SoCal Road Enthusiasts - Second Meeting
Part 3: Summerland to Santa Ynez
On the next leg we were going to head north up 101 and exit at Milpas Street in Santa Barbara, then go up the recently decommissioned CA144 route to CA192 and meet again at the 154/192 super-2 interchange. On the way we noted a couple of left exits and the unique wood bridge rail used on the 1956 vintage 101 freeway in Santa Barbara.
US101 headed for Santa Barbara can get congested on weekends.
Photo by Daniel Faigin
There are still a couple of left lane exits on 101 in Santa Barbara. There used to be a CA225 shield on this sign.
Distinctive rail is used on some of the Santa Barbara US101 bridges.
Upon exiting northbound US101 at Milpas Street we came across an unexpected roundabout, complete with a diagram sign and labeling the way it is done in Britain (similar fonts and chevrons). Unfortunately we were not able to get a photo, as we were confused by the signing and ended up on the wrong street due to the first right not actually entering the roundabout as I thought. Further, it turns out that CA144 didn't stay on Milpas Street as we assumed, but turned onto another street to meet up with CA192, so once we got back to Milpas Street we promptly got lost again. Instead of hunting out CA192 we jumped on 101 north, exited at CA154 and met at the 154/192 Cathedral Oaks exit (CA154 is a "super two" freeway at this point).
CA154 "super-2" freeway at CA192
Photo by Daniel Faigin
L to R: Don, Mike P., Mike B. (in the background), and Daniel's daughter
From the CA154/192 interchange we headed west down Cathedral Oaks Road to San Marcos Road, a twisty old alignment that was replaced by San Marcos Pass Road (present CA154) perhaps back in the 1930s.
Photo by Daniel Faigin
There were a few signs like this on the old alignment.
From there we turned onto westbound CA154 for a few miles and turned left on Stagecoach Road, the curvy old alignment of San Marcos Pass Road until 1963 when the Cold Spring Arch Bridge was built. Most people traveling on CA154 have no idea what a spectacular bridge this is.
Cold Spring Arch bridge on CA154. Nice thunderhead buildup that day.
West support
It took a few shots to get the entire bridge.
Our next stop was at the old bridge over the Santa Ynez River. We pulled off the road in front of a llama farm and went over to check out the bridge (1930s vintage?), which was fenced off. We attracted the attention of a ranch guard who drove up next to us as a warning as we were leaving.
Thunderheads and llamas.
Old Santa Ynez River bridge, now a cattle path.
Current Santa Ynez River bridge on CA154, built in 1971.
© 2001 Mark Furqueron