May
2001

Lompoc bike/ped bridge to open



Not yet finished on April 14, the new Lompoc bike/pedestrian bridge over the Santa Ynez River will be dedicated on May 7, 11:00 A.M. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Ten years in the making, a new bicyclist/pedestrian bridge is finished and will be dedicated on May 7th. The cantilevered bridge attaches to the existing Highway 1 / H Street bridge over the Santa Ynez River in Lompoc.
• Before the new bridge, those bicyclists daring enough to use the old bridge had to cope with a one-foot shoulder northbound, and a three-foot shoulder southbound, wedged between high-speed motorists and the railing.
• With the recent construction of an extension campus of Allan Hancock College on the north side of the river, student access from the residential areas south of the river became a pressing issue.
• Money for the $1.6 million project came from Federal Transportation Enhancements, California matching, and City of Lompoc funds. The 750-foot long bridge is already connected to the City by a half-mile bikepath. On the north end, the City is designing a bikepath that will give access to Ken Adams Park and the Allan Hancock campus.
• Our thanks to Lompoc Mayor Dick Dewees, former Councilmember Mary Leach, Lompoc Community Services Director Marlene Demery, Public Works staff member Larry Bean, Senator Jack O'Connell, and Representative Lois Capps.
• The bridge dedication is: Monday, May 7, 11:00 A.M. This is an important event for bicyclists to attend on their bikes. The officials who have worked so hard for us will be gratified, the publicity will be invaluable, and it should be fun!

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Bike Week comes to Santa Barbara County May 19-27



Here's a photographic simulation of how our Bike Week flags will look in Santa Barbara. Thanks to the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation for a grant to purchase and install the flags! Photo construction by Ralph Fertig.

• Here is a brief description of Bike Week events. More details will be put on our web site as they become available.
• Goleta Valley Cycling Club, all week. See www.goletabike.org.
• Bike Expo, May 19. Combined this year with a PTA Safety Fair and Children's Festival. Alameda Park, Santa Barbara, 10:00-4:00.
• Bike to the Museum or Zoo, May 19. Bike and show them your helmet for discounts at the SB Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, SB Sea Center, South Coast Railroad Museum, or SB Zoo.
• Sisquoc Road Race, May 19.
• Spring Criterium May 20.
• Tour de Cure, May 20.
• Bike to School Day, May 22. Various locations, contact school.
• Bicycling Vietnam, May 24, and Bicycling South America, May 25. Slide shows by Wilson Hubbell, both at Muddy Waters Coffee Shop, 508 E. Haley, Santa Barbara, 7:30 P.M.
• Bicycling Egypt, May 27. Slide show by Ralph Fertig, Pacific Traveler's Supply, 12 W. Anapamu, Santa Barbara, 7:30 P.M.

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Wednesday, May 23 Bike to Work Day site list

• Santa Barbara, State and De la Guerra St, 7:30-8:30 AM, Dru van Hengel, 564-5544
• Carpinteria, Cavalli's Cafe, 7:30-8:30 AM, Rick Fulmer, 684-5405
• Goleta, Goleta Valley Athletic Club, 12:00-1:00 PM, Mindy Norris, 568-2917
• UCSB, Faculty Club Lawn, 5:00-6:00 PM, James Wagner, 893-5475
• Lompoc, South Side Coffee Company, 7:00-8:00 AM, Lynn Mathis, 875-8266
• Solvang, Solvang Park, 7:30-8:30 AM, Jonathan Humfrey, 962-9812
• Santa Maria, Santa Maria City Hall, 7:30-8:30 AM, Brian Halvorson, 925-0951 x244

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Goleta bike rack blocked



Crammed together in one small space next to a 30-foot wide entry sidewalk, everything is easily accessible except for half the bike rack stations. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• In early April, Bicycle Coalition president Robert Bernstein noticed a bench in front of the 8-bicycle bike rack at the Goleta Community Center building, blocking access to two positions. Adjacent telephones already blocked two others. He contacted director Randy Rosness about removing the bench. After a response from Rosness, a misunderstanding about removing the rack altogether, and charged discussion on our online email list, the situation is unchanged. Four bikes can still be parked in the rear. Stay tuned for future bike action.

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Summer BMX biking programs for youth



Young bikers warm up on Buellton's Valley BMX track before the Saturday Race Nite on April 14. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Publications have recently come out with pages of summer activities for children. You'll scan long lists of baseball, swimming, tennis, soccer, computer, dancing, drama, hiking, horseback riding—and a lot more—to find the sole bike listing for kids. It's at the Santa Barbara BMX track.
• Kids can attend the BMX Summer Camp to be held on June 19-22 from 8:30-4:30 each day. For details, phone Bill Carson at 682-3041. Or they can join "Camp Las Positas" that includes BMX riding along with soccer, baseball and other activities in Elings Park. That camp runs June 18-August 31, 9:00-3:00 Monday-Friday. Phone 898-9494 for information.
• On a year-round basis, there's not much more. Kids can join Echelon's Junior Team for road racing, and can enjoy BMX racing at the Santa Barbara track and the Valley BMX track in Buellton. If you know of other youth bike programs, please tell us.

