Sports/Fitness

Write to the RTC on the Rail Corridor

April 27, 2020 by Seb Frey

The Coastal Rail Trail — Tell the RTC Your Thoughts on the Future of our Rail Corridor

The Regional Transportation Commission will soon decide if the Santa Cruz Rail Corridor will be used for passenger rail, or some kind of bus service. They are working on a Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis – but they are only looking at two alternatives – fixed rail and bus.

This web site has frequently made the case that the best use of the corridor isn’t for passenger rail. Many (most!) Aptos residents are likely also opposed to any capital-intensive, low-use projects envisioned in the corridor. Please write to the RTC today at transitcorridoraa@sccrtc.org or info@sccrtc.org or via their Contact Us web page.

[CTA-Callout ]

Suggested Talking Points for a Message to the RTC

I’m writing to let you know that I OPPOSE the rail transit options and the bus option on the rail corridor. The rail options however are far worse than bus, because…

Rail transit will not move more people faster nor for less money than bus transit.
Rail transit is more NOT accessible, less comfortable, and louder for riders and neighbors. It also does not go where people need to go.
Rail transit will operate in a corridor creating additional traffic congestion in residential neighborhoods, so provides the least reliable service: NEVER on time any time.
Rail transit CANNOT be implemented sooner than bus transit, it will have NO IMPACT to be able to travel car-free, it WILL NOT lower our emissions, it WILL NOT fight global warming, and will have NO IMPACT to escape traffic congestion sooner.
Rail banking WORKS and absolutely protects 100% of the existing 32 mile rail corridor from easement threats. The Great Redwood Trail in Northern California is using rail banking for a distance 10 times longer than the Santa Cruz Corridor with not easement threats. The only threat here is from the extremists at the Friend of the Rail Trail.

Choosing rail transit means construction of the Coastal Rail Trail is ALREADY delayed and WILL NOT be completed within 10 years. Plans for the rail trail are shoddy and ridiculously expensive.

Bus Rapid Transit/Bus on Shoulder along Highway 1 offers South County riders the same access to improved public transportation as North County riders, RAIL transit does not. It would also clearly show single occupant vehicle drivers that there isa faster way to Santa Cruz.

Rail transit WILL NEVER double the use of public transportation county-wide. Please use SMART as an excellent example of Rail Transit Failure. You cannot get an entire county to accept the burden of financing public tranportation for 2% of the population.

Rail transit is THE MOST expensive to operate and maintain so, over time, rail transit will BANKRUPT SANTA CRUZ METRO.

Funding to implement passenger rail service is NOT REALISTICALLY identified in the State Rail Plan. With COVID-19, we will also be taking a massive hit to revenue in the county, making paying for such capital intensive projects even less feasible.

Tearing up the existing tracks to replace them with a road for buses or commuter rail would create environmental trauma such as TOXIC CLEANUP FROM DECADES OF PESTICIDES, GREASES and OTHER WASTER along with demolition waste, grading, miles of new pavement, and digging for storm drainage systems. This is minimized by replacing the tracks with an active transportation trail and keeping mass transit on the Highway 1 corridor where it belongs.

Rail provides the LEAST easiest access and minimal amount of bike storage per vehicle (rail 20 or more, most buses can only carry around 3). WE DON’T WANT A PLACE TO STORE OUR BIKES, WE WANT A PLACE TO SAFELY RIDE OUR BIKES!

It doesn’t matter if rail provides the access for wheelchairs if it is difficult to get to the locations to ride the train and to get to a final destination as the centuries old rail line does not pass through any current day employment area, government center or higher learning campus. Rail on a signle track cannot accommodate more people with personal mobility devices.

STOP WASTING OUR TIME WITH THESE STUDIES! STOP THE MADNESS OF RAIL AND THEIR SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BUILD A TRAIL ON THE CORRIDOR NOW!

[Home-Price-Callout ]

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burner

November 23, 2016 by Seb Frey

Worried about busting your waistline this Thanksgiving Day? If you’re concerned about what indulging in a 3,000 calorie meal could mean for your health, you’re not alone. The good news is that while we celebrate all we are thankful for by overindulging in a way that might make Boss Hogg blush, you do have a great opportunity on Thursday to make a positive difference for your body and your health.

