Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 15

Thursday, Sep. 13, 2007

Santa Barbara

Carpinteria→Refugio State Beach
Distance: 63:57 km, Duration: 5:12:52 hrs, Total: 395.82 km

   I continued on a very neat road to the city center, on Main Street were many shops of famous brands of high society stringed together. But I could also discover two bike shops.

Corner of Main Street Santa Barbara 

 As I was waiting in front of a red traffic like a beautiful american girl shouted to me: "Are you riding for a long time?" "Yes, do you want to join me?" I smiled to her. Unfortunately she denied with a very beautiful smile. What a pity...

The road winded higher and higher, on the highest point I ran into the whole splendor of Mission Santa Barbara! 

Mission Santa Barbara

The Mission was the 10th Californian mission founded by the Franciscan Junipero Serra on Dec. 4, 1782. He erected a cross at the presidio (fort, settlement) of Santa Barbara but died unfortunately two years before it's establishment. His successor became Padre Antonio Paterna, a companion of Serra. Under his guidance the first building was constructed and he made the first converts. The big earthquake of Dec. 21, 1812 destroyed the existing buildings. The new missionary was started but the work was completed not before 1820.

Another big earthquake on June 26, 1925, damaged the new towers so much that in 1927 a rebuilding took place. Unfortunately in 1950 due to some chemical reactions of the used building material another renovation was necessary. With reinforced concrete the mission was supported, from the outside it can not be seen.

Fountain beside the Mission Santa Barbara 

I parked my bike beside a fence and did not even bother to lock it. Why should someone steal my bike in front of God's own house? I walked around and tried to imagine how the life would be 200 years ago. In Germany there are many castles, churches and convents much older than the mission but here in California old historical building like these are a real specialty. 

The mission is today quite alive, behind the historical walls there is a church service. Every day from 9:00-16:30 the whole site can be visited to make you own picture of the Mission ( $4.00/pensioner, $5.00/adults, $1.00/6-15 years, for fee: 1-6 years of age).

After looking around I took a good view on prosperous Santa Barbara down below. Without the mission it would be hard to imagine that the city would exist...

At around 14:00 I left the mission and took some Tacos in a fast food restaurant for late lunch. I choose a table with a plug socket to recharge my battery. 

Eventually I had to say farewell to beautiful Santa Barbara. I lost somehow direction but an elderly gentlemen showed me a bike path to Isla Vista, a community in Santa Barbara County. The majority are of residents are college students at nearby University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) or at Santa Barbara City College.

   I rode on the campus of the university and was immediately surrounded by beach cruisers of all different styles and colors. With the proximate location of the ocean there are only flat and, surprisingly, cars driving at walking speed. It seems the university is a paradise for cyclists. Directly in front of me rode a group of slow riding Indian students. They took it so easy that I had to overtake them...

   On the Campus there is a small village with cheap student restaurants and, of course, bike shops. Because my speedometer started to get nuts by showing 4 km/h at felt 20 km/h I've decided to look for a new one. I went in one shop and after the discussion with the shop owner I purchased a Japanese products 'made in China'. When I asked him on the way to the next State Park he not only explained me the way very detailed but also gave me, as a security measure, a map on my way. Wow, that's what I call service!

(to be continued...)