Summer 2015 • Volume 25 / No. 2SANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

We SB

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Special Issue

2 Quick Release Summer 2015

BOARDCourtney Dietz, PresidentDavid Hodges, Vice PresidentDavid Bourgeois, TreasurerByron BeckRobert CaizaDavid CampbellSue CarmodyHector GonzalezJohn HygelundTracey StrobelMike Vergeer

STAFFEd France, Executive Directored@sbbike.org

Christine Bourgeois, Education Directoredu@sbbike.org

Shawn Von Biela, Shop Managershop@bicicentro.org

Howard Booth, Membership Coordinatorhoward@sbbike.org

Joey Juhasz-Lukomski, Volunteer Coordinatorjoey@sbbike.org

Sam Franklin, Advocacy Coordinator sam@sbbike.org

Lori Newell, Education Coordinator, North County, lori@sbbike.org

GOVT. LIAISONS & ADVISORSMatt Dobberteen, AdvisorCounty of Santa Barbaramatt@cosbpw.net

Kent Epperson, AdvisorTraffic Solutionskepperson@sbcag.org

Teresa Lopes, AdvisorCity of Goletatlopes@cityofGoleta.org

Amy Steinfeld Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

ART DIRECTORCynthia Stahl, info@cynstahl.com

EDITORHolly Starley, editor@sbbike.org

CONTACT US506 E. Haley St.Santa Barbara, CA 93103

PO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190

www.sbbike.orgSBBIKE: 805-845-8955Bici Centro: 805-617-3255

CONTRIBUTEYour time: www.bicicentro.org/volunteerIn-kind: www.bicicentro.org/wishlistFinancially: www.bicicentro.org/donate

Our Vision

The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (SBBIKE) vision is that Santa Barbara will be a

leader in creating a bicycle-friendly community and transportation system. Extensive

on-road and separated bikeways, a coordinated transit system, parking, and amenities

allow us to enjoy a culture where the majority of daily trips include a bicycle. As

a result, our community is healthier and encourages balanced living within our

resources. Universal cycling education for all ages supports the development of

safe and respectful road behaviors from both motorists and cyclists. Widespread

community and political support for bicycling is in place. By 2040, because it is a

cycling-centered county, Santa Barbara is both a great place to live and work and a

nationally acclaimed cycling destination, boasting a year-round calendar of successful,

fun, and inclusive events.

COVER PHOTOS: Libby Jeffries, Julie Churchman, Laura Almengor, Lori Lee Collins, Eduardo Lara, and

Carmen McCurry and two of her three sons, Andrew and Ian—a few of the many people across Santa Barbara

who choose to bike and promote cycling in our communities.

Letter from the EditorOnce we decided to put together a special issue

featuring people across Santa Barbara who

choose to cycle or make cycling available to

others, I caught glimpses of stories everywhere

I went—the father and son in matching spandex

rolling gracefully along Foothill Drive; the giggling

couple on a tandem near the Rose Garden;

the young woman pedaling up Haley trailed by

a three-wheeled cart brimming with buckets

of bright flowers; the Hispanic man, whose arms were loaded with groceries and

whose smile spoke of kindness and weariness; the grandfather grinning on a quiet

neighborhood street in Noleta, his granddaughter on her bedazzled ride circling him

endlessly; the college student from France with infectious energy who chose a 90-

mile overnight ride as her first bicycling experience in the US. Stories of people in our

community whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the ability to choose to

bicycle could fill volumes.

Here are just a few of the people who have found joy and pride, connection and

equality, empowerment and freedom, health and perspective through bicycles.

These families and individuals and the countless others whose stories build the

fabric of our community are why SBBIKE advocates for safe, accessible cycling

infrastructure. Data shows that, as more people are enabled to choose cycling for

some or all trips, safety on our roadways improves. More trips on bike equal less

congestion and pollution for all. The coalition supports a bold Bike Master Plan and

adoption of Vision Zero because these measures will improve the experience of

everyone who uses our roads—be it on two tires, four tires, or none.

With gratitude for all our stories,

Holly Starley

www.SBBIKE.org 3

Thank you, Business Members and Supporters

PLATINUM MEMBERS

DIAMOND MEMBERS

Marcia Burtt Gallery

GOLD & CARBON FIBER MEMBERS

Rincon Cycle CapCranks Cory Motors

SILVER & ALUMINUM MEMBERS

TITANIUM MEMBERS

BRONZE AND STEEL MEMBERS

Bildsten Architecture and Planning The Dirt Club Fastrack BicyclesHelloHarvest Hoffman ArchitectureHorny Toad

Isla Vista Food Coop Mesa ArchitectsMesa Business AssociationRevolution Coaching LLCPacific Pedalers/ Santa Barbara PedicabPedal Born Pictures

Premier Business MarketingRace CorpsREITrue Nature Landscape ArchitectureWaynes Pro Bike

4 Quick Release Summer 2015

SBBIKE is proud to announce its new phone

number (separate from Bici Centro’s, which

remains the same). And the number is …

805-845-8955.

