February
2005

Government says “exercise more”



2005 Dietary Guidelines

• The news is dire. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight. And half of all Americans get little or no exercise. So the government is taking action.
• On January 12, new Dietary Guidelines were released by the US Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services. Compared to earlier guidelines, the 2005 ones have greater emphasis on increased physical activity and reduced calorie consumption. The new Guidelines tell Americans to engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight. Specifically, we are told to:
• Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning like bicycling, stretching exercises, and resistance exercises for muscle strength and endurance.
• Reduce the risk of chronic diseases by engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
• Manage adult body weight by engaging in 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity on most days of the week, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
• Sustain adult weight loss by engaging in 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
• While many people will feel that they cannot squeeze in 30-90 minutes a day for exercise, rethinking daily habits might reveal that bike trips for shopping and recreation can provide what they need.
• In addition to exercise, the Guidelines emphasize calorie control and selection of nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods. Choose foods and beverages from basic food groups while limiting intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sugars, salt, and alcohol.
• What should we all eat? Mostly, eat a large variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products. Keep fat intake low, with most coming from polyunsaturated or monosaturated fats such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Choose lean, nonfat or lowfat meat, poultry, dry beans and milk products. At the same time, balance calories consumed with those expended to maintain body weight. To lose weight, slowly reduce food intake while increasing exercise.
• You can read the entire 2005 Dietary Guidelines and consumer brochure online at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

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More bike articles, fewer letters to editors

• Each year since 1992, the Bicycle Coalition's Ralph Fertig has clipped regional newspaper articles, cartoons, photographs, opinion/editorial pieces, and letters to the editor that mention or depict bicycling in any way. Annually, he then tabulates those where bicycling plays a significant, not trivial, part of the item. The results—shown in the graph—clearly demonstrate a continual rise of awareness of bicycling within our County.
• For 2004 articles, photos and cartoons, we have a new record: 405 of them! That's an 8% increase over 2003.
• For submitted letters and opinion/editorial "op/ed" pieces, however, the opposite was true—we dropped to the lowest level since 1992. There were only 28 of them. This should be embarrassing to us because it's the one area where we, as bicyclists, can personally raise awareness and make a real difference.
• As for the 28 bicycling-related letters and op/ed pieces published in 2003, ten were written by Bicycle Coalition members. Our thanks to Ralph Fertig who had three published, Robert Bernstein for two, and one each from Mike Hecker , Alex Pujo, Eva Inbar, Harry Nelson, and Garrick Sitongia.

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Armstrong cycles

• For the third year, Lance Armstrong returned to the Santa Ynez Valley for spring bicycle training. This time, the team has a new sponsor, the Discovery Channel, replacing former sponsor US Postal Service. "I love to get together with the guys and suffer," enthused Armstrong. The Discovery team is scheduled for 50 events this year, but whether Armstrong will try for a seventh win in the Tour de France has not yet been announced.
• Even if Armstrong doesn't compete in the Tour, we may be getting a movie about him in 2006. There has been talk about actor Matt Damon getting cycling-fit and playing the leading role. Perseverance and overcoming adversity are winning Hollywood box-office themes.

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Storms wash out local roads and trails



Officially closed, cyclists could cross Cold Springs Creek on Mountain Drive in Montecito with care—and shoes in hand. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Motorists and bicyclists alike were challenged by the results of recent rainstorms. Highways, residential streets, and trails around our county were blocked by mudslides, boulders, washed-out bridges, and missing sections altogether.
• In some conditions like six inches of mud, motorists can make it through but bicyclists cannot. Conversely, agile lightweight cyclists can skirt or bike through places where cars cannot. Please stay off trails until they dry out enough, and help with volunteer efforts to return them to pre-storm conditions. Chalk it all up to the price of living in our awesome hunk of California.

