Realtors See Bikepaths in Their Future
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www.sbbike.org October 2010 Serving Santa Barbara Realtors see bikepaths in their future County We’re a countywide advocacy by Ralph Fertig bikeways, and the benefits and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe I attended the Pro Walk/Pro of sustainable properties. It transportation and recreation. Bike conference in Chattanooga notes that as the “Generation on September 13-16th, along Y” replaces baby boomers, the How to reach us with our executive director Ed move from suburban to urban Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition France. The conferences are held areas will accelerate. And with PO Box 92047 Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047 every two years. Twenty years it, vehicle miles traveled will phone 962-1479 ago, the emphasis was on facili- decrease as bikes and buses email [email protected] ties for bicyclists. Then about 15 increase. Savvy realtors, it web www.sbbike.org years ago, walking was added to advises, can benefit from this facebook the mix—after all, we have many www.facebook.com/sbbikes shift. And cities, if they wish things in common, and more to retain vitality, will accom- October 5th meeting people walk than bike. modate their young people. Join us for our general meeting: What happened in the last The closing plenary session Tuesday, October 5 decade was rising alarm among featured the National Associa- Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant 3524 State Street our nation’s health professionals tion of Realtors’ Hugh Morris Santa Barbara when an inactive lifestyle sur- who told us that our new al- No-host dinner 6:00 PM passed smoking as the leading Cover of the summer issue of On Common lies are local realtors because Meeting 7:00 PM Ground, published by the National Associa- cause of early death. They knew tion of Realtors, features a smiling bicyclist. they understand what’s hap- Online email list that biking and walking can be pening on the ground. Houses We sponsor a free online email woven into our daily lives, providing multiple in bike and walk friendly areas now fetch $30,000 forum where you can post and long-term benefits, so they came on board. or more than those further from public spaces. read messages about regional The latest group to join us, to my surprise, was Thirty percent of our population wants denser, liv- bicycling issues. To subscribe, a new sponsor for the conference: the National able communities, and that percentage is growing. send an email to: [email protected] Association of Realtors. The summer edition of The trends are clear, and they include more Leave the subject and body their national magazine On Common Ground was bicycling as a crucial part of our urban fabric. The blank. full of articles dealing with the “megatrends” question is how fully will our communities embrace of our communities. Articles tell of healthier the megatrends and provide a better future for us? Join our Coalition lifestyles, decreased driving, car sharing, walk- The answer lies with our elected representatives You can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in able communities, water scarcity, community and what we collectively and individually ask for. Santa Barbara County by joining others in our bicycling advocacy group. See page 6. Bike Film Festival and related events were super successes Street Skills Clinics Jim Cadenhead at Cranky’s Bikes was instrumen- The Santa Barbara Bicycle tal in bringing the Bicycle Film Festival to Santa Coalition offers Street Skills Barbara on September 18th. If that wasn’t enough, Clinics. Details at www.sbbike. he arranged a swap meet and bike polo matches, org/skills/apply.html, or email and valet bike parking. There was a “Kickoff coordinators at streetskills@ sbbike.org. Party” with spinning sprint competition at Elsie’s Tavern the day before, and a “Bikes Rock Party” at Bici Centro program Mercury Lounge the day after. Bici Centro of Santa Barbara From all indications, everything succeeded is our community bicycle program, helping people who wonderfully. It was well promoted by Nick bicycle. Go to www.bicicentro. Welsh’s two-page article “From Geek to Chic” in org, or phone 617-3255. the Santa Barbara Independent on September 16th. The article describes how our local bike culture is changing from recreational sport rides to casual, Quick Release is published utilitarian and imaginative ones. monthly by the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box It’s certain that the surge in bicycling will con- 92047, Santa Barbara, CA tinue, although it’s unclear whether the Film Festi- Bicycle polo demonstration matches took place on an 93190. Subscribe for $30 per val will return in 2011. We absolutely hope so. improvised court at the Junior High’s game field. year. Issue # 228. New “Bicycle Friendly Rossini’s Bro-Cart cargo trailer introduced