked beyond the remuneration that we could afford. We are very grateful to American Silkscreen in Santa Barbara for donating their time to screen 2100 T-shirts that were given to Bike-to-Work volunteers and participants. Additionally, there were 75 other local businesses, governments and groups, listed below, that donated time, food, prizes, and money to make this all happen.
• Bike to Work Day gives bicycling credibility and visibility that might be otherwise unrecognized. Congratulations to all volunteers and participants for helping to promote what gives us fitness, clean air, lower taxes, and fun.

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SBCAG funds five bicycling projects

• At their monthly meeting May 20, the Directors of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) closely followed their staff recommendations when they voted to apply federal funding. The result is that, of the 12 bike-related projects that were proposed early this year, five of them were funded.
• These five projects, with funded amounts in thousands of dollars, are the following:
• San Jose Creek bikepath, Goleta $1,047
• Bike bridge, Santa Ynez River, Lompoc 394
• Allan Hancock College bikepath, Lompoc 394
• Car-free vacation promotion, APCD 90
• Bikelanes on streets, Santa Maria 703
• The best news is that the San Jose Creek bikepath will be built. It connects Cathedral Oaks with Hollister Avenue, travelling along the creek bank for much of the distance. This will provide safe travel under Highway 101 and the railroad. The project includes a bike/ped bridge over the creek to connect the two segments of Armitos Avenue.
• A disappointment to many was defeat of the Ellwood bike/pedestrian bridge over Highway 101. This project, designed to mitigate the impact of increasing motorized traffic in western Goleta, will probably be resubmitted for funding in two years when the second half of the six-year cycle comes up.
• Another disappointment was the rejection of bikelanes on Los Carneros Road in Goleta. Alternative transportation coordinator Wilson Hubbell, however, may have identified another source of funds for that project. Stay tuned.

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Our video “Decide to Ride” is finished !

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition's video, two years in the crafting, is finished! "Decide to Ride" tells the story of a young woman who goes through the process of becoming a safe, informed and enthusiastic transportation bicyclist.
• In the video, you'll recognize local Bicycle Coalition members, government officials, businessmen, and local bicyclists. Shots were made at locations in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, including our booth at 1998 Earth Day and Bike to Work Day '98.
• We selected local film producer David Cowan to make the video, for which we received funding from the Air Pollution Control District and the Phillip Babcock Memorial Fund.
• "Decide to Ride" will be shown on Santa Barbara City and County public access TV channels. Copies will be available soon for purchase. Our thanks go to Cowan, our video committee, and all those budding actors.

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Bike to Work Day on my recumbent trike
by David Lawson



David Lawson, on the right, shows off his 3-wheeled "trike" to others at Goleta Bike to Work Day. Photo by Will Wild / Daily Nexus.

• Here are a few of the many experiences during my "Tour de BTW Day Events" in which I tri-cycled 28 miles to visit the three Santa Barbara area events (and even put in a couple of hours at work):
• After a very enjoyable breakfast event downtown—meeting long time friends who cycle to work there—I started my return trip to UCSB and passed a Southern California Edison road crew who shouted out, "Now there goes the Y2K solution."
• On Nueces Drive near the Atascadero Bridge Crossing, I stopped to fix a flat tire. Several of the residents in the neighborhood came out to commiserate and talk about cycling. How often does that happen with a car breakdown? One of the gentlemen then said, "I'll load the trike on my pickup and give you ride back to your house." Since I had to put in a show at work before my volunteer stint at the noontime BTW Day event at Goleta Valley Athletic Center, I didn't say no! You can be sure that I'll be smiling at the neighbors when I cycle through that neighborhood from now on.
• Got my picture taken for UCSB's Daily Nexus newspaper while I was at the lunchtime BTW Day pizza party. Had loads of fun spooning out the salad to a happy and hungry crowd of cyclists.
• Finally, at the after-work UCSB Faculty Club event, Willi Hart (Associated Students Bike Shop manager) and I presented outgoing UCSB Transportation Alternative Program manager Mindy Norris with a certificate of appreciation (and $100 credit at the AS Bike Shop) from fellow UCSB staff/faculty and a number of Bicycle Coalition members.
• My thanks to everyone who worked to celebrate cycling to work, '99 in Santa Barbara. David L. Lawson dms@impulse.net.

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Bicycle Coalition election on June 2

• Nominations were made on May 5 for the Bicycle Coalitions' nine positions on the Board of Directors: four officers and five others who will serve on the Board. Bicycle Coalition members are eligible for voting either in person at our regular June 2 meeting or by mailing in the ballot below to the Coalition (PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190). Copies of the ballot will be available at the meeting if you need one then.
• BALLOT
  Vote for one person for each of the following offices:
• President: Robert Bernstein or (other)
• Vice President: Ralph Fertig or (other)
• Treasurer: Gary Wissman or (other)
• Secretary: Sandra Wintermoss or (other)
• Choose five of the following for Board of Directors: Dru van Hengel, Pierre Delong, Charles Coffey, Wilson Hubbell, Ann Lawler, Joseph Mastroianni, or (other)

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Bike Saturday is deemed a premier success