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Be a bicycle explorer

• "Want to feel like an explorer? I have the answer—third graders. That's right, primary school students. Before you go on your next adventure, approach a teacher and offer to share your journey with a class of students."
• — Willie Weir, Adventure Cycling, November 2004

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US reports bike trips safer than in 1990

• A recent study by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) looks at changes in bicycling and walking by Americans over the past decade. It found that between 1990 and 2001, the portion of US trips made by bicycle had increased from 0.7% to 0.8% of all trips. And over the same period, the number of bicyclist fatalities and injuries had declined by 35.2%.
• Because the number of trips made by bicycle has more than doubled from 1.7 billion in 1990 to 3.3 billion in 2001, this means that our bicycle safety per trip has greatly increased in the last decade.
• Taking a broader view, we see that for most of the 1970s and 1980s, motorized travel was promoted and non-motorized modes like walking and bicycling were neglected. Accordingly, motorized trips increased, and non-motorized ones declined. The Federal Highway Administrator called bicycling and walking "the forgotten modes" in 1990.
• That changed drastically in 1991 when a visionary Congress passed "ISTEA," the 6-year transportation act that specifically sought to "increase use of bicycling for urban and suburban areas." Followed in 1998 with a similar "TEA-21" transportation act, the effect was to increase federal funding for biking and walking from $6 million in 1990 to $422 million in 2003. At the same time, the Federal government gave states and local governments more control over how to spend the money.
• In our County, we don't always realize that Federal money is helping us because it's mostly administered by Caltrans and projects are selected by local jurisdictions.
• In order to increase bicycling, the FHWA reported in 2002 that bicyclists riding in areas without bikepaths or bikelanes were twice as likely to feel endangered (mostly by motorists) as bicyclists on them. And they were four times as unhappy with their community designs.
• As for reauthorization of TEA-21, Congress passed their fifth temporary extension last September because the joint House-Senate committee could not agree. Congress continues to be sympathetic toward a bicycling agenda. Both the House and Senate versions include a Safe Routes to School provision, as well as funding for recreational trails, planning, and other issues that are increasingly friendly to bicycling. With the new extension deadline of May 31st looming, we are optimistic that Congress will finally resolve their issues.

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Sweet North County site has online rides

• A new web site has been recently crafted by Rick Sweet, all around bicyclist and public works employee for the City of Santa Maria. The site "Central Coast Cycling" has information for bicyclists in northern Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County.
• Still under development, the site currently has a number of road rides that cyclists can print out and take. Rides for mountain bikers are coming soon, as well as "pleasure rides." There is also a ride calendar, and information on bike clubs and bike shops in the area.
• Sweet says that site development occurred "while I was recovering from yet another bike wreck." Thankfully, as of January 20th, Sweet is riding again. "I started back last week and am slowly building the miles," he says, adding advice for others, "please remember to obey the laws of the road and ride safely."
• Check out his new site and try out the rides: www.centralcoastcycling.com.

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Purisima update

• Purisima Road is a narrow, two-lane road that connects Highway 246 with Highway 1 north of Lompoc. It would be a fine connecting road for cyclists if it were not for the lack of shoulders, fast traffic, and hills that restrict visibility.
• The County will soon release a Project Study Report on proposed widening the road to include shoulders that will increase safety for not only cyclists, but also disabled motorists, farm equipment drivers, and police during pull-overs.
• We are aware that transportation funds are scarce now, but the Report is the first step in understanding the scope and cost of possible improvements, moving it closer to funding when money once more becomes available.

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CycleSmart bicyclist education news