SBBIKE Has a New Number

SBBIKE membership has grown by leaps and bounds in recent months. On May 14, the coalition became 1,000 strong and has grown since. What number will we hit by the fall?

1,000 and Counting

Membership levels represented by the heads of Membership Coordinator Howard Booth, Education Director Christine

Bourgeois and Volunteer Coordinator Joey Juhasz-Lukomski. What will Joey’s head equal?

Fall. 2015 ?

June 2014 600

May 2015

1,000

L ori Newell’s passion for cycling started in her youth. As a kid,

her bicycle meant freedom. “You can only walk so far,” she

points out.

Lately, she’s alarmed to see how few kids are riding bikes. The

freedom she remembers so well is something she wants to pass

on—along with the exercise and sense of responsibility young

people get from learning to ride.

That passion for cycling and teaching made Lori, who lives in

Santa Maria, the perfect candidate to become SBBIKE’s new

bicycling education coordinator in the North County.

Lori talks enthusiastically about expanding programs like Pedal

Power to more junior highs in Santa Maria (two already run the

earn-a-bike program) and eventually to Guadalupe and Orcutt.

“There’re a lot more kids we could be reaching,” she notes.

While Lori doesn’t call herself a hard-core cyclist—she prefers

the term “cycling enthusiast”—she often chooses her bike to run

errands and get around town. “I hate to turn on the car for short

trips,” she says.

In terms of barriers—what keeps her from riding more often—

safety is a concern. “The couple-thousand pounds hunks of

metal out there can be kind of intimidating,” she notes. She

grows momentarily somber. “That’s where education comes in,”

she adds, perking up. “The more people who know how to ride

safely, the safer it is for everyone out there on the roads.”

Lori, who joined SBBIKE’s staff last month, can’t wait to get out

there and start making the roads safer for everyone.

Lori Newell

Meet Lori NewellMeet Lori Newell

SBBIKE’s New “Enthusiast” in the

North County

www.SBBIKE.org 5

E duardo Lara, originally from

Honduras, first came to Santa

Barbara in 1980. When he returned

in 2000, rental prices had risen.

That, along with traffic, parking, and

insurance costs made the choice

obvious for him. He gave his car to his

sister and has used a bicycle to get

around ever since.

“It was easier,” he says. “It was

convenient.” Plus, Eduardo, whose colleague at City Hall pays $17 a

day to park, figures he’s saved a lot of money over the years.

The campus supervisor at San Marcos High School, Eduardo rides his

bike 10 miles each way from his home on the East Side. He’s a skilled

leather carver, and he often brings his tools and leather to share the

craft with his students.

Eduardo enjoys how cycling enables him to pay attention to what’s

happening in the community. Along with his work with students, he

volunteers with the Just Communities Language Justice Initiative, an

organization that aims to ensure all voices are heard. He interprets

for workshops, educating Spanish-speaking students and parents.

Eduardo also interprets at City Hall, making public forums like city

council meetings available in Spanish.

by Howard Booth

W hen it comes to enabling people to

choose to bike, Sonos is leading the

way. Attracting and retaining the bright,

Meet Sonos

Eduardo Lara

Sonos’s Libby Jeffries and Allison Griffin, with the CycleMAYnia 2015 Bicycle Friendly Business Award

Meet Eduardo Lara

The Interpreter on Two Wheels

While grateful for Santa Barbara’s rideability, Eduardo

wishes the city offered more bike stations. (He’s had

three bikes stolen over the years.)

Now, Eduardo has two backup bikes for when his

daughters visit.

young creative individuals

who make the company

run requires perks that

make employees happy at

work and while commuting

to and from home. The company’s cycling program includes an earn-a-bike

program, daily cash incentives for biking to work, on-site showers and lockers,

secured bike parking, a Cycling University, a bike repair day, 24 Sonos Bikeshare

bikes for employees, CycleMAYnia Bike To Work Breakfast, participation in the

National Bike Challenge, and an SBBIKE Diamond business membership!

Allison Griffin, Sonos’s facility manager, is proud. “Our 300 local employees have

logged over 2,000 bike commuter trips since the program was launched on April

1, and over 80 employees are participating in the earn-a-bike program.” The

Sonos Bikeshare program aims to encourage workers to travel by bike between

Sonos’s four downtown SB buildings.

Sonos also encourages employees to walk to work, take the bus, or use other

alternative forms of transportation. Since April, over 150 employees have taken

3,628 fewer car trips.

