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Thursday, July 22, 2010
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g n i s u m Cruising &
BEACH CRUISIN’ RECAP Cost of bike rental: $10 Number of near-collisions: at least six Number of real collisions: zero (success!) Number of man-packs: three per hour Number of celebrities sited: ½
Discover PB looks to tourism to bolster summer business BY ANTHONY GENTILE | BEACH & BAY PRESS As temperatures start to rise in Pacific Beach, more and more tourists will flock to the area. Discover PB is hoping the summer will bring local businesses a boost. “Summertime is a time where businesses are really focused on tourists and trying to make the most of the busy tourist season,” said Andy Hanshaw, executive director of the area’s business improvement district. “We’re hoping for better things this season and what we’re hearing, at least from the hotel side, is that things are picking up.” With Discover PB’s major events happening in the fall, the organization is counting on the sunshine to bring more business to PB. During the summer, Discover PB will promote the area heavily.
“Our focus in the summer is to really work to promote all that’s already happening down here — doing our best to promote the summer destination that PB is and focus on the great beaches, hotels, retailers and bars that we have here,” Hanshaw said. Before the sun sets on summer 2010, Discover PB will host two local events, in addition to a potential sidewalk sale. On Aug. 15, “Charger Steve’s” Wild Rides and Classic Car Showdown will come to Garnet Avenue, an event that will be free to the public. “The promoter of an established car show is going to be on Garnet Avenue with classic beach and movie cars,” Hanshaw said. “It’s going to be a fun car show and peoSEE DISCOVER, Page 5
A real-time account of beach cruising bliss BY HILLARY SCHULER JONES | BEACH & BAY PRESS
Beach cruisers are a prominent part of the landscape in Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, serving as icons of the area’s laid-back atmosphere and playful vibe. However, if you are like this intrepid reporter, you may have long ago parked your bike in favor of a sensible sedan – and in the process, lost touch with the quirky qualities that make this community such a great place to live. So, I decided to ditch my Camry and try cruising the boardwalk for a new perspective. The following are my observations:
PAUL HANSEN | Beach & Bay Press
Fiesta Island development plan strives for multi-use
11 a.m.: It is a bright sunny day, one of the first we have had after a dismal bout of June Gloom and July Drizzle. I head toward the beach on foot, basking in the sunshine. 11:01: I narrowly avoid being hit by an unwieldy cruiser. She apologizes and wobbles away. Mental note: learn how to apply the brake before entering a crowded area.
BY DEBBIE HATCH | BEACH & BAY PRESS
11:03: A Jeep full of college-aged boys drives by blasting Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” on the radio, just as I walk between the bright yellow façade of Roberto’s Taco Shop and the whirring, clacking thrill ride that is the Giant Dipper. Mood set. 11:08: I arrive at Wavehouse, where I will rent my trusty steed. A mother-son duo is arguing with each other and the attendants about whether to take on the Waverider. 11:18: After a barrage of questions and lengthy deliberation, the mom agrees to sign Timmy’s life away. I fill out a similar form admitting that I am risking life and limb, hand over my $10 and jump on the rusty trusty bike. 11:20: I decide to head north on the boardwalk, but before I can get momentum, I have another near accident, this time with two young girls on a tandem bike, who fell over in my immediate path. Amateurs. 11:25: I witness a girl on a bike doing her best to steer with one hand while talking on a cell phone. Listen to Oprah: no talking while driving. 11:28: I am on the lookout for some of the people I have seen in this area in the past — namely, the bongo-playing recluse and the man who does pilates on the beach wall. But I get distracted when a man wearing a black trucker hat, a
Visitors who go to Fiesta Island to walk their dogs are among the many users who are giving input influencing how future plans for the area shape up.
Manpack.
Hillary Schuler-Jones | Beach & Bay Press
plain white T-shirt and low-riding black shorts glides by me. I swear it was Kevin Federline. 11:34: I start playing “Guess The Tourist” and discover a dead giveaway — the majority are wearing tennis shoes with calf-high socks. To the beach. In the middle of summer. Locals wear flip-flops, period. 11:41: I see a swarm of junior lifeguards in their bright red and yellow outfits. There aren’t too many places where kids spend summer vacation learning how to save lives. 11:46: I reach Lahaina Beach House. It is jam-packed, as usual. 11:50: After Lahaina, the boardwalk narrows to an almost unmanageable width, and I encounter my first “man-pack.” This is a group of at least four dudes walking side-by-side, creating an effective barricade against all the traffic behind them. Havoc ensues. 11:52: I reach Kona’s and try to turn around in a thick crowd. 11:58: I get back to a crowd-free area and decide to see what my bike is made of, cranking it to top speed. SEE CRUISING, Page 4
There are no walls with family pictures, no picket fences and no kitchen tables where families share meals. Yet to many, Fiesta Island is home. The unkempt territory enables park patrons to relinquish themselves to activities that involve dedication, time and energy. Fiesta Island is more than a city park operated under the San Diego Park and Recreation Department. To some, it is a place where cyclists ride bicycles, dog owners run or walk in the sand with their dogs off-leash and paddlers can launch their boats on calm waters. That was the sentiment from community members who spoke to the board members of the Mission Bay Park Committee (MBPC) at its monthly meeting July 6. Mike Singleton, project manager for the Fiesta Island Development Plan, presented the most recent version to MBPC board members at the public meeting. The presentation served only as an informational agenda item, but public comment followed the presentation. “It was supposed to be a two-year
project,” Singleton said. He believes the new plan is a positive one because of the public input he has received since the project was announced in 2005. The initial plan set aside no acreage for off-leash dog use, the two-lane road originally suggested was dangerous to cyclists and the landscaping was not in keeping with the natural state of the island that so many patrons appreciate. Since the Park and Recreation Department announced a plan to redevelop the island in accordance with the Mission Bay Park Master Plan, a number of dog owners are no longer without a voice. They are now part of the Fiesta Island Dog Owners (FIDO) nonprofit organization. Cyclists and triathletes who train on Fiesta Island have shared safety concerns about the traffic flow at the park. Paddling groups such as Kai Elua Outrigger Canoe Club and San Diego Dragon Boat Club are also working together to acquire a secure and safe space from which to launch their boats. SEE FIESTA, Page 5