Nancy Mulholland directs Street Skills for Cyclists participants in bike control exercises. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Street Skills Class March 5th
• Feel vulnerable on the road? You're not alone. Join others at our Street Skills for Cyclists class. You will find out:
• Why crashes occur and how to avoid them.
• How to increase your safety by controlling the traffic around you.
• Your rights and responsibilities on the road.
• Techniques to make yourself more visible to drivers.
• The class will take place on Saturday, March 5th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. An optional 6-hour follow-up will be offered on March 6th for those desiring the experience of on-road bicycling.
• The Street Skills class is open to all those 16 years of age and older. It costs $30 and will take place in the David Gebhard Public Meeting room in the Community Development and Public Works Building, 630 Garden Street in Santa Barbara.
• League Cycling Instructors Chuck Anderson and Susan McLaughlin will lead this session. Registration is required; a registration form is online at www.sbbike.org/docs/Street-Skills.pdf.
• Following the Saturday Street Skills class will be an optional on-bike, on-road followup on Sunday, March 6th from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. It will be open at no charge to all those who completed previous Street Skills classes.
• Questions? Contact Susan McLaughlin at 897-2669, smclaughlin@ci.santa-barbara.ca.us, or Chuck Anderson at 565-7511, mtbchuck@cox.net for more information.
• Upcoming LCI course
• A League Cycling Instructor's (LCI) certification course will be held April 8-10 in San Luis Obispo. Enjoy a weekend in San Luis Obispo with other bicycle riders while learning how to share important information on safe vehicular cycling.
• We especially need LCIs who live in the North County and those who are bilingual (English/Spanish). To register for the course or to get details about it, you can email the coordinator, Jean Anderson, at slopver@charter.net.
• For information on possible grant funding to cover the registration fee, contact Dru van Hengel at 564-5544 or at dvanhengel@ci.santa-barbara.ca.us.

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BikeEd Fact Sheet: Lights at Night

• Visibility
• By law, you must have a front white light and red rear reflector in most states
• Motorists are familiar with white meaning front and red meaning rear
• Front lights can illuminate your path or simply make you visible at night.
• Wattage
• Inexpensive lights seldom light your path; at about 3 watts, they make you visible
• Lighting systems are available that put out 45 watts with a halogen bulb
• Most full-time commuters use at least a 10 watt system with a rechargeable battery.
• Power sources
• From AA batteries to nickel-metal-hydride rechargeables, the options are endless
• Self-contained, rechargeable batteries have the best life and brightest light
• Simple AA powered lights have lower initial cost but frequent battery replacement.
• Helmet versus bar mount
• Helmet mounted lights allow you to get the attention of motorists by looking at them
• Bar mounted lights make you look more like a vehicle but only point forward
• The ideal situation is one helmet light and one bar-mounted light for safety.
• Rear lights
• A red rear blinking light is much more conspicuous than a passive reflector
• Make sure that your light is visible to motorists and not pointing up or down
• Clear obstructions from the back of the bike that would block the light.
• — from Better Bicycling Fact Sheets, League of American Bicyclists, Bicycle Advocacy and Education Center. www.bikeleague.org

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New Bike Week event scheduled

• Bike Week 2005 is looking more promising than ever. Willie Weir will return not only for our Saturday, May 14th "Bike Week Celebration," but he has agreed to talk on Sunday afternoon as part of the Adult Ed series "What Matters Most."
• The idea of featuring Weir in the Sunday series came from Bicycle Coalition Board member Don Lubach. Don is a co-instructor with Marsha Karpeles of the Karpeles Manuscript Museums, one of which is in Santa Barbara.
• Lubach realized that Weir would be perfect for the series because it focuses on how individuals learn what matters most in life and how those values impact our lives.
• Because the Karpeles presentation is in the afternoon, it gives us time to participate in the Tour of the Santa Barbara Bike Trails in the morning. The Tour is being organized by our Board member Mike Hecker who is donating a substantial portion of the profit to our Bicycle Coalition.
• We're seeking other bicycle events for Bike Week—please contact us with your ideas for the week May 14-May 22.

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Greg Siple

76 years on one bike

• UK resident William Wagstaff, aged 95, bad farewell to his bicycle that he bought 76 years ago, and donated it to London's Transport Museum. Into his nineties, he rode his bike a few times each week—until a brush with a car upset his confidence.
• Wagstaff bought his bicycle for £14 in 1929. Since then, he has bicycled over 48,000 miles on it. He replaced the saddle twice and used up 15 sets of tires—but kept the original saddlebag and tool kit, plus a World War II oil lamp. The Transport Museum's curator attributed the bike's longevity to its strong steel frame and because Wagstaff soaked everything in oil.

