Santa Barbara Report

Mission Report: Santa Barbara

Date: 5/4/95

We woke up early this morning, eager to start our first day of riding. After breakfast, Brian attached the "bike computer" to his bicycle. It tells us know how far we have gone, how fast we are going, and our average speed.

Travel Statictics:

We left Ventura and rode alongside the ocean all the way to Santa Barbara. We have a journal by a man named Mr. Miller who travelled between the Missions by mule in 1856. When he traveled the same section of road that we traveled today he saw very different scenery than we did. Mr. Miller talks about seeing Indians collecting sea salt, and passing small ranchos owned by American settlers. He said that the trail somtimes passed so close to the sea that his mule had to walk through the waves.

We did travel very near the sea, but our journey today was much different than this. We followed a paved bicycle path and many roads. At one point the bike path led us on to a section of highway 101. It is legal to ride bicycles on this 5 mile section of 101, but we sure didn't enjoy it! Too many large cars and trucks whizzing by! Our journey definetly wasn't as peaceful (or as safe) as Mr. Miller's.

Mission

We are very excited to be sleeping in one of the rooms at Mission Santa Barbara. This Mission is huge compared to Missions Buenaventura and San Rafael! There is an academy here for people who are studying Franciscanism. Part of this Mission is also a rest home for old people.

We are sending you a beautiful picture of Mission Santa Barbara. You can see why it is called "The Queen of the Missions."

Door

Our second small picture shows some scull and cross bones symbols above the door leading from the cemetary to the church. (Sorry to send you 2 doors in a row!)

Questions:

  1. We are told that this scull and cross bones symbol is an ancient symbol used in grave yards. It is the same symbol that is used on pirate's flags. Can you find out any more information on this symbol for us?
  2. Mr. Miller says that it was 9 "leguas" from Mission San Buenaventura to Mission Santa Barbara. can you find out how long a "legua" is. Was the trail that Mr. Miller travelled in 1856 longer or shorter than the distance that we traveled.



More Soon!

--Brian and Matt

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