Since 2002, Sonos has been reinventing home audio for the digital age. The

company is changing the way people listen to music and supporting safe and

accessible biking in Santa Barbara.

A Company That Makes Choosing to Bike Easy

6 Quick Release Summer 2015

J eff Rawlings’s move to Santa Barbara with his wife and kids in 2006

paved the way for a decision a few years later that would change

Jeff’s life. Research on the negative effects of inactivity called to him.

I only live two and a half miles from the office, he thought. What’s

my excuse for driving a car every day? It was February, and he wasn’t

taking advantage of the beautiful weather.

He pulled out a mountain bike not ridden in a decade. “And I haven’t

looked back since,” he says. In just a couple of weeks, Jeff was willing

to commit. He sold his car, and he bikes or walks to work daily.

Choosing to bike has positively impacted Jeff’s life. He lost 25 pounds.

And every day has a “great, energizing” start.

Over the years, Jeff has explored the many routes between his home

on the Mesa and his business downtown, Koolaburra. And he can

speak in depth about the pros and cons of each. One route he never

takes is Meigs Road. “It’s terrifying,” he says, noting traffic speed and

cars in bike lanes. “Maybe if there were protected bikeways,” he adds.

For Jeff, determining whether a bikeway is safe comes down to one

question: “Would you allow your 10- or 12-year-old to ride it alone?”

The answer, he says, pointing to the many gaps in the network, is often

no. He does let his son, Ben, 14, ride alone, but he worries.

Jeff’s glad the city is talking about the future of cycling infrastructure,

but he worries the debate lacks vision. He’s concerned the focus is

too much on the immediate headaches of change. “Let’s imagine the

type of impact we could make,” he says. “If you build for cars, you

know what kind of environment that creates,” Jeff adds. “Think of the

vast wastelands of pavement in places like Orange County and San

Bernardino. What future do we want for Santa Barbara?” Jeff’s answer

is clear. “Let’s be like the Amsterdams and Portlands of the world.”

Jeff Rawlings. PAUL KINGSELY

Meet Jeff Rawlings

Meet Officer Thomas Van Eyck

A Man with No Excuses

The Officer with the Best Job in

the PD

The SBPD Tactical Patrol Force (from left to right) Officers Thomas Van Eyck, Mike Epstein, April DeBlauw, Dustin McGrew, Allan Tuazon, Greg Hons, and Sergeant Warren Holtke. Courtesy of THOMAS VAN EYCK

O fficer Thomas Van Eyck has been biking

on the job since May 2011. He is a part

of Santa Barbara Police Department’s Tactical

Patrol Force, which deploys officers on bike in

staggered schedules from 6 am to 7 pm.

Does he enjoy using his bicycle at work?

“It’s the best job in the department,”

he answers without hesitation.

Van Eyck explains that the department uses

bicycle patrols as a method of enforcement.

“Since we deal with street-level crime, it allows

us to cover lots of ground very thoroughly,” he

says. Van Eyck’s bicycle gives him one other

advantage—the element of surprise. “In a police

car they can see you coming,” he explains. “On a

bike, it’s not uncommon to contact a person in

the middle of committing a crime.”

The opportunity to work outdoors and get the

exercise isn’t so shabby either. And Van Eyck gets

opportunities to do things like pedaling over

to the Eastside Library, where he participated

in a Bici Familia event handing out protective

equipment to the kids.

While Van Eyck no longer makes the 10-mile

commute to work by bicycle as often as he did

when he first started bike detail, he still mountain

bikes as a hobby.

www.SBBIKE.org 7

Churchman grew up riding to school

every day. She views learning to bike as a

quintessential rite of passage that every

child deserves to experience. Through

her hard work, Adams has become the

first Santa Barbara elementary school to

incorporate biking into its first through sixth

grade PE curriculum.

Out on the blacktop, Churchman’s fit, wiry

frame dances with an infectious energy. As

she sets up obstacles for a handling drill,

she tells me about her students. The fifth grader who learned

to ride this year, the brown-eyed girl who helped her paint a

school mural, and the athletic boy whose bike was recently stolen.

In addition to safety lessons, pep talks, and sprinting

alongside the bikes, Churchman has developed partnerships

to strengthen her program. She pursued and was awarded a grant from

Cycle Kids, which provided a fleet of bikes and a curriculum covering safe

biking, health and nutrition. She also became a League of American Bicyclist

Certified Instructor and worked with SBBIKE and Deckers to bring more bikes

to the children.

This year, over 99 percent of her graduating class has learned to bike. These

students will leave Adams with a valuable life skill, increased self-esteem, and

many happy childhood memories. All thanks to the hard work of a

passionate teacher.