Rocky’s Fitness Center in Pleasure Point is once again having its traditional Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burner. Rocky’s is run by Aptos resident Rocky Snyder, and he’s been running a fitness center in Santa Cruz county for decades. It’s very well known by many athletes, surfers, and health care professionals in the area for its distinctive approach to physical fitness training.

Members of the community are invited to go down to Rocky’s Fitness on Thursday, November 24th at 9 AM for a FREE one hour fitness session. Check it out and see what you think – Rocky’s is also running a Winter Workout special, with a three-month membership on sale for $249 which is a heck of a deal and includes a free t-shirt! It’s suggested that you get there a bit earlier than 9:00 AM as parking may be a bit hard to find. Get on down to Rocky’s and get your metabolism geared up for the feast to come!

Sandman Triathlon Returns for Its 30th Year

April 8, 2015 by Seb Frey

The Sandman Triathlon returns for its 30th year this summer! The Sandman Triathlon is a fundraiser for the Santa Cruz State Parks Lifeguard Association held at Seacliff State Beach. This year, the race will be held on Sunday, August 2nd at 8:00 AM.

The Sandman Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event. It begins with a .75-kilometer ocean swim around the historic SS Palo Alto, followed by a spectacular 13-mile bike ride through redwood forests, Seascape and Rio Del Mar. To top it all off, the race finishes with an strenuous four mile run on the beach.

The Sandman is a sprint triathlon and designed to be a super fun and a family friendly event, it is the perfect triathlon experience for athletes that are new to the sport.

Registration for the 2015 Sandman is now open on Active.com. Athletes can sign up for the sprint triathlon, a duathlon or the one-mile kids’ fun run.

The Sandman Triathlon is one of Santa Cruz County’s oldest triathlons. Its inaugural race occurred way back in 1986 in the infancy of the sport. The Sandman was originally conceived by the Santa Cruz State Parks Lifeguard Association to be a positive Aptos community event that would raise funds for the association, who supports the junior lifeguard and lifeguard operations in Santa Cruz, including providing scholarships for kids from low-income families that otherwise could not afford the cost of the 4-week program. Over the past three decades, thousands of dollars have been raised for the Santa Cruz State Lifeguard Association to help provide high-quality water safety education to hundreds of Santa Cruz County youth.

Aptos Post Office Jumps is Seeking a New Location

January 24, 2015 by Seb Frey

Although there has been little word from the developer, it seems that the Aptos Village Redevelopment project will be moving forward in 2015. Because of this, the world-famous Aptos Post Office Jumps is seeking a new location, as the jumps are slated to be officially closed on February 17.

The search for a new location is being led by the Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, who have created a new web site, postofficejumps.org, to help coordinate the search.

The ideal site will comprise of 1-2 acres of gently sloping land, with easy access and some space for vehicle parking. If the site were large enough, beginner and intermediate jump lines could be included, and perhaps a pump track for very young children.

Finding a replacement site that meets this criteria will be very challenging in land-starved Santa Cruz county, and will likely require the cooperation of neighbors, property owners, and several county and/or city government agencies. If you can help in any way, please send an email to sendit@postofficejumps.org.

Starting 2015 On the Right Foot in Aptos

December 31, 2014 by Seb Frey

Happy New Year 2015 — Planning to make 2015 a very Happy New Year

I’ve been working on Aptos Community News for over a year now, in part because I want to help make Aptos an even better place tomorrow than it is today. And in that spirit, I plan on starting 2015 on the right foot in Aptos. I’m going to improve our community starting with me, which is the only thing I am 100% in control of.

The good news is, I won’t be alone in this. Thousands of folks in the community are looking back on 2014, and looking forward to 2015 and thinking about what they can do better in the new year. I have a very long list of ways that I can personally improve, but as I get older, one thing that becomes increasingly important is maintaining my health.

