more articles like this

AMGEN Caifornia Coast Classic Bicycle Tour
updated: Sep 14, 2012, 7:47 PM

By Marie Harden Mancilla

I have a friend from San Miguel, Baja, who is riding in this event for the Arthritis Foundation. This tour is a 525 mile trip from San Francisco to San Diego.

The participants are being hosted with a dinner up in Buellton tonight and will are scheduled to get to Ventura tomorrow. I am curious what route they will take through Goleta and Santa Barbara. He has said it is a wonderful experience with people cheering them on their way. It would be nice to have some pictures of them going through our area. My friend, Richard, is an American, who does the Rosarito-Ensenada bike-a-thon each year. He will be wearing a colorful white , green and red shirt with Mexico on the back. If anyone watches this Tour , please cheer the bikers on their way.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 320225	2012-09-14 08:39 PM
I hope they obey all the rules of the road. There's some bike event every weekend in this town, it's really getting old.
COMMENT 320243P	2012-09-14 09:24 PM
Whatever it is I think I can safely assume that the part of 192 that goes by my house will be part of it, again. Yes 225, it is getting old fast.
COMMENT 320281	2012-09-15 07:05 AM
Gezz 225, would you like some cheese with that whine ???
COMMENT 320292	2012-09-15 07:34 AM
Um... don't think this is the AMGEN tour. The AMGEN tour happens earlier in the year and is for Pro's only.
COMMENT 320309	2012-09-15 08:00 AM
It's called the California Coast Classic sponsored by Amgen. It's a fund raiser for the Arthritis Foundation. It's been going on for about 6 years. Usually has about 250 to 300 riders with green jerseys. Please share the road with them !!
COMMENT 320325	2012-09-15 08:25 AM
Maybe the SBPD can enforce a zero tolerance for these bicyclists who are sure to run through a few local stop signs. Tickets given to this group can help off-set City budget short-falls, and will allow a more generous salary increase to SBPD at their contract renewal time. Hey, if they can sting bicyclists on Thursday, why not today, Saturday? What's the difference in the bicyclists or the infractions?
COMMENT 320326P	2012-09-15 08:35 AM
281, yea, I'll have some Pont-l'Évêque cheese with my white whine to keep people I dont want near me away....
ELKAY	2012-09-15 09:36 AM
Folks, this is a RIDE for charity--all monies raised by these amateur cyclists goes to the Arthritis Foundation. They will be stopping in Shoreline Park this morning between now and 11am. Please greet them warmly and show them some hospitality. here is the website to learn all about it http://www.californiacoastclassic.org/ The PRO Amgen Tour of California happens in May and the 2013 route has not been announced yet. Here is the website for info on that RACE. www.amgentourofcalifornia.com
SBJULES	2012-09-15 09:54 AM
Does the op live on the route? Our street is on every fundraising ride route. It gets old.
COMMENT 320374	2012-09-15 10:06 AM
Why should I "greet them warmly" when they exhibit rude behavior? Running through red lights, cursing at motorists, throwing trash and other objects at people who ask them to obey traffic laws, obstructing traffic and being generally rude and violent towards people.
COMMENT 320395P	2012-09-15 10:44 AM
Please do not tar every cyclist with the same brush. If anyone observes any cyclist breaking any laws, it is suggested that you report them immediately to police/sheriff authorities. Please take appropriate action vs. harboring anger.
COMMENT 320436	2012-09-15 12:14 PM
Yes, it's definitely not the AMGEN Tour. The city of SB apparently thought that the tens of thousands of dollars in revenue the AMGEN Tour brings into town every year wasn't enough and in 2012 increased their "fee" for allowing SB to be a staging point. AMGEN didn't much care for this and simply re-routed the event AROUND Santa Barbara this year which cost local business owners a ton of $$$. Maybe next year the city will handle things differently.
COMMENT 320456P	2012-09-15 12:48 PM
320395P - maybe bicyclists should have license numbers so that the bad representatives of cycling can be identified. I bet if there were, there would be single file, law-abiding riders in a jiffy.
COMMENT 320458	2012-09-15 12:51 PM
The California Coast Classic Bicycle Tour benefits the Arthritis Foundation by raising vital funds that enable the Foundation to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases. The funds raised also provide educational resources to help adults, parents and children manage their arthritis through community-based services to make life with arthritis easier.
COMMENT 320549	2012-09-15 04:51 PM
Cyclists have the same rights to the use of the roadways as do motorized vehicles. I've driven all kinds of vehicles, and in general, the cyclists I've dealt with are far more courteous and law-abiding than are the motorists. I can tell you there are a huge number of motorists who have a cellphone held up to their ear or are otherwise distracted from their driving. These people are far more dangerous to themselves and everyone else on the road than two cyclists riding abreast. Why doesn't everyone here just relax and try to avoid having any accidents today?
COMMENT 321056	2012-09-17 10:42 AM
320456P - Because having a license plate number on a car prevents a driver from doing anything illegal? Of course that works.

38% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.