By Andie Bridges

W hen Julie Churchman

took a substitute teaching

position at Adams Elementary

School, she was shocked to

discover that nearly half of her

students didn’t know how to ride

a bicycle. “It blew me away that

these kids were going off into life

not knowing how to ride a bike.”

Many of Adams’ students come

from low-income families that do not own

bikes. Bringing cycling to these kids became

Churchman’s mission as her short-term job

quickly evolved into a full-time passion.

For the past five years, she has been working

to ensure that every child at the school has an

opportunity to experience the freedom and fun

of riding. “They ride across the playground for the

first time, and I see kids become kids again. That

look of joy on their faces is amazing.”

Julie Churchman and Fifth Grader, Meritxell Hernandez, who learned to ride in Julie’s PE class. ANDIE BRIDGES

F or Eddie Gonzalez, who helped launch

Bici Centro, junior high—when he and

his friends biked regularly to the beach,

boogie boards in tow—was where his love

of cycling started.

“That feeling, those memories remain vivid

in my heart,” he says. That’s also why Eddie

relates so well to young people. Eddie’s the

youth center director at Casa De La Raza,

and his office is decorated with handwritten

notes and bustling with kids. Plus, he’s the

father of six.

In 2004, as Casa’s facilities manager, Eddie

heard some ideas that would coalesce into

something grand. First, an old bicycling

buddy pitched a bicycle junkyard at Casa.

Next came Ed France, who wanted to

promote people using bikes and who would

become Bici’s tireless driving force. After

four related ideas, Eddie knew something

important was brewing.

Meet Eddie Gonzalez

Meet Julie Churchman

A Man Who Remembers

Eddie Gonzalez. PAUL KINGSELY

At a meeting that doubled in size, Bici

Centro was born. The budding shop built

momentum swiftly. The first day Bici offered

free DIY repairs on the patio, more people

than the volunteer wrenchers could serve

showed up.

Bici fit Casa’s mission statement. Its

founders wanted to empower the array

of people riding Santa Barbara’s streets—

especially students and non-English

speakers, many who worked double shifts,

commuting on non-ergonomic bikes that

hurt their backs and knees.

Also important was Bici’s education

component. Education, Eddie says, turns

people into models of safe bicycling.

Inclusivity was important too. “It’s everyone

on bikes,” Eddie says. Eddie remembers the

wonderful amalgamation of people who

gathered at Bici in the early years. And he’s

glad that’s still going.

The Teacher with Lessons in the Love of Cycling

8 Quick Release Summer 2015

1. Carp Family School student helps with helmet fitting. 2. Kids learn basic wrenching skills. 3. Students and volunteers take to the streets en masse. JAN SILK

The Spanish-speaking families were welcomed by Las Promotoras (from left to right) Lupe Martinez, Irma Arroyo, and Maria Rodriguez; Family School parent Carmen McCurry; and Lead Promotora Angelica Ornelas.

I n May, a host of individuals and organizations united to bring

SBBIKE’s Bici Familia to Carpinteria for the first time. The

success of those efforts was undeniable. On a sunny Friday

afternoon, 102 children practiced safe bike handling skills on

blacktop obstacles and rodeo courses and, along with 68

parents, learned about bike safety. Around 18 of those kids

rode for the first time. And 91 of them went home with brand-

new helmets for just $5 each—thanks to an IYOB (In Your Own

Backyard) crowd-funding effort by Carpinteria Family School

teacher Lori Lee Collins that netted matching funds from the

(Jack) Johnson Ohana Foundation.

Making all this fun and learning possible were 41 community

members from Carp and around SB County. Volunteers came

from the Carpinteria Children’s Project, the Family School,

SBBIKE/Bici Centro, COAST, and Traffic Solutions. Bike Monkeys

from Santa Barbara Middle School helped with bike repair and

valet. ELAC (English Learner Advisor Committee) volunteers and

Don Jorge Tacos provided food. Adams Elementary School and

Girls Inc. loaned bikes to add to the SBBIKE fleet. Peter Dugré of

Coastal View News got the word out.

As Family School teacher Lori Lee Collins says, Bici Familia

“brought a bunch of parts of the community together, and that’s

an important part of these events.”

Carp Community Unites for Joy of CyclingCarp Community Unites for Joy of Cycling

www.SBBIKE.org 9

L ast spring, Carpinteria Family School teacher Lori Lee

Collins stopped to check out Bici Familia at Adams

Elementary School. She watched what she calls “organized

Lori Lee Collins, teacher at Carpinteria Family School. JAN SILK

chaos” on the blacktop. “And there was this

joy,” she adds.

Lori Lee decided then and there she would

bring that joy to the community she works

with in Carpinteria. “Biking is such a great

vehicle to build community,” she says. “It’s a

social justice tool. It’s an environmental tool.

You can extend the classroom to the community through the

love and joy of biking.”

