Photo Gallery
Also see Car Free in the News and see more pics on Car Free's facebook page
National Train Day 2012 - Union Station, LA
Santa Barbara Car Free had a table at the National Train Day celebration in Union Station, Los Angeles. Wonderful people, great kids, lots of fun! Pictured below (from left) Santa Barbara Car Free Project Manager Mary Byrd, Amtrak Director of Marketing for the Southwest Brian Hart, Air Pollution Control District Public Outreach Intern Karly Kaufman.
National Train Day 2011 - Union Station, LA
Santa Barbara Car Free participated in the National Train Day celebration in Union Station, Los Angeles. More than 12,000 people came to enjoy music, presentations and exhibitor booths!
Pictured above left, from left: Lani Fremaux, Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak Vice President of Marketing & Product Development, Brian Hart, Amtrak Director, Field Marketing-Southwest, and SB Car Free Project Manager Mary Byrd at the Car Free booth. Above right, travel journalist Jamie Stringfellow on left with SB Car Free Promotions Coordinator Laura Kath, stopped by the Car Free booth (see a recent article by Jamie here).
National Train Day 2011 - Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Car Free also celebrated at the Santa Barbara train station as part of an event organized by the Coalition for Sustainable Transportation (COAST). The event featured remarks from public officials, a ride down to Carpinteria and back with a magician on board, and more kids activities.
Dennis Story of COAST and Coastal Rail Now, above right at the event. Pictured below left Santa Barbara County Air Pollution District Communty Programs Supervisor Molly Pearson with Santa Barbara Councilmember Grant House. And below right (from left): Amtrak Santa Barbara station team Monica Pisciotta, Virginia McLain and Dominik Lopez on National Train Day.
Ecotopia 2011
In April, the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau, the
Community Environmental Council, and SB Car Free hosted travel
journalists in town for an experience highlighting car free
transportation and the green side of Santa Barbara. The trip started
with arrivals at the Santa Barbara Amtrak station, followed by a visit to the Earth Day Festival
and two days of green activities.
left: Car Free partner Santa Barbara Pedicab picked up journalists at the Santa Barbara Amtrak station for transfer to Car Free hotel partners. Bicycles were waiting at the hotels.
Next stop: the South Coast Earth Day Festival (see pics below).
Car Free partner Sustainable Vine Wine Tours took the group on a behind the scenes tour of organic vineyards, featuring a visit with Richard Sanford (above left) of Alma Rosa. Sanford owned the first vineyard in the county to be certified organic. The group heard from winemaker Peter Work of Ampelos (above right) about organic and biodynamic growing practices, and had lunch in the Ampelos vineyards (below).
The group also visited Demetria Winery (above), experienced farm-to-fork dinners at Julienne, the Wine Cask, and Coast restaurants, and toured the Santa Barbara Farmers Market with Coast Chef Brian Parks.
The group took a ride on the MTD electric shuttle, pictured above with (left to right) Kate Schwab, Driver Tony Ruiz and David Damiano.
At the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, the group saw highlights from the Green Shorts Film Festival, and viewed a new exhibit titled "The Spill's Broad Reach" about the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which sparked the establishment of Earth Day and multiple environmental laws and agencies.
Ecotopia partners celebrated the initiative at a special reception at Perch, on the roof of the Canary Hotel (above right).
Above left: Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider (center) welcomed guests to the event. Dave Fortson (left) of LoaTree, worked with Ecotopia partners on highlighting sustainable tourism in Santa Barbara.
Above right: Kathy Janega-Dykes, President of the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau (SBCVB).
Above left: Shannon Brooks, Vice President of Communications for the SBCVB.
Above right: Jeanette Webber, Managing Parter of the Santa Barbara Hotel Group (a Samta Barbara Car Free partner), and Chair of the Board of the SBCVB (left), with Mary Byrd, Santa Barbara Car Free Project Manager.
Bryan Hope of Sustainable Vine Wine Tour (left above) with Michael Chiacos of the Community Environmental Council. And columnist and writer Starshine Roshell (left in photo above right) with Kate Schwab of the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District.
Earth Day 2011
Earth Day 2011 attracted more than 38,000 people; more than 1,100 bikes were parked at the free bike valet. Santa Barbara Car Free and the Air Pollution Control District booth was the first stop for many who arrived car free and registered to receive prizes donated by Car Free partners. (For more on what we were doing at Earth Day, see this page.)
Above right, Karly Kaufman (left) and Carly Wilburton were co-captains of the Car Free/Air Pollution Control District booth, located in Bike World (above left).
California State Assemblymember Das Williams stopped by the booth (above right)
Prize drawings were conducted throughout the day both days of the Festival from the bike stage in Bike World, which was powered by bicycles. Mark Sapp (on right in photo), winner of last year's Grand Prize drew the winner of one of the Grand Prizes this year: a pair of roundtrip tickets on the Amtrak Coast Starlight to Portland or Seattle. Christine Bourgeois of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (on left) looks on, as Karly Kaufman (center) holds the entries. A second Grand Prize, a bicycle from WheelHouse Bikes was awarded Sunday.
