Santa Cruz

Stories from Santa Cruz County

Read stories and get inspired! Share a cycling story and inspire others to get out and ride!

Image for story I won it!

I won it!

I love to ride. Hope on my bike and it is me and the rode with pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. My goal was always ride every day of the Bike Challenge Month, whether it be a short ride for errand... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story 25 years after spinal fusions I got back on a bike

25 years after spinal fusions I got back on a bike

Back on a bike after 25 years! 'Excited' to ride a bike again doesn't come close to expressing how I am feeling as tears of joy stream down my face, thrilling, freeing, and hopeful.... a life long ... read more

Topic: My first time on a bike in years

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Pidgins

I like riding through groups of pidgins and watching fly always. It’s the best. I really hope I don’t accidentally run one over one day.

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story COP26 Challenge

COP26 Challenge

My last ride of the COP26 challenge - Watching the waves come in & go out again at sunset. The night was enjoyably warm. The light exercise left me feeling invigorated. - Then the horror sank... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Sea Otter Classic eMTB Race

Sea Otter Classic eMTB Race

Raced in the eMTB at Sea Otter Classic. It was great to be out with other riders, talking to vendors and learning. I got to meet Calvin Jones of Park Tool - he helped me fix my buddy's bike after... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Image for story Biking Meetings

Biking Meetings

I have been known to host "walking meetings" with my team members as we go over important business items for follow up. I never thought I'd be hosting 1-1 meetings with my staff via bike, but that ... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Mothers Day

Mothers Day

My son, husband and I decided to spend Mother's Day biking the Coastal Trail from Pacific Grove just past Marina. My husband and I have new electric bikes and we rented a bike in Pacific Grove for... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Biking from 🐐 to  🚲 repair today!

Biking from 🐐 to 🚲 repair today!

Rode my 🚲, “ 🌷 “ to 🐐 exercise class this morning and only got half way before my 🚲 chain came off! Therefore I walked the rest of the way, attended class, and then transported ( by 🛻) to Current ... read more

Topic: Other

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Laughter

I ride daily around the UCSC campus. Today while riding down the bike path from the Recital Hall I decided to laugh loudly. I didn't start off feeling like I wanted to laugh but by the time I arriv... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Virtual Camino de Santiago

Virtual Camino de Santiago

In 2018, my husband and I planned to travel to Europe to complete the Camino de Santiago by bicycle. We cancelled our trip after finding that his cancer (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma) had reared it’s hea... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Slow Streets

The City of Santa Cruz has launched a Slow Streets program, and we are looking for neighborhoods to nominate their streets! The Slow Streets program is designed to limit through traffic on cert... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Chef Maria Bikes to Work

Chef Maria Bikes to Work

Another Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes employee trades in her keys for a helmet and commutes to work. Our kitchen Manager, Maria is dedicated to preparing healthy lunches and feeding anyone who n... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story While I was away...

While I was away...

Sadly I missed the big company ride this past weekend, but had the incredible opportunity to travel to Ireland. This was my first time ever in Europe and I wanted to make the most of my ONE day of... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Mutually Assured Destruction

I recently did a metric century with a friend of mine. It was the longest ride (mileage wise) either of us had ever done and we were pretty burnt out. When we got home I dropped him off and immedia... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story La chispa entre mi bicicleta y yo comienza de nuevo

La chispa entre mi bicicleta y yo comienza de nuevo

Siempre usé mi bicicleta cuando era muy pequeño, pero luego el miedo a las carreteras, los automóviles y la infraestructura de la ciudad me llevó a detenerme. Trabajar con una empresa que es muy ap... read more

Topic: My Bicycle Romance

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Biking for Sanity

Biking and hiking saved me during the pandemic. I met up with old friends and met new people while mountain and road biking. There's nothing better than being outdoors with your buddies, enjoying... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Still Riding After All These Years

Still Riding After All These Years

Here was my trusty stead on my first bike tour from Klamath Falls to Santa Barbara back in '82. Just a 20 year old lad then, and now a mere 40 years later, I still Love To Ride. Thanks to this c... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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River Ride

I am loving seeing the wildlife on my commute to work along the San Lorenzo River levee path. There have been one or two kingfishers out there lots of mornings. One morning I saw a coyote right nex... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Getting to Know You

Having just relocated to Santa Cruz recently, it has been exciting to get out on my bike and explore places I had only seen traveling by car. I can't wait to get to know even places farther than th... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Image for story Wednesday Ride to Check in on our housebound friends

Wednesday Ride to Check in on our housebound friends

Every Wednesday since April 2020 a group of friends rides in Watsonville to check on our housebound (due to age, immunocompromised, non-vaccinated...) friends. It's a fun ride and it brings a litt... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Lente!

Lente!

Because we #lovetoride

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Saving Nature

I ride my bike to work and to play and I love to hike in nature. I was out with friends last week at the Land Of Medicine Buddha in Soquel. This is a private Buddhist Monastery. Absolutely no bik... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story TandeMadness

TandeMadness

All of September I am participating in the Great Cycle Challenge. It's a fund raiser to raise awareness and funds for children's cancer research. It's my 4th time doing it. I love it and I feel GR... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story Anxiety and Biking During a Pandemic

Anxiety and Biking During a Pandemic

It took me a while to want to leave my house at all during the pandemic. I did not show up well for myself in the beginning and my mind got the best of me for longer than I would like to admit. I h... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Image for story 2000 Miles

2000 Miles

Last year in May, I decided that I did not not want to ride to work anymore and bought an electric bike. In that time I have gone down to a one-car family. I just hit 2000 miles on my bike. That is... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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Image for story Grocery Delivery by Bike