Plus, Carpinteria is a great place to ride. But navigating its three

bridges on bike can be a challenge. “People need to learn how

to ride legal, safe, and visible,” says Lori Lee, an LCI who chooses

to bike for many of her transportation needs, sometimes riding

from Santa Barbara to school.

So, as she says it, she put the vision out there. How did that go?

“Oh my gosh. I cried at the end.” She pauses, overwhelmed. “It

brought me such joy,” she says. “The day was just beyond my

wildest imagination.”

C armen McCurry

started riding

her bike more often

after her son took

to cycling to school.

Now she rides in the

morning after her

youngest, a fifth grader

at Carpinteria Family

School, leaves. He has to cross a narrow

bridge, and while she knows he’s a safe rider,

she worries. So she heads off behind him.

When she sees his bike parked at the school,

she just keeps going.

Carmen’s raising three boys—Andrew, 15; Ian,

13; and Sebastian, 11—on her own. She’s a

widow, and she feels lucky to have had her

community’s support as she’s navigated life

with a missing partner. “It helps,” she says.

Carmen wants to give back. That’s why, in

late May, she headed to SBBIKE/Bici Centro

to start the process of becoming a League of

American Bicyclists Certified Instructor (LCI).

Carmen, who’s Peruvian, particularly wants

to reach out to the large Spanish-speaking

community in Carp. The parents, she says,

Carmen McCurry and two of her three sons. All three volunteered alongside her at Carp’s Bici Familia. JAN SILK

are shy. She wants to engage and involve them. And she wants to share a

message—everybody can ride bikes, parents and kids alike.

Carmen remembers riding with her husband and the boys when they were

young. That was different. Now her family cycles for transportation. This, in

part, is what she wants to share with the community. Not only is biking fun, it’s

convenient and a way to save on gas costs.

Meet Lori Lee Collins, Teacher

Meet Carmen McCurry, Parent

10 Quick Release Summer 2015

B efore Dons Net Cafe (DNC),

the entrepreneurial business

class she teaches at Santa

Barbara High School, partnered

with SBBIKE/Bici Centro and

Traffic Solutions (TS) to launch a

bike program at the school, Lee

Knodel, aka Mrs. B., didn’t ride

bicycles. Much to her husband’s

chagrin. He’d tried to entice her

to join him on two wheels for

nearly two decades. Now she

has her own yellow beach cruiser, and the couple has a bike rack on their car. “I’m

built for comfort, not speed,” Mrs. B. says with a laugh.

A leader with Roots and Shoots, a youth-led community action and learning program,

Mrs. B. found biking a natural fit for the DNC.

Meet Mrs. B

Mrs. B and students at Bike to School Day in May. CHRISTINE BOURGEOIS

S amuel Duarte was 10 when he got

his first bike, and he rode it to school

every day. Now, he shares his love of

cycling with his two boys, Kael, 4, and

Kaleb, 3. Samuel and his wife, Jessica,

moved to the Central Coast five years ago.

For Samuel, biking is a relaxing

and fun way to spend time with

his boys. They ride on weekends,

though not as often as he’d like.

He’d like to ride to the parks in

Santa Maria without worrying about

traffic. “But it doesn’t feel safe,” he

says. “Even in our residential streets,

cars zoom at unsafe speeds, and

so riding isn’t as enjoyable as it could be.” He envisions

a network of bikeways crisscrossing the city.

Samuel, who also rides “because it’s a good way to see your city

and neighborhood from a different perspective,” is doing his part.

Samuel Duarte and his sons, Kael and Kaleb

Meet the Duartes

A Woman Who Cruises for

Change

Six years later, SBici, the bike club, is

a campus mainstay. Through SBici,

students learn wrenching and safe

riding, volunteer at community

events, get bike-related jobs, and

become lifelong advocates for healthy

environment and lifestyle. “It’s changed

so many lives, including my own,”

says Mrs. B. The teacher points to

the mentors made available to the

students through SBBIKE and TS. “You

can’t measure that,” she says, adding,

“Students are exposed to policymakers,

community members, volunteers. How

much more real world can you get?”

For Mrs. B., traffic is a barrier to riding.

She believes infrastructure is the best

solution. “I 100 percent advocate for

designated, well-defined bike lanes,”

she says. And Mrs. B. is going to keep

cruising—and facilitating programs that

set in motion a ripple effect of change.

He helped coordinate

Ciclovia in Guadalupe

this May. And his

enthusiasm for the event,

which brought crowds

to the streets on bike

and foot, is contagious.

Samuel led efforts for an

important component of

Ciclovia—beautification.

Organizers plan to

beautify one structure

or area within the city

during every Ciclovia.

This year, they identified a mural, the length of a city block

and painted over 15 years, that is fading and falling apart.

