The route covers approximately 79 miles through Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, crossing a vast suburban region located north of Tampa Bay. The ride connects heavily urbanized areas, former railroad communities, protected natural preserves and massive residential developments that expanded throughout the Tampa Bay region during recent decades. Communities visited along the way include Wesley Chapel, Pebble Creek, New Tampa, Lutz, Cheval, Keystone, Trinity, Holiday, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Moon Lake and Land O’ Lakes.
The journey begins in Wesley Chapel, a community that remained largely rural until only a few decades ago and has since become one of the fastest growing suburban areas in Florida. Originally known as Gatorland and later Double Branch, the area developed during the nineteenth century around churches and agricultural settlements. Today the landscape is dominated by endless subdivisions, shopping centers and green corridors as suburban growth continues expanding north and east of Tampa.
After entering Hillsborough County, the route passes through areas such as Pebble Creek, Hunters Green and Tampa Palms, all largely developed during the real estate boom of the late twentieth century. Near the Hillsborough River survive some of the few protected natural areas remaining between suburban expansion, including the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve. Farther ahead the ride reaches University, a large community associated with the University of South Florida and marked by major social and economic contrasts. Former railroad settlements such as Flora, Nowatney and Bruing once existed here before being completely absorbed by Tampa’s urban growth.
The route continues toward Lutz, a historic railroad community surrounded by lakes and former farming colonies. The area still preserves historic buildings and a replica of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad station. Portions of the film Edward Scissorhands were filmed here. Farther ahead appear Cheval, Keystone and other communities surrounded by modern subdivisions, golf courses and natural lakes. The ride briefly crosses the Brooker Creek Preserve in Pinellas County before returning once again into Pasco County.
In Trinity and Holiday the landscape becomes intensely suburban once more. The route follows commercial corridors and massive highways until reaching New Port Richey and Port Richey, two communities located beside the Pithlachascotee River. Port Richey emerged during the late nineteenth century as a coastal settlement tied to maritime and railroad transportation. Decades later New Port Richey attempted to establish itself as a tourist and residential destination for Hollywood celebrities during the land boom of the 1920s.
The final section crosses suburban neighborhoods and former lumber towns such as Fivay, a ghost settlement created around one of Florida’s largest sawmills during the early twentieth century. Modern developments such as Connerton and Land O’ Lakes also appear, the latter heavily transformed by recent residential expansion. Throughout the entire ride, the route reflects the rapid urbanization of west central Florida, where forests, farms and railroad towns have increasingly been replaced by subdivisions, highways and shopping centers with little interruption.