And that’s why my eyes opened wider when I saw that the good folks at Fleet Feet Sports in Aptos are organizing Tons of Fun 2015, which is a community-based health and weight loss challenge. When striving towards any goal, it’s often more effective not to go it alone, and to at least have some kind of accountability partner…and maybe meet some like-minded, health-conscious Aptosians to boot.

I spoke with Tina Coillot who is one of the owners of Fleet Feet Sports, and put up a recording of our conversation on the Real Santa Cruz Podcasat. You can listen to the interview here:

Interview with Tina Coillot of Fleet Feet Sports

Download audio file…

It’s refreshing to talk to someone who truly has a passion for what they do – and I think you can really get a sense of that from my interview with Tina. I get the feeling that she really enjoys being part of our community and making the folks who live here healthier – and happier.

The interview is around 40 minutes long, so you might want to just subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Stitcher and listen to it in your car, on your morning walk, at the gym, or whatever.

In the interview, we also talked about their “Couch to 5K” program – which I hadn’t heard about before we started talking. It sounds like just the ticket for me – someone who has never, ever ran (since high school anyway, and then only barely). I would love to be able to run a whole five thousand meters – so this is something I’m going to sign up for as well. In for a penny, in for a pound!

Happy New Year, Aptos! I love you. See you in 2015!

Aptos Little League Spring 2015 Registration is Open

November 25, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Aptos Little League has announced that the Aptos Little League Spring 2015 Registration is Open! Registration is open now but will close on January 22, 2015 – so there is a limited time to get your kids registered for the league. You can register by clicking on this link.

Please note the following dates as they are important:

Tryouts/Evaluations – January 17th & 18th, 2015 @ Aptos Junior High School (times TBD). Tryouts are for player ages 9-12 (age as of April 30, 2015). Read the registration section of the website for more detail.
First Annual Aptos Little League Poker Tour – January 24, 2015 @ Seascape Golf ClubHouse
Opening Day/Photo Day – March 21, 2015 @ Aptos Junior High School (times TBD)

Run For Pie Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot

October 27, 2014 by Seb Frey

Fleet Feet Sports is once again hosting the 3rd Annual Run For Pie Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. The race begins on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 27th at 9:00 AM at Aptos Village Park, and goes through the Forest of Nisene Marks. As is the tradition, registered runners will be served mini pumpkin pies at the finish line.

There’s actually two races in one: a 10K run, and a 5K Run/Walk, and the proceeds from the race will go to support the Youth Resource Bank of Santa Cruz County. Early bird registration (prior to October 31st) is $35 for the 5K and $45 for the 10K race, after that it’s $5 more. Don’t want to sign up – the race sold out two weeks early last year!

This year’s sponsors include New Balance shoes, Kennolyn Camps, Seascape Foods, Norma Jean’s Coffee, and several more.

Run for Rio 5K Race – September 14

September 7, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Second Annual Run for Rio 5K Race will be held this year on Sunday, September 14, 2014. The run begins at 8:00 AM in Seascape Village, and the course winds its way through nearby neighborhoods. The fee to participate is $30 per runner or $120 for a family of up to 5. Proceeds from the run will directly benefit Rio Del Mar Elementary Parent Alliance which funds many important programs at Rio del Mar Elementary School.

Seascape Village Fitness and Physical Therapy is hosting both pre- and post-run gatherings at their Fitness Center, with healthy snacks and beverages and guided warm-up and cool-down periods. Seascape Foods will also be providing a post fuel station.

See also:

Relay for Life Runs July 12-13

July 8, 2014 by Seb Frey

Relay for Life Runs July 12-13 at Cabrillo College, and is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The relay starts on Saturday, July 12 at 10 AM with an opening ceremony and a Survivor Lap. There will be live entertainment throughout the day, including a Kid’s Camp with a bounce house, carnival-style games, and food booths. Come nightfall, those touched by and taken by cancer will be honored and remembered during the Luminaria Ceremony.

Relay for Life provides a way to honor cancer survivors as well as educate people on how they can reduce their cancer risk. The money raised by the Relay will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Those interested in participating in the Relay can start a team, join a team, or walk the Survivor Lap.