“Our goal,” he says, “is to redo this mural and create a bike

path alongside it for the next Ciclovia.”

A Family with a Vision

www.SBBIKE.org 11

J ust for the boys? This gal knows none of that. She may be

the princess at home (she’s the only girl among a handful

of brothers and wears the title with pride). But that doesn’t stop

Laura Almengor, 15, from picking up a wrench or enjoying the

wind in her hair and the adrenaline rush of a fast ride on her

Mountain Trek Antelope. Nor will it stop her from taking the

lead as president of SBici—Santa Barbara High School’s bike

club—next year.

The bike, which Laura can maintain herself thanks to SBici, “is

black and blue, and it’s as gorgeous as I am.” Her easy smile

oozes charisma.

Laura will be the first female president of SBici. Currently, she’s the

only girl in the club. But she hopes to change that. How will she

recruit other girls? “I’ll tell them, be different. Be unique,” she says.

“Girls can also do things men can do.” Plus, she’ll point out the

benefits of knowing how to fix a bike and how cycling keeps you

healthy and active and lowers your stress levels.

She’ll also tell prospective members why she chooses to ride.

Besides the adrenaline rush, “Sometimes it’s just peaceful,”

she says, growing thoughtful, “and you’re on your own.” That

independence is important.

The only things that keep Laura from cycling as much as she’d like

are homework and her parents’ concerns. She reminds her dad

that she knows how to ride safely, how to signal and follow the

rules of the road.

Meet Laura Almengor

Laura Almengor, SBici’s first female president. HOLLY STARLEY

By Andie Bridges

K athy Vanetti has a car she doesn’t like to drive. It’s a

15-year-old sedan, with a little over 100,000 miles

on it. And the longer it sits idle, the happier she feels.

For 15 years, the labor and delivery nurse has

commuted to work by bicycle. She feels fortunate to

live in a city with great weather where, “pretty much

everything is in biking distance.”

Cycling became a part of her life early on. “I was the

oldest of six kids, and we biked everywhere.”

She recalls riding from her Goleta neighborhood to St.

Raphael School and to piano lessons. But her favorite

rides were destination-less adventures. Rolling down

each street just to see where it would lead, developing

the deep sense of place born of childhood wandering.

Twice a week now, she rises before dawn and is on the

road by 5:45 a.m. After a twelve-hour shift of physically

and emotionally exhausting work, she hops back on her

bike and pedals from downtown’s Cottage hospital to

her home on Fairview.

The amount of dedication required to choose the slow

way home is substantial, but for Vanetti, the choice

is easy. The ride is a time to de-stress and refocus on

her surroundings. “When you bike, you really get to

appreciate where you live.” In Vanetti’s estimation,

where we live is a pretty

great place to ride.

Kathy Vanetti, labor and delivery nurse at Cottage Hospital. PAUL KINGSELY

Meet Kathy VanettiThe Girl Who

Knows No Glass Ceiling

The Nurse Who Takes the Scenic Route

12 Quick Release Summer 2015

B icycles have long been a part of Worth Street

Reach’s efforts to empower people living in poverty.

Recently, bikes have taken on a new role.

The organization originally gave out sleeping bags and

helped people living on the streets recover lost IDs. Board

President Deborah Barnes says Worth Street kept hearing

the same question. “Can’t you refer me to someone?” The

people she was working with just needed a job, so they

could get a place to live. “When anybody lands one,” says

Deborah, “we provide them a bicycle—sometimes by a

miracle—along with lights, a safety vest, and most

often a rack.”

But the jobs are few and far between. So she turned to

Google. Her discovery of a group in Palo Alto generating

work for impoverished people cleaning creeks led to the

birth of Santa Barbara’s Bicycle Graffiti Removal Program.

The people looking for work helped chose the program.

“This was their baby as much as ours,” says Deborah.

Worth Street purchased 25 bikes, helmets, and vests. The

city sponsored the program’s first 40 graffiti removal kits.

(Now, graffiti removal teams use eco-friendly kits.) And a

team from SBBIKE trained the captains on safety

and mechanics.

Graffiti removal teams of four go out in pairs. They pick

up debris, cigarette butts, and broken bottles. Recycling

helps pay for the gear. The teams are proud of their work.

They love keeping the streets clean, especially parks,

where children no longer have to play among

distasteful words.

The teams head out in the morning because, wherever

they’re sleeping, in shelters or doorway, they’re rousted

out at dawn. They receive thank yous in the form of debit

cards for food, gas cards, or phone cards. Those who

display leadership skills are promoted to paid positions.

This work, especially for those leaders, gives them a sense

of responsibility, an opportunity Deborah says many

haven’t experienced.