At the Bicycle Coalition's stand at Bike Saturday are, left to right, Alan Bergquist, Charles Coffey, Rex Stephens, Ann Lawler. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition worked with the City of Santa Barbara to produce a new bicycling advocacy event—Bike Saturday. It was shepharded into existence by the Bike Week Committee and the City's mobility coordinator Dru van Hengel who did a great organizing job.
• The three-hour morning event took place in De la Guerra Plaza. We had little idea what turnout to expect, but with no marketing budget, we weren't surprised that fewer than 100 people came by. Nevertheless, all participants were pleased to have the time to casually chat and share bicycling thoughts. They realized that it was a first-time event, and felt that the potential for Bike Saturday to grow—and with it, an entire Bike Week of events—was real and exciting.
• Our collective thanks go to those who helped make Bike Saturday possible:
• Donations, Santa Barbara Bikesmiths, Club 93101
• Bike rodeo, Steve Morris' Defensive Driving School
• Information booths, the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, Traffic Solutions
• Logistics and planning, the City of Santa Barbara's Traffic Operations/Parking, the Police Department's Bicycle Unit
• Bike helmet fitting, Echelon Santa Barbara
• Bike fitting, Bruce Davis (Hazard's Cyclesport), Ernie Ferrel
• Bike checkups, Hazard's Cyclesport, VeloPro Cyclery, Santa Barbara Bikesmith
• Repair stands, Santa Barbara Middle School
• Bike mechanics workshop, Steve Cotton (Santa Barbara Bicycle Project)
• Product booths, Adventours Excursions, American Bicycle Security Company, Crystal Springs Water, Specialized, Electric Transportation Company, Currie Technologies
• Bike rides, Ralph Fertig, Jose Gonzalez.
• Whew, that's an impressive list! Let's roust out the local cyclists for Bike Saturday 2000.

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Which was voted the best Bike to Work logo design?

Judith Geiger 1995

Megan Miley 1996

Thomas Jennings 1997

Teresa Sy 1998

Ethan Turpin 1999

• At the three biggest Bike to Work '99 events, the Bicycle Coalition hung out samples of T-shirts from the past five years and asked participants which they liked the best. The idea was to learn what people favored, so we have a better idea what to do in the future.
• 
• The results showed that 1995 designer Judith Geiger won overall with 38% of the total 692 votes cast. Second place is held by 1996 designer Megan Miley, and third, by Ethan Turpin with this year's art. The ironic observation is that in 1997 and 1998, when we solicited art in a public contest, the resulting designs ranked lowest. The above chart shows how the votes were split. Every design had its own adherents, so the vote showed general tendencies rather than a unanimous mandate.

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Thanks to Bike to Work sponsors

• Without the generous donation of money, food, raffle prizes, and lots of time, our Bike to Work celebrations around the County would have been impossible. Please patronize these community-minded businesses, and thank the organizations and government entities who have helped make it all possible:
• ABC-Clio, Air Pollution Control District, Alias | wavefront, American Lung Association, Associated Transportation Engineers, Balance Bar, Bartlett, Pringle and Wolf, Bicycle Bob's, Bike Barn, Central Coast Productions, Central Printing, Chumash Casino, City of Carpinteria, City of Lompoc, City of Santa Barbara, City of Santa Maria, Coastal View News, County of Santa Barbara, Dako, Domino's Pizza, Dr. J's Bicychiatry, Edward Bear and Friends, El Rancho MarketPlace, Ericsson, Firestone Vineyard, Goleta Valley Athletic Club, Harrison Hardware, Hendry Telephone Products, Jack's Famous Bagels, JCPenny, KBKO, KBOX, KEYT-1250, KJEE, KKSB, KMGQ, KRUZ, KSYV, KTMS, KTYD, Lightning Cycle Dynamics, Main Street Cycle, Mid-State Bank, Mollo and Sons Bicycle Works, Old Man Mountain Products, Open Air Bicycles, Pacific Traveler's Supply, Pactuco, Inc, Parking Services UCSB, Pedal Power Bicycles, Rincon Cycles, Rocket Rex, Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, Santa Barbara Bikesmiths, Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara News-Press, Santa Cota Market, Santa Maria Inn, Santa Maria Times, Santa Ynez Valley News, Smart and Final, Snapple, Solvang Recreation, South Side Coffee Company, Starbucks Coffee, Stratford Coffee House and Cafí, Straw Hat Pizza, The Gas Company, The Lompoc Record, The Natural Cafe, Traffic Solutions, Tri-County Produce, UCen Dining Services, Valley Voice, VeloPro Cyclery, Vons Markets, Wild Oats, and Yardi Systems.

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Bike Project needs help

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Project, an "earn-a-bike" program for local youth, needs bike parts, supplies, and volunteer help, says project coordinator Steve Cotton. They need adult volunteers for the June 4-6 mountain bike campout in the National Forest. Also, please donate bikes, components, and supplies for the kids to use to learn bike repair and build their own bikes. Call Cotton at 966-5419 or 964-4844.

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We overlooked Judy Keim

• In thanking Bicycle Coalition members and others for helping with our Earth Day booth, Judy Keim was inadvertently overlooked in the May Quick Release. Judy was a great help, spending hours talking with Earth Day visitors.
• When she's not helping us, Judy runs Pedal and Paddle of Santa Barbara, a bicycling and kayak excursion outfit. Phone her at 687-2912.

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Mindy Norris now heads Traffic Solutions



Mindy Norris enjoys her last Bike to Work Day celebration at UCSB. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• On May 17th, Mindy Norris became the TDM Program Administrator at Traffic Solutions, the regional alternative transportation agency. Norris comes to Traffic Solutions with more than five years experience developing, implementing and promoting the alternative transportation programs at UCSB.
• Norris earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Psychology from UCSB, as well as a teaching credential. A longtime bicycle commuter, she has switched to a tri-modal commute (by bike, bus and foot) temporarily, until she re-locates closer to her new office. She is reportedly eager to return to full-time bicycling. We couldn't be more pleased.
• Contact Norris by email mnorris@sbcag.org, by phone at 568-2917, or in person at 222 East Anapamu Street, #24, Santa Barbara. And watch for great things to happen at Traffic Solutions now.

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New members

• We welcome our new Bicycle Coalition members and express our gratitude for their support of better bicycling in our community:
• Jerry Floyd
• Geoff Grow
• Ken Yamamoto