University” program At the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference, the League of American Bicyclists announced something new—a Bicycle Friendly University program. Similar to their Bicycle Friendly Cities, Businesses and States, the new pro- gram recognizes institutions of higher edu- cation for promoting and providing a more bicycle-friendly campus for students, staff, Santa Barbara bicyclist and metal craftsman faculty and visitors. The program provides a Brian Rossini has launched a line of Bro-Cart road map and technical assistance to create cargo trailers for hauling loads attached to great campuses for cycling. bicycles. The carts come in three sizes with choices of wheel diameter, finishes, and hitch types. Custom variations are invited. A distinguishing feature is wheel protection Brian Rossini holds a flyer describing options for his new cargo trailer line, one of which is shown. from protruding branches or other objects. Loads up to 170 pounds have been success- (1014 State Street) and WheelHouse (528 Our local UC Santa Barbara is an obvious fully carried. Anacapa Street). Or phone Rossini at 831- winner. They already received recognition You can see samples and order them at 601-6394. We welcome another innovator to as a Bicycle Friendly Business, even though two Santa Barbara bike shops: Cranky’s Bikes our community, and wish him good sales. it was an awkward fit. As for Alan Hancock, Santa Barbara City College, or Westmont, they don’t have the bicycle traffic that UCSB Three big October bike rides has. Nevertheless they might gain inspira- Among all the October bike events, three rides are 39 miles long, start in Santa Barbara. Cost tion from looking at the League’s checklist. particularly worthy of your consideration: $20-$45. The rides will be followed with Read about the program at www.bikeleague. People Powered Ride. October 10. This food, beverages, a raffle, and live music. org/university. 30th annual ride out of Solvang covers the More info http://tinyurl.com/2dblda4. north county wine country and surrounding Santa Barbara Century. October 23. Chose hills. Choice of 100, 60 and 30-mile rides, a 100-mile or 62-mile ride through Santa entry is $50. Info at www.goletabike.org. Barbara, Carpinteria and Goleta beaches Ride on the Wild Side. October 16. Ride at and mountains. Lots of climbing. Half of the your own pace or along with guides to visit profits will benefit our Bici Centro program. areas that Environmental Defense Center Cost is $65. Details and registration www. has fought to preserve. Three rides, 10 to santabarbaracentury.org. Cyclisk erected in Santa Rosa Those who walk into our ture is in the midst of Bici Centro workshop auto dealerships. Santa pass under a fanciful fes- Rosa’s “One percent for toon of welded bike-parts Art” program requires by artists Mark Grieve that 1% of construction and Ilana Spector. The projects support local couple recently teamed to art, and the funding for produce another bicycle- the cyclisk came from a related sculpture, a huge Nissan project. “Cyclisk” in Santa Rosa. Grieve says that it’s The art piece was fab- not a comment about ricated from 340 bikes— bicycles versus cars, and one tricycle. It’s in but a piece that invites the form of an Egyptian viewers to develop their obelisk, 65 feet high and own thoughts and per- weighing 10,000 pounds. ceptions. Somewhere in the jumble You can see more are some bikes that came Grieve/Spector work from Bici Centro. Mark Grieve’s latest sculpture in Santa at www.markgrieve.com/ Rosa will be dedicated on October 10th. Ironically, the sculp- sculpture.html. Quick Release ~ October 2010 ~ Page 2 October bicycling Our website visitors seek local rides and info by Ralph Fertig events and meetings Our Bicycle Coali- Here is a list of bicycling events in Santa tion website has gone Barbara county. Our website has ongoing through several incarna- updates, details, and live links at www.sbbike. tions since it was first org/meet/meet.html. crafted in 1995 by Gary October 5, Bicycle Coalition General Meeting. Wissman, Robert Bern- October 7, Education Committee Meeting. stein and Ralph October 7, Bike Moves. Fertig. It contains a October 10, People Powered Ride. wealth of information, October 16, Ride on the Wild Side. including all newsletters October 16, Alpha Bike Ride. since 1991. October 16, Solvang Autumn Double Century. However, until Google October 17-22, Bicycle Tour of Solvang Wine Analytics came along, we Country. didn’t know how people October 23, Santa Barbara Century. were finding our site, October 23, Kinetic Sculpture Race. where they were com- October 23, Ride for Youth. ing from, or what they October 23-24, 24 Hours of Halloween. were looking at. Now we October 24-31, Classic Climbs of Santa Barbara. know. Solutions, Cranky’s Bikes, Bicycle Bob’s, SB October 24-29, Morro Bay to Santa Barbara Over a recent one- MTD, SB Visitors Bureau, SB Hikes, UCSB Cycling Tour.