The ride begins along the Withlacoochee River, which forms the boundary between Citrus and Sumter counties, and follows quiet back roads bordered by wetlands, forests, and protected landscapes such as Flying Eagle, Ross Prairie, and Halpata Tastanaki. Along the way, cyclists pass small settlements like Rutland and Royal, founded in the nineteenth century, as well as former communities that gradually faded from the map.
Entering Marion County, the landscape remains dominated by ranch lands, training tracks, and wide open countryside. One of the key features of the route is the crossing of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, a vast natural corridor that today connects conservation areas but was once planned as a canal project intended to link the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic.
In its final stretch, the route moves through more developed areas such as Ocala Waterway and Marion Oaks before returning toward the river past historic sites like Gaiter, Cedar Grove, and Camp Izard, locations tied to the Seminole Wars. The journey reflects the transition between Florida’s rural interior past and its modern expansion.
The complete route, along with its detailed historical context, is part of Discovering Florida – Volume 5.
