Just as I was really getting into really good habits, I am getting called away to California to work on the oil spill in Santa Barbara for 16 days. When I come back I am only home for 2 days and then go back to MD/PA for a wedding. Hopefully I won't have any problems getting back into the swing of things when I do finally return to my desk.

I thought of trying to buy a bike off of CL, as the ride from my hotel to the command post is less than 5 miles (by car, anyway), but I don't think I am going to have time to track something down, meet a seller and then try and sell or give whatever I buy away (or be start contemplating shipping it home lol)

Any of you out in Santa Barbara/Goleta? If so, would love to meet and maybe get a beer or so.

If you're that bummed.. which I understand I was only gone a week to FL!.. there's always rentals. Santa Barbara Bike Rentals - Road, Hybrid, Beach Cruisers and more! popped up just with a quick search. Probably would be cheaper to buy but also would give the chance to try something new.

Yeah, I'm not prepared to spend a huge chunk of my per diem on a rental bike when I am going to be working about 14 hours a day. Not a bad idea, though!

Maybe you could get your office to cover a rental bike instead of a rental car! Or expense the Craigslist bike and explain it's way cheaper than 2 weeks of Hertz. Late spring in CA is fantastic.

If I could fly into the Santa Barbara airport instead of LAX, that definitely crossed my mind. I'll still try and look at CL and maybe I'll get lucky with an easy seller and a 50-75 dollar bike that will work for 2 weeks.

With UCSB let out for summer, probably!

+1000000000000000000

I'm sure cali is much more strict about driving after a few cold ones than other places oil spills have sent me, where I think you literally had to run into a parked police cruiser to get in trouble (Louisiana has drive through daiquiri shops/bars, where the only thing that distinguishes them from being legal or an open container is a stip of masking tape over the straw hole).

I'm definitely looking forward to going, have never been to California before

Check craigslist. You might get lucky. And you might even be able to sell the bike when you're done. You might also want to post an ad on craigslist.

Check spinlister.

Also check the regional sections of bikeforums. Maybe someone will loan you a bike.

I really came to hate it when out of towners would clog up SB's beach paths with gigantic beach cruiser rentals. The locals, for the most part, stayed on E Cabrillo (which, interestingly, offers a good view of giraffes in the zoo).

Could always do core workouts to replace missed riding time

FedEx your luggage to the hotel, take a backpack on the plane, cab or bus to bike rental in la, ride to SB.

That would be great if I was on my own time and wasn't told to catch the first flight out and get there as early as possible.
All good advice so far.

Folding bike? That way you have an addition to the stable that you can continue to use.