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Biking on the Santa Maria River levee



Santa Maria bike riders survey the river levee prior to construction of a new bikepath. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• As soon as the City of Santa Maria gets its permits from the California Department of Fish and Game, bids will go out for constructing a bikepath on the Santa Maria River levee. Hopefully, says public works representative Rick Sweet, the work will be finished before summer.
• The 2-mile path runs between Preisker Lane and Suey Crossing Road. It will not be paved, but will have a hard surface that most bicyclists will find suitable. Next on the city's agenda is extending the path three-quarters of a mile west from Preisker.
• What many envision, however, is to eventually run the path on the levee all the way to the City of Guadalupe. The 10-mile addition would be a great ride, declares the County's Wilson Hubbell. It would be not only a recreational ride, but a commute alternative to Highway 166 that has heavy farm vehicle usage.
• The County wants to pursue it, but needs us to bring increased attention to the project. You can help by writing to the people listed below. Just envision that epic ride along the River, from Santa Maria to the Ocean!
• Make a difference by telling the following that we want the Santa Maria River levee path:
• Santa Maria Times
  PO Box 400
  Santa Maria, CA 93454
• Phil Demery, Director
  Department of Public Works
  County of Santa Barbara
  123 East Anapamu Street
  Santa Barbara, CA 93101
• Tom Fayram, Deputy Director
  Department of Public Works
  County of Santa Barbara
  123 East Anapamu Street
  Santa Barbara, CA 93101
• Abel Maldonado, Assemblyman
  State Capitol Building
  Sacramento, CA 95814
• Board of Supervisors
  County of Santa Barbara
  105 East Anapamu Street
  Santa Barbara, CA 93101
• Santa Barbara News-Press
  Letters to the Editor
  PO Box 1359
  Santa Barbara, CA 93102

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Coalition officer nominations

• At our meeting on May 1, nominations will be accepted for the four officers and five other members of the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Think about how you can help our bicycling community by offering your energy and ideas.
• If you wish to nominate somebody, but can't make it to the meeting, mail it to our PO box or email it in info@sbbike.org or ask somebody else to make the nomination for you. Our annual elections will be held at our June 5 meeting.

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Level the playing field

• "It's time to level the playing field for bicycle commuters. Across the country people are working to create more livable communities that include reduced traffic congestion, improved air quality and increased neighborhood safety. Bicycles offer a wonderful alternative to driving."
• — U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer

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SB City cleans bike bridge

• After Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition member Dave Bourgeois complained about glass and debris on the Oak Park bike bridge, George Gerth, Manager of Streets, Parking and Transportation Operations, went into action. It resulted in a cleaner bridge and happier Bourgeois, who wrote Gerth "I'm finding the overpass much cleaner." Thanks to them both for improving our bicycling.

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Bike to work and live longer

• A recent study of 13,375 women and 17,265 men in Denmark determined that those who bicycle to work are rewarded with a 40% lower risk of mortality than those who don't. The study was published as "All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work," in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Chuck Anderson simply loves biking
by Ralph Fertig



Chuck Anderson with his bike commute bicycle. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• It was a memorable day for Chuck Anderson when the training wheels came off his first bike. He was free at last—to bike on the sidewalks around one block in his Minnesota hometown. After that, it was more freedom, independence, learning, and bikes. Chuck recalls a coin-toss ride with a friend: they took off over the farm-road grid. At each intersection, they tossed a coin to determine which way to turn. They loved all 60 miles!
• Today, Chuck works in geology at UCSB where he obtained a masters degree two years ago. Except when it's pouring rain, he bike commutes 27 miles a day. His stable includes six bikes that are housed in his home, a converted water tower on a former Montecito estate.
• Chuck heads the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers, a group of mountain bikers who dedicate themselves to trail maintenance, safety, and cooperation. Their most recent success is passing out "cow bells" with straps, donated by Kona Bicycles, for mountain bikers to wear. So far, about 50 have been given away. Chuck has heard from hikers and horse riders who say that the abrupt appearance of bikers was the main problem, and the bells now alert them beforehand.
• An upcoming effort to increase trail harmony among users is their helping to host a three-day Santa Barbara Trailbuilding School May 11-13. Chuck wants nothing more than to work side by side with all trail users, to enrich our lives, and to share our spectacular heritage.

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BLM changes position on bikes

• Last December 4th, the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft of a new plan for handling off-road vehicles in its lands. Surprisingly, the document grouped mountain bikes together with motorcycles and motorized all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
• The BLM is the world's largest land-management agency—it manages 264 million acres of public land, effecting us all.The response from bicyclists was immediate. It wasn't that they didn't recognize the need for management, but they didn't want to be included under the motorized umbrella. Within 30 days, the BLM received over 10,000 opposing letters. On January 19, they issued their final vehicle strategy: bicyclists would be considered separately. The BLM promised to work with bike groups to develop a new management policy.
• Groups that organized replies included the Wilderness Society, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), and League of American Bicyclists. This tells us that bicyclists can speak up and will be heard.