LOL to San Antonio Ride (61 miler)

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Pasco County, FL, US

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Route Overview

Chain Gang Cycling

If you're too busy to ride, you're too busy!

61 mi.

1,778 ft.

This route starts in Land O' Lakes, FL, which is a very flat area just north of Tampa. The ride takes you to San Antonio, FL, which is actually quite hilly. This is the longest version of our LOL to San Antonio Rides (61 miles) and includes the greatest amount of elevation. All of the hills are in the middle of the ride... very flat at the start and the end.

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Route Details

This route starts in Land O' Lakes, FL, which is a very flat area just north of Tampa. The ride takes you to San Antonio, FL, which is actually quite hilly.

This the longest version of our LOL to San Antonio Rides (61 miles) and includes the greatest amount of elevation. All of the hills are in the middle of the ride with lots of miles of flat terrain at the start and at the end of the ride.

# Route

* Parking is available at Pineview Middle School when school is not in session. @poi[Parking is also available at the Cypress Creek Preserve trailhead](2036757) if school is in session. This is just past the official starting point of the route.
* @slice[The route is very flat for the first 11 miles.](d,0,17775.62)
* @slice[FL-52](d,12192.49,17914.78) is a busy highway with a wide bike lane. 
* @slice[The first real elevation change is on Bayhead Rd.](d,29686.82,36134.38)] 4 miles and 185' of climb... just enough to get you warmed up for the bigger hills ahead. This road surface is a bit rough in places, but mostly a  consistent texture. The scenery is nice here... farms and valley views.
* After Bayhead, there is a ***sweet*** downhill followed by a short, but fairly steep climb. @slice[Just after that, there is a long grinding climb with fresh pavement and a brand new bike lane! (Spring 2016)](d,37817.56,39460.79)
* @slice[Next is one of the most famous climbs in San Antonio... Three Sisters!](d,42843.13,44653.24) It is 1.1 miles and 143' of climb. It's all out in the open, so if it's windy, it can be tough. The good news is that there is a long descent just before this section!
* @slice[Myers Rd./Clay Hill Rd. is another famous climb](d,44864.65,48167.06)... not steep, but long. 2.1 miles and 128' of climb. At the end of this section, you're at one of the highest points in San Antonio.
* @point[The convenience store on Blanton](d,50646.16) is a regular rest stop for cyclists. There is a port-o-let beside the store, which is specifically for cyclists. The clerks are always friendly and, of course, the store does have cold drinks and snacks.
* @slice[The next section on Blanton has a few rolling hills and nice views across the valley.](d,50677.22,54325.38) Enjoy those, before the next named hills!
* @slice[College Hill is the next named climb.](d,54325.38,55007.77) It's just .4 miles and 74' of climb. It's easier from this direction because you only have to tackle about half of the hill at once. Coming from the other direction, it's harder!
* @slice[The pavement on the descent from College Hill is a little rough, so hang on!](d,55007.77,56315.77) It's .8 miles and 129' of descent.
* @slice[Next up is Ramsey Hill.](d,56702.94,57554.53) It's .5 miles and 90' of climb. It's a great road surface though with a nice descent as you approach St. Joe Rd.
* @slice[Caution on this short descent on St. Joe Rd.](d,58222.45,59436.05) St. Joe can be a busy road and you have to make a left turn just ahead onto Happy Hill Rd., so be sure to look ahead and behind for traffic approaching in both directions!
* After crossing FL-52, Happy Hill Rd. becomes Prospect Rd.@slice[There are two climbs in this section with a short descent in between them.](d,62799.89,66842.12) This section is 2.5 miles and 142' of climb. Those are the last real hills in this route. There are a couple of short inclines just ahead, including one overpass, but there are plenty of miles of flat in between them.
* @slice[Awesome descent in this section](d,66429.53,68172.17), which is your payoff for tackling those last hills. Be careful for some cracks in the pavement here. Some bad sections of road surface may be hidden in the showdows of the tree cover!
* @slice[Elam Rd. is a real pleasure for cyclists.](d,73369.98,77244.07) The road surface is only a few years old and there is rarely traffic on this road.
* @point[Optional Rest Stop - Wesley Chapel District Park.](d,78113.99) This is a good place for a last rest stop, if needed. There are restrooms and water fountains. 
* @point[Caution crossing here.](d,79170.91) Old Pasco Rd. isn't very busy, but there is no bike lane or shoulder, so stay in a single line and cross carefully. This section is less than a mile long.
* @point[Caution in this turn!](d,80512.36) Some genius in the roads department decided it would be a good idea to put vicious little bumps in the turn.
* @point[Entrance to Pasco Well Fields](d,87144.37) There is a gate here and it may appear to be a dead-end, but it isn't. You can easily walk your bike around the south side of the gate (there is a path). This trail is only open to non-motorized traffic. You are likely to see hikers and other cyclists. If you see horseback riders, slow down and give them a wide berth if they are close to the trail.  There are two more gates at the end of this trail, both of  which are easy to ride around. 
* @slice[This section of Ehren Cutoff will be busier than it was when you started the ride, assuming that you started early in the day.](d,92049.72,95508.05) There is no bike lane or shoulder, but it isn't a major thoroughfare.
* The Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home is a good landmark for your turn onto Parkway Blvd., but there is also an interesting story about the man, after which this facility is named. See the Wikipedia article [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldomero_L%C3%B3pez).
* @point[Parkway Blvd. turns left here.](d,913.8) If you continue straight, the road becomes Collier Pkwy. and you'll miss the parking lot where you left your car!

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LOL to San Antonio Ride (61 miler)

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