Michael Randles (left) won the Grand Prize pair of roundtrip Amtrak Coast Starlight tickets (roomette and meals included). Randles biked to Earth Day as part of a group ride put together by a friend. He grew up in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, and remembers when he was young his parents would put him on the train in Seattle to visit relatives near Portland, Oregon. He and his wife are excited about the prize, and may make the trip part of a wedding anniversary celebration in September.
Sustainable Tourism Summit 2010
Car Free attended the 2010 California Travel and Tourism Commission's Sustainable Tourism Summit in Lake Tahoe in October, and is featured in the Sustainable Tourism Marketing Handbook that was launched at the Summit. (See more on CTTC's sustainable tourism efforts on this page.)
Above left, Alan Orchison, Amtrak Senior Director of Field Marketing & Industry Alliances, Roy Deitchman, Vice President for Environmental Health & Safety at Amtrak, and Car Free Project Manager Mary Byrd. Deitchman, a featured speaker at the event, stressed the importance of integration of transportation systems.
Above right, Car Free Project Promotions Coordinator Laura Kath talks about the project with Michael Stusser, founder of the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, who also spoke at the Summit.
June 2010 - Clean Air Excellence Awards
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District received a national Clean Air Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Santa Barbara Car Free Project on May 26, 2010. See news release on a this page. Also see EPA Region IX news release here and EPA web page on the Clean Air Excellence Award recipients.
Pictured above, from left to right. Back row: Kiki Ander, Shannon Brooks (Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau); Laura Kath (Mariah Marketing, Project Promotions Coordinator); Cynthia Boche (Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District); Lori Casillas (The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle); Carol Crego (Amtrak); Kent Epperson (Traffic Solutions); Kate Schwab (Santa Barbara MTD): Greg Gorga (Santa Barbara Maritime Museum); Wilson Hubbell, Ralph Fertig (Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition); Michael Chiacos (Community Environmental Council); Matt Dobberteen (County of Santa Barbara Public Works); Mary Harris (Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association); Sarah Grant (City of Santa Barbara Transportation); Millie Matz (Santa Barbara Hotel Group); Gary Coombs (South Coast Railroad Museum). Front row: Connie Casebier (Cheshire Cat Inn); Rebecca Johnson (Inn of the Spanish Garden); Jayne Brechwald (Coalition for Community Wellness); Lee Moldaver (Coalition for Sustainable Transportation); Drew Wakefield (Ramada Limited Hotel); Annmarie Rogers with bike helmet (Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center); Mary Byrd (Santa Barbara Car Free Project Manager with the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District); Karen Kukurin, (Deputy Director with Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Office); Kathy Janega-Dykes (Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau); Brian Hart (Amtrak).
Santa Barbara Car Free Project partners were recognized on June 17, 2010, by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District’s Board of Directors, and Karen Kukurin, Deputy Director and Community Liaison with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Office, read a congratulatory letter from the Governor that stated, “To the district members, and all those who have had a hand in the Santa Barbara Car Free project, I thank you for your exemplary accomplishments. Your outstanding efforts help cement California as a world leader in going green.” A celebratory reception followed the Board meeting at the Inn of the Spanish Garden, a partner in the Project.
See District Board Resolution honoring Car Free partners (PDF).
Pictured
in center, Mary Byrd, Santa Barbara Car Free Project Manager at Santa
Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and
District Director Terry Dressler with Gina
McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation (on right),
and Joanne Maxwell, Director of Environmental Management Programs at
Amtrak (on left), at the awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Pictured below left, receiving congratulations from Congresswoman Lois Capps (CA 23rd District; pictured in center) are Terry Dressler, and Mary Byrd.. Below right, Terry Dressler addresses the audience at the Awards Ceremony.
Car Free Hotel Partners and Bikes
Several of our car free hotel partners, including the Old Yacht Club Inn, the Oceana, the Simpson House Inn, and the Brisas del Mar, offer guests bicycles to use around town. Some are loaner bicycles, some are rentals with the first 2 hours free (check with each hotel). Pictured are bicycles at the Oceana and the Brisas.
May 2010 -Car Free celebrates National Train Day
National Train Day 2010 at Union Station in Los Angeles was loads of fun, and once again Santa Barbara Car Free was there. See photos below!
Below left, Huell Howser, featured speaker at the event, and host of the PBS KCET-TV Show California's Gold, pictured with Car Free Project Manager Mary Byrd. Below right, Dee Mason of Amtrak joins the Car Free booth team (from left): Laura Kath (Car Free Promotions Coordinator), Mary Byrd, Dee Mason (Amtrak), Allison King (Car Free outreach intern), and Alex Jones (Kunin Winery/Urban Wine Trail).