The graffiti removal project is on a temporary break, while

Worth Street seeks a new part-time project leader. The

ideal candidate would know Santa Barbara’s streets and

how to repair bicycles. To learn more about the position

or Worth Street’s other programs, Worth House and

Laundry Love, visit worthstreetreach.org.

Meet Worth Street Reach

From Top: Bicycle Graffiti Removal teams ride bikes to clean sections of Santa Barbara’s streets. SBBIKE’s Mike Vergeer teaches graffiti removal teams safe riding skills. Credit: Courtesy of Deborah Barnes.

The Organization That Empowers SB People in Poverty through Bikes

www.SBBIKE.org 13

By Kevin McClintock

Few groups stand to benefit from sustainable

transportation more than students. Thankfully,

the convenience and affordability of commuting

by bicycle is well utilized by Santa Barbara City

College students. Among those to benefit

is ecological restoration major Lindsey Tavares, who in just a few months has

adopted a bicycle as her main form of transportation to and from campus. Lindsey

explains, “Riding gives me an intimate perspective on who I share the road with

and keeps me mindful of my carbon footprint. In essence, my bicycle has humbled

me.” She gleefully refers to her bike as her “adventure partner” that she pedals

everywhere possible, including to camp at More Mesa.

Recent improvements at the college, in the form of bike parking and a new Bici

Centro location on campus, are growing the SBCC bicycling community. An

increase in the number of students bicycling the arteries that connect the city

and school have brought to light some common barriers that discourage and

even prevent students from choosing to ride. While the favored Castillo Street

and Cabrillo Street bike path entrance to campus works well, most bike routes up

until that point contain significant gaps. Sergio Garcia, a business major at SBCC

and regular commuter from Goleta, points out

the slippery Castillo Street underpass and the

sections of Cliff Drive in front of SBCC campus

and the Mesa shopping center as places where

“the bike lane just drops off.” Another difficult

road to commute on is Loma Alta Drive, a

main connector to campus from the west side.

“Visibility is low, and cars go fast,” says Amanda

Zavala, a music major at SBCC. She points out

the steep bike path behind McKinley school and

mentions, “Riding that as a full-time student

with four or more books is potential suicide.”

Students know bicycling to school doesn’t have

to be unsafe.

A healthy transportation system is one that

allows all types of road users to feel they can

use the road without worry. Acting major

Tomás Tedesco sees “empathy between non-

equal drivers” as a necessary step to accomplish this. “Now that Bici Centro is on

my way to class, it has motivated me not only to care more about my bike, but also

to explore ways I can give back,” says Zavala. One of those ways came in the form

of the Santa Barbara Bike Master Plan survey. Tavares was impressed to learn her

city was taking feedback not just in the typical public comment setting but also

online, by hand, and through interactive meetings. What will continue to inspire

students to participate is the progress toward making Santa Barbara a safer place

for all road users. Tomás Tedesco

SBCC Students Who Roll to Campus

Meet Lindsey, Amanda, Sergio, and Tomás

Meet Lindsey, Amanda, Sergio, and Tomás

Lindsey Tavares

Sergio Garcia

Amanda Zavala

14 Quick Release Summer 2015

A nya and Kylan O’Connor learned to ride bicycles on camping trips

when they were little. Since then bicycling has played a big role in

both of the Santa Barbara Middle School students’ lives.

Anya, 15, recently traveled to Seattle with a group from SMBS for

the National Youth Bike Summit. She met Shannon Galpin, head of

Mountain2Mountain, an organization that invests in women and girls

to change cultures and communities. One project provides bicycles

for women in Afghanistan, where women historically haven’t been

allowed to bike and those who do are targets of terrible attacks.

Anya was shocked to learn of these circumstances, and she was

inspired by Galpin’s work. Since February, Anya and six classmates

worked to put on a benefit concert at Soho. At the show in May, local

women cycling advocates and Galpin spoke to a packed house. The

students raised $10,000 to send bicycles to Afghani women.

Anya’s brother, Kylan, 13, has taken his cycling to a new level—

learning not just to master a new skill but the value of a sense of

accomplishment. Last year, Kylan pulled his dad’s unicycle out of the

garage, and he’s become quite skilled on one wheel.

Recently, Kylan headed for a “quick ride.” He took off from home in the

foothills of Mission Canyon; and, one wheel under him and the breeze

on his skin, he just kept going. Eventually, he arrived at the Mission

some four miles away, where he called his mom—or as

Meet Anya and Kylan O’Connor

Kylan and Anya O’Conor, 13 and 15, have learned important lessons on two wheels (or one in Kylan’s case). HOLLY STARLEY

The Girl Who Connects and the Boy on One

Wheel

New Member SpecialNow is the time to join. Beginning June 1, SBBIKE and Bikestation will offer a joint $100 membership, a $50 savings. Stay tuned for more details.