Grocery Delivery by Bike

When COVID hit and I made it through the initial shock wave, I started looking for ways to help Santa Cruz community members in need. Food access was top of mind, especially in those early days of ... read more

Topic: Biking in the Coronavirus Era

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Bike + Freediving in Santa Cruz

Recently made plans to do a little free-diving (wetsuit, mask, fins but no scuba) with my dive buddy. I had biked to work on this day. Was able to pack my gear in my saddle bags, fins sticking out... read more

Topic: Other

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Stories from around the world

Image for story Free ride on Sat 9/12/2023 Wanstead Park - Walthamstow Wetlands

Free ride on Sat 9/12/2023 Wanstead Park - Walthamstow Wetlands

Redbridge Cycling Campaign are leading a winter ride on Saturday 9th December, 10.30 from Wanstead Tea Hut to the Walthamstow Wetlands. It will be an easy ride, on quiet streets and off-road paths,... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Brrrrr

That was a chilly little commute this morning! Took a slightly different route to stay within the the houses rather than out on the exposed coast and found out it's all uphill!! Glad I've ordered... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story My Biketober Holiday Prize!

My Biketober Holiday Prize!

I have taken part on the Biketober Challenge for several years now in the Wollongong City Council Team. It's a great way to ditch the car, save some money on petrol, tone up the leg muscles, get... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Dunwich Dynamo (1st July 2023) by Tandem

Dunwich Dynamo (1st July 2023) by Tandem

I think that it was at Needham Lakes that I hit my nadir. We had pulled up abruptly on the beast (a Dawes Galaxy Twin Tandem that had been a successful drunken ebay bid a few years ago) and I’d lef... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Food Delivery Riders

I find them tedious, and don't class their e-bike/small moped riders as cyclists. They ride on the pavements, firing through red lights and generally just giving all cyclists a bad name and therefo... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story I never expected to be a 'cyclist'

I never expected to be a "cyclist"

I live in a two person, one cat, zero car household. While I have long had the goal that I want to live my life without relying on a car to move in a city, I always expected that goal would be sati... read more

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story Last day of Biketober

Last day of Biketober

I have had a wonderful month exploring on my bike during Biketober. Took this photo today in a local Melbourne park on a beautiful day which is also the last day of this wonderful event/challenge.

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Free facial !

"Good cycling weather" the family said. "Best day of the week" they said "Go for it" they said So I did. Got to the bottom of my steep hill and it rained.....hmmmm! Cycled along the Avenue a... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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A car crash led me to all-weather cycling!

During the deepest days of COVID lockdowns, my car was dramatically written off by another car, during the 3km drive to Karkarook Park. Second-hand car prices were very high, so I waited - using my... read more

Topic: Other

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Image for story Downhill and fast

Downhill and fast

Ballarat has many hills (not my favourite thing to climb) BUT - I always enjoy the downhill. Does not matter which hill as long as the trip down is enjoyable. Fisken rd Gear ave SE... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Went to the gym with my h0e

Me and Ashley biked at the gym 👍🏻

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story E-biking is not cheating!

E-biking is not cheating!

I recently went car free, which I've written about elsewhere on here. However, I've recently done some analysis of my ride data that showed up some interesting information. Firstly, a few facts: ... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Ride your bike while your car gets serviced!

I live in sacramento. We like the Davis dealer where we bought our car, so we take it there for servicing. When I take the car in, I always bring my bike. I drop the car off mid- to late morning, ... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Coldest day

A bit chilly this morning, hard frost on everything. Even though my face was crying with the cold, the rest of me was toasty. I have a waterproof helmet cover and that really keeps my head warm,... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

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Image for story 1000 miles before end of year completed.

1000 miles before end of year completed.

So happy to complete my goal before December. I'm not stopping though gotta keep them legs working right through winter hopefully. New year and a new goal to come.

Topic: Other

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Image for story Neigh bad

Neigh bad

My noble steed having a well-earned rest at the half-way point of a longish day ride in glorious autumn weather.

Topic: A happy riding memory

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Image for story How do like them apples?

How do like them apples?

Anyone else have a mental map of good places to forage on their routes? I loaded up with some cute little windfall apples today :-)

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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Image for story Car-free in Houston

Car-free in Houston

I remember plotting my move to Houston, from Detroit, and wondering if I could live there sans automobile. After researching, including looking at walkable neighborhoods, bike & bus routes, and... read more

Topic: My commute by bike

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What It Takes to Get Those Day Miles

I’m trying to bicycle every day in October, as part of the BikeTober competition. On Saturday, I was not near mystreet bike. Stepped into a bike shop and asked about their rental policy, which was... read more

Topic: A story from the Bike Challenge

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Happy Cycling

Imagine the open road ahead of you, the wind in your hair, and the gentle whir of your bicycle's wheels. There's a certain freedom that comes with passonly riding a bicycle. It's just you, your bik... read more

Topic: My Bicycle Romance

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My story that might inspire bicycle enthusiasts:

In the small town of Pedalville, I lived as young boy. I was not like the other kids. I had a deep passion for bicycles. I loved everything about them - the way they moved, the freedom they offered... read more

Topic: Encouraging others to ride

Image for story commute fro Yarra Valley

commute fro Yarra Valley

Up at 5am has its rewards. My commute to Lilydale includes about half of the Warburton Rail Trail. To get to the trail involves a climb to Killara Hill. From the Winery gates I often watch sunrise ... read more

Topic: My favourite place/route to ride

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I'm tired

I'm very tired

Topic: Other

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