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Drink 4:1 carbs to protein for endurance

• Conventional wisdom says drink water or a sugar-based drink on bike rides. That has been refuted by a study reported in the July 2004 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: adding protein to sports drinks can increase endurance, reduce muscle damage, and enhance recovery.
• The study entailed 15 male cyclists who rode stationary bikes on two consecutive days. On the first day, as they rode to exhaustion, they were given either a conventional carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (Gatorade) or a sports drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio (Accelerade). On the second day, they rode to exhaustion with nothing to drink.
• On the first day, those with the protein drink were able to cycle 29% longer, and on the second day, they cycled 40% longer.
• A blood test for CPK, a measurement of muscle damage, was made before the second ride. It showed that the level of muscle damage was 83% less in those cyclists drinking the carbohydrate-protein mixture on the first day.
• The study was done at the Human Performance Laboratory at James Madison University in Virginia. Neither the cyclists nor testing researchers knew who was receiving which drink. And the study was not funded by either drink manufacturer.

Eric Schwartz and transportation bikes
by Ralph Fertig



Eric Schwartz and his associate Kali Cowgill stand in the workshop of his Commuter Bicycles business. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Little six-year old Eric Schwartz got a tricycle and what did he do with it? —he took it apart. Since that auspicious beginning, he has been working with the wondrously efficient and environmentally benign machines that allow us to be joyously self-propelled.
• Born and raised in Ventura, Eric has only briefly strayed from the Ventura/Santa Barbara area that he enjoys so much. Today he is dedicated to making our lives healthier and more fulfilling through not only his Commuter Bicycles business, but also through other environmental actions.
• Eric runs his bicycle business out of his Eastside Santa Barbara workshop, but he is looking forward to obtaining a high-profile shop somewhere in the area, possibly at Santa Barbara's upcoming Bikestation.
• A view of Eric's site www.commuterbicycles.com reveals his dedication to our environment. His byline sets the tone: "Functional cycles for ethical transportation." His mission statement expands on it—he intends to "Provide cycling as a true replacement for automobile use, that is support humans in recovering from our shared psychosis that requires some of us to haul 4,000 lbs of metal with them everywhere they go at the expense of our priceless shared biosphere."
• He offers transportation, internal-geared, electric, and shaft-drive bicycles from Fuji, Incline, Van Dessel, Xtracycle and Merida. Because he has exclusive dealership for the whole US or Western US for some, he gets orders from all over the country, with shipping throughout America and overseas.
• We're fortunate to have Eric in our midst, promoting responsible travel. Now joined by associate Kali Cowgill, watch for them at Earth Day and other local festivals.

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Active members

• Please thank and support the following Bicycle Coalition business members:
• Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbara
• King Cycle Group, Portland OR
• Hazard's Cyclesport, Santa Barbara
• Jeffrey Stoutenborough, Architect, Santa Barbara
• Open Air Bicycles, Santa Barbara
• Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria
• Piekert Group Architects, Santa Barbara
• Rincon Cycles, Carpinteria
• We welcome new members Chris Orr and Roman Baratiak and invite them to contact any of our officers or board members at any time.
• Finally, we certainly thank those who renewed their memberships: Curtis Ridling, Sam Hartline, Teresa & David Bothman, Bob Swinney, Dan Henry, Don Lubach, Bob Cooper, Dick Kling, Marvin & Melinda Goodman, Vie & George Obern, Yolanda Blue, David & Mary Lawson, Ralph Fertig, Mark Mittermiller, and Robert Rainwater.

