Aching legs, lungs burning and sweat dripping down their faces.
For some people, there is no good reason for biking seven miles up Gibraltar Road above Santa Barbara.
But, hundreds of cyclists from around California did just that — and more — in Saturday’s Santa Barbara 100.
About 900 riders participated in the eighth annual charity bike ride, said Tricia Popp, an SB100 board member.
“It’s a ride, not a race,” she told Noozhawk. “The event is unique in terms of the climbing element. It’s a well-supported community ride.”
Popp said the goal for this year was to raise $100,000.
SB100 has donated to the Emory Foundation, the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, the Andrew Popp Memorial Scholarship Program, the Cottage Children’s Medical Center and the Riviera Youth Bike Team, bringing more than $280,000 in donations in past years.
Starting and finishing at Leadbetter Beach, the cycling event features four distance options to suit each cyclist’s ability. It moved through Santa Barbara’s waterfront, Carpinteria, Montecito and the Goleta Valley flatlands.
The event offered two different 100-mile round-trip courses, including one with more than 9,000 feet of climbing and a second with 7,000 feet of elevation.
Riders could also take part in a 62-mile ride and a 34-mile route with a few short climbs along the way.
The best uphill riders were awarded at the closing ceremony. Click here for complete race results.
Santa Barbara resident Meaghen Harris has been cycling since 2011. She took part in the 100-mile course and completed the distance in under seven hours.
“Since I live here, I can ride the roads every day, but when you throw the challenge in and hundreds of other people on the road — it makes it a great event,” she said.
The SB100’s presenting sponsor was Silver Air.
Jason Middleton, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara-based jet management company, rode with his Silver Air team.
“It’s great to see people out riding for the day and doing something healthy together,” he said.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