April 2010 - Earth Day
Earth Day 2010 was a lot of fun. We gave prizes away all day long for people who entered our "Come to Earth Day Car Free and Win" promotion: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner tickets, MTD bus passes, Traffic Solutions Axxess Cards, a Pedal & Paddle guided tour, and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum passes. The Grand Prize was a pair of tickets from Santa Barbara to Portland or Seattle on Amtrak Coast Starlight (roomette accommodations, amazing views and meals included). Our Grand Prize Winner from 2009 stopped by the booth and did the drawing for this year's grand Prize!
Below (left) Mary Meredith draws winner's name after telling all of us how much fun she had on her Coast Starlight trip last year. On right, Car Free Project Manager Mary Byrd congratulates Mark Sapp, the winner for this year, who will use his prize to visit family in Seattle. Sapp is a member of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and volunteer at Bici Centro.
October 2009 - Car Free Partners Welcome TrainWeb
Journalists Carl and Sue Morrison of TrainWeb.com recently took
Amtrak to Santa Barbara, and were hosted by several Car Free partners.
They stayed two nights at Fess Parker’s
DoubleTree Resort (thanks to Thomas Trigo for making the
arrangements), and took a special downtown walking tour with Judy Keim
of Pedal & Paddle of Santa Barbara.
Bryan Hope of Sustainable Vine Wine
Tours took them on a tour of organic wineries in his biodiesel van,
with lunch hosted by Los Olivos Café. Hope is pictured below on right
with the Morrisons celebrating sustainable Car Free-dom.
October 2009 - Santa Barbara Car Free a Sponsor of California Sustainable Tourism Summit
Car Free was a sponsor of the California Travel and Tourism Commission's (CTTC's) inaugural Sustainable Tourism Summit on October 1, 2009. See more information on the summit. Pictured below are a screenshot of sponsors from the Opening Address by CTTC President & CEO Caroline Beteta, and the Santa Barbara Car Free table with Project Manager Mary Byrd.
May 2009 - Santa Barbara Car Free Celebrates National Train Day
Santa Barbara Car Free celebrated National Train Day with Amtrak at
Union Station in Los Angeles on May 9, 2009. More than 3,000 people
attended the free, day-long event, which featured exhibits, interactive
displays, kids zone, and live concerts. Santa Barbara Car Free was
thrilled to be invited to participate again this year and distributed
our popular maps as well as information on Amtrak promotions to Santa
Barbara. Pictured (left to right) are Car Free partner Mary Harris, Car
Free Promotions Coordinator Laura Kath, and Vernae Graham of Amtrak, at
the event.
April 2009 - Un Road Trip Comes to Santa Barbara
On April 24, Santa Barbara Car Free welcomed Boaz Frankel to town. He is taking an "Un Road Trip" across the country using all forms of transportation except traditional gas cars. He experienced several transportation modes while he was here, photos are below. Check out Traffic Solutions video:
Left below, Boaz on the MTD Downtown Waterfront electric shuttle with Cynthia Boche, MTD (left), and Beth Olson, with Car Free partner Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort, which hosted him Thursday night. Right below, Boaz, with May, and the all-electric Tesla Roadster./em>
Below left, Boaz, with Skip Abed, Car Free partner and owner of the Santa Barbara Sailing Center, gets ready for a ride on the Double Dolphin catamaran with Santa Barbara Car Free partners. Below right, Boaz pilots the Double Dolphin as Captain Don looks on.
Below left, Boaz with Sarah Herbold of MTD, on board the
Double Dolphin. Below right, Boaz heads onto the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to ride
down to Los Angeles.
Find out more about Boaz' Car Free Journey Across America at
www.unroadtrip.com.
April 2009 - Come to Earth Day Car Free and Win!
Santa Barbara Car Free and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, with help from several Car Free partners, including Amtrak, sponsored a special initiative for the South Coast Earth Day Festival, celebrated April 19. People who arrived at the Festival Car Free could enter at the Santa Barbara Car Free booth to win special prizes, including the Grand Prize, a pair of roundtrip tickets from Santa Barbara to Portland or Seattle including roomette accommodations on the Amtrak Coast Starlight.
Retired school nurse Mary Meredith (left) was the Grand Prize
winner. She and a friend walked about three miles from her home in
the San Roque area of Santa Barbara to the Festival location in
Alameda Park. Meredith remarked, "Everyone I’ve told about the prize
has said, ‘I’ll go with you! But I can only take one. I’m so looking
forward to it!"
She added, “My friend and I like to walk together all the time. The
good thing about Earth Day was, we knew if we got tired on the way
back, we could take a free bus home.” Several organizations,
including the City of Santa Barbara, the Community Environmental
Council, Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District, the Santa
Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and the Santa Barbara
Car Free Project, sponsored and promoted free MTD bus service on the
date of the Earth Day celebration.
Meredith finished treatment for breast cancer in November. "Since
then, I’ve been walking more and more to stay healthy. Now I know
that I can walk downtown, and I can walk back," she said.