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Caltrans replies to our Surfliner letter



The bicyclist waiting for the new Surfliner train pulling into Santa Barbara will have to put his bike in the baggage car—for now. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The Bicycle Coalition wrote to Warren Weber, Chief or Caltrans' Division of Rail, on November 24. We expressed disappointment that the new Surfliner service between LA and San Luis Obispo did not have the roll-on bike accommodation for cyclists that other Surfliners did. We understood that the refurbished cars that were deployed were not the newer California Cars, but hoped that something could nevertheless be done for people with bicycles.
• On January 6, a letter came to us from William Bronte, the Acting Chief who replaced the retired Weber. He wrote, "We have requested that Amtrak look at various options to modify the rebuilt cars used for the latest train so that bikes could easily be stored on board." Bronte continues, "We agree with your assessment that all of the Surfliner trains should have easy bike storage to encourage use of this means of travel. Thank you for taking the time to share with us the interest of you and your organization in encouraging alternative modes of transportation."
• So there is a chance that Amtrak might alter the refurbished cars to accommodate bicycles. We'll be watching.

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Shop online and help us

• Now you can contribute to the Bicycle Coalition while you shop online. And it doesn't cost you a penny extra!
• We're partnering with the local nonprofit service "Fund It" to bring you the opportunity to help us while you do your shopping. You'll be able to buy from numerous online sites for all kinds of products. You can, for example, shop at Macy's, Target, Apple or Dell computers, Office Depot, Sharper Image, Petco, Camping World, iTunes, Champion clothing, Buy.com and others.
• Check out the possibilities. Go to www.fundit.org, and select the shopping category you want. That's it.

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January Coalition meeting topics

• Our January 4th Bicycle Coalition evening meeting at Rusty's Pizza in Santa Barbara attracted 15 people to discuss these topics:
• Ralph Fertig described the rejection by County Supervisors of funding for the Coalition's proposal for a rest stop on the Obern Trail. Another funding source was suggested by Supervisor Susan Rose.
• Mike Hecker said that his Solvang Cyclocross race was very successful in spite of having to move it from Goleta just a few weeks before. The rain that day probably increased its muddy appeal.
• Ralph Fertig described our distribution of safety lights to kids at elementary schools before the winter break.
• Nancy Mulholland encouraged people to attend our Street Skills for Cyclists class on January 8th. She is working on offering a class as part of the South Coast's Adult Ed program.
• Matt Dobberteen described his involvement with the 101 In Motion process that is trying to reduce motorist congestion in the South Coast between Ellwood and the Ventura County line. He will check on the relevance of bicycling in the process.
• Erika Lindemann described the 2005 Bike to Work forum that Traffic Solutions will offer on January 12th; they plan to craft a new approach to activities this year.
• Ralph Fertig reported that people preferred a Saturday rather than Friday date for our 2005 Bike Week Celebration featuring Willie Weir. He reserved the Chase Palm Park Center for May 14th.
• Matt Dobberteen talked about the County's Public Works financial situation and the desirability of having existing personnel take over the duties of retired Wilson Hubbell.
• Ralph Fertig reported that four gift memberships were bought for 2005, two from Don Lubach and two from Gary Nett.

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UCSB plans to upgrade Bike Shop



Staff member Chris Orr watches activity at the UCSB Bike Shop next to one of their buildings. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The two small, temporary buildings that house the UCSB Associated Students' Bike Shop are cramped and not very sound. The University is hoping to improve things for the popular student-funded facility that serves many of the 15,000 people who bicycle through campus on school days.
• The long-range campus master plan proposes a new bike facility as part of mixed-use housing and light commercial development along Ocean Road, a block from Isla Vista and next to the busy Pardall bike corridor. However, that won't be built for at least seven years. So an interim plan is under consideration now.
• The plan, recently presented by Marsha Zilles to the AS BIKES committee, consists of a 24-foot x 60-foot manufactured building. It depends on funding that was recently applied for, but Zilles is optimistic about obtaining it.
• Whether a new building is installed or not, the shop will continue offering a place for students, staff and faculty to inflate their tires, make minor adjustments, or leave their steeds to the shop mechanics. Bicycles are not sold there, but minor parts are available for repairs or upgrades.