Thursday, Sep.
13, 2007
Santa Barbara
Carpinteria→Refugio
State Beach
Distance: 63:57 km, Duration: 5:12:52 hrs, Total: 395.82 km
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.
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Corner
of Main Street Santa Barbara
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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!
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Mission
Santa Barbara
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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.
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Fountain beside the Mission
Santa Barbara
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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...)
