Nice Loop Route On My Recumbent Bike

I'd been eyeing this loop on Google Maps for about two years and kept putting it off, mostly because a route this long means committing a whole day - the drive out, then 79 miles in the saddle. With a free day at the end of August, I finally loaded up the Cruzbike S40 and made it happen.

Why a Loop

I started and ended at the Suncoast Trail's State Road 50 trailhead, north of Tampa. The appeal of a loop over an out-and-back is simple - you never backtrack over ground you've already seen. The route runs about 15 miles north on the Suncoast Trail, east on Norvell Bryant Parkway, south on the Withlacoochee State Trail for around 20 miles, then west back through Brooksville to close the loop. Almost the entire route is dedicated multi-use trail rather than open road.

A Late Start and a Netflix Cameo

My only real mistake was a late 9:10am start on an already-90-degree August morning, so the first stretch north on the Suncoast Trail was hot and shadeless. Along South Lecanto Highway I passed a site tied to the Netflix series MerPeople - the owner of that spot fell in love with the mermaid-show culture at nearby Weeki Wachee Springs and eventually opened his own aquarium with mermaid shows of his own. A fun bit of old-Florida history to roll past.

Construction, Twice

The route wasn't without hiccups. I hit trail construction on South Lecanto Highway and had to detour onto a sidewalk, then got stopped again near Brooksville by crews actively resurfacing the trail - that one required asking a worker for the best way around and riding a couple miles on a narrow road shoulder instead. Both detours cost some time but never derailed the ride.

Withlacoochee Shade and a Lunch Stop

Turning south onto the Withlacoochee State Trail was the turning point of the day - instant shade after miles of open, sun-baked trail. I stopped in Inverness around the 40-mile mark for lunch at the old train station: pizza, a swirl ice cream cone with Fruity Pebbles on top, and a vitamin water to refuel before the second half.

The Numbers

Strava had the final tally at 79.12 miles (127 km), a moving time of about 5.5 hours, and an elapsed time of 7.5 hours once you count lunch, breaks, and a roadside chat with a fellow rider named John, originally from London. Average speed came in at 14.25 mph with a 30 mph max on a downhill, and the elevation profile showed a handful of 100+ foot climbs - deceptively tough for a Florida flatlander - with the biggest single climb topping out around 180 feet. If you're looking for a long, mostly-shaded, mostly-trail loop north of Tampa, this one delivers.