Bikestation members enjoy 24/7 safe, secure bike parking at two downtown Santa Barbara locations—the Granada Garage and the MTD Transit Center.

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE + =

Anya reminds him with a smile, “Mom called you”

(much to his mom’s relief … and pride). Kylan

smiles shyly.

Both Anya and Kylan have learned much from

bicycles. For Anya, “Recently I realized the bike is a

tool for social change.” She thinks for a minute.

“It’s just a really good connector, and it opens

your mind.”

One such connection is close to home. As SBMS

students, the pair has each had the opportunity to

bike tour overnight (with some pretty impressive

daily mileage). “It’s really amazing. Everybody in

the whole school is riding,” says Kylan. “Yeah,” Anya

chimes in, “you’re all suffering together. And when

we’re on the trips, there’re no cliques. Everyone is

mixing with everyone else.”

Why bike? Kylan grows thoughtful. “When you get

to the top of a hill,” he says, looking to the nearby

hills, “you’ll really feel like you’ve accomplished

something.” That’s something this brother and sister

duo seems to know a lot about.

www.SBBIKE.org 15

New Member Special

by Ed France, SBBIKE Executive Director

O n Sunday, May 31, Santa Barbarans united against

oil dependency and marched to West Beach to

Stand in the Sand, forming a symbolic barrier against

rising oil. The march was initially a response to the BP

Gulf Oil Spill five years ago and now returns in response

to the Refugio Spill. Negative impacts of oil extraction,

refining, and combustion are felt not just here at home

but around the world, and largely by communities less

equipped for effective regulation, emergency response,

and to otherwise mitigate the consequences of pollution.

So how should we respond? We live in a world that relies

on fossil fuel, and undoubtedly, that reliance will impact

us and the environment. Clearly, we must minimize risk

of spills and of refinery explosions and toxic leaks like in

Houston. We must also minimize the pollution or carbon

impact of extraction, refining, and use itself. Individually

and as a community, we can do that by reducing our

reliance on fossil fuels. I propose that we commit to

specific, attainable goals toward this end. My stand? My

stand—and my proposal for our collective and individual

mission is simple but its impact will be profound: Let’s

minimize short car trips.

Driving is common and, very often, the right tool for

the job. But we ought not be dependent upon it as

our exclusive means of mobility. Nowhere is this more

obvious than in our city and town centers. We can most

easily wrest free from car dependence on the fewer-

than-two-mile trips for meetings, lunch, play, or errands.

Short trips that are just a bit too long to walk but don’t

necessitate driving a car make up the majority of trips for

the average American. Not everyone can bicycle, and not

every trip makes sense by bike, but for many if not most

trips and for many if not most of us, bicycles can be an

ideal solution.

Short trips by car bear the worst hassle of parking and

often congested downtown driving. They also are

the height of problematic emissions, as engines and

muffler systems must warm up to operate cleanly. These

short trips are often made by car not out of conscious

choice but simply habit. My stand is to help more Santa

Barbarans be empowered to choose to make trips by

bike. Choosing to bike for these trips is healthy, has

What is Your Stand? negligible pollution,

and does wean us off

our addiction to fossil

fuel. It should be an

easy choice for Santa

Barbaran so inclined.

How can we do this? As a community, let’s take three steps—safety,

convenience, and audacious accessibility. 1. Safety: Improve safety

and perception of safety through a data driven and bold Bicycle

Master Plan. 2. Convenience: Provide ample bicycle parking and

make sure core bicycle routes travel smoothly with minimal stops. 3.

Audacious Accessibility: Put 500 bikes on the ground between the

downtown core and Santa Barbara City College as part of a local

Bike Share system.

At SBBIKE, our stand is taking a bite out of the multitude of short

trips through bicycling. It’s one way we can proactively respond to

dependence on fossil fuels and its deleterious impacts. Are you

with us?

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE

APPLICATION FOR 12-MONTH MEMBERSHIP

name

(business)

address

city,state,zip

phone

email

Make check payable to the Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047for membership details:www.sbbike.org/joinThe Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, so donations are tax deductable as allowed by law.

Join and RenewIndividual, 1-yr $30

Individual, 2-yr $55

Household, 1-yr $45

Household, 2-yr $85

Business Bronze, 1-yr $100

Business Silver, 1-yr $250

Business Titanium, 1-yr $500

ooooooo

Business Gold, 1-yr $1,000

Business Platinum, 1-yr $2,500

Business Diamond, 1-yr $5,000

Bike Shop Steel, 1-yr $100

Bike Shop Al, 1-yr $250

Bike Shop Ti, 1-yr $500

Bike Shop C fiber, 1-yr $1,000Donate

oooooooo

Santa Barbarans unite to Stand in the Sand.credit: ISAAC HERNANDEZ

Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE