Ovando to Lake Holland
Strava: 94.3 km, 1472m, 6:08, 277 shifts, 50 kph max
After a good sleep, we got up at 6:30. Everyone agreed the Ovando Inn was a great place to stay. Breakfast was across the street at the Stray Bullet, very tasty and filling.
We made sandwiches for lunch then took off. Right away we headed up the dirt road toward Seely Lake. It was crisp and cool at the start but as we hit the first small 200m climb in the sun, we started sweating.
We regrouped at the top, then started down, just after a trio of motorcyclists passed. I looked ahead on the road and saw a big bear! He walked into the road but then retreated as the first motorcycle approached him. By the time we passed the spot he was gone which was fine with me! Sorry no photo.
We didn’t take the diversion to Seely Lake since we had our lunch with us. We ate at the turnoff then headed up. It was a 20 km 700m climb but only the last half was interesting. The road got steep, and we got into “grind it out” mode. Then, 5 km from the top, it turned into a quite narrow singletrack. I liked it except the parts where the vegetation came in from both sides. It reminded me of mountain biking in Denali Park, the threat of bears in conditions like that can be almost overwhelming. The view on the other hand was awesome.
We made it though, as always. The descent was singletrack to doubletrack to gravel road to singletrack and then the gravel road to Holland Lake.
We went to the campground and found a site but decided to look at the next loop. Wytze and I went ahead and were immediately welcomed by the friendly host. She told us to camp right by the lake with a Dutch SOBO rider and to get in the water right away! Wytze went and got the guys and we moved in. Tents up, we all took that swim in our bike clothes. It felt wonderful. Out a ways it was even better (colder). Awesome!
Dinner was next. Tonight’s menu:
- Eight servings of minestrone soup with grated Parmesan
- Six servings of Mac & Cheese with four servings of wild caught salmon and herbs/salt and Parmesan cheese
- One very large melted chocolate bar
- One package of Sour Belts that Andrew carried from New Mexico [!]
- Unlimited refills on red wine, oops I mean water.
The soup and Mac & Cheese were both cooked in Wytze’s sleeping bag as usual. Our Dutch camp mate John watched in awe then listened carefully as we explained the ultimate camp food recipe (16 servings of instant mashed potatoes with eight servings of tuna.) He is still eating freeze dried meals.
After that we packed up everything that was food or had any odor (toiletries) and stored them in the bear box. A woman from a nearby site came to offer us spaghetti and salad and was surprised we were all full. Then I told her the menu and she understood.
Writing this in my tent, watching mosquitos trying to get in is pretty nice. Good night!
Nathan's Blog 
Gorgeous scenery! The single-track looks great…..& your ‘bear bells’ sound great!
I can relate to your nervous feeling after having seen a giant bear cross the road!
Julie and I had a similar experience years ago in Glacier National Park, (not far from where you are, eh?) as the sleet paused and the clouds opened up to reveal breathtaking vistas from the switchbacks on the trail; A view that included a large grizzly crossing a stream and meandering around in a meadow below. Then the clouds would close again and… we could no longer see which way the bear was meandering.
Needless to say, we positioned our bells for maximum jingling and began singing “I see the Moon, The Moon Sees Me” and other rounds; and of course hung our food up high in a tree, out on a limb… and not too near our tent! (pre-cannister days and no bear boxes available.)
Enjoy the thrill of being amongst the bears and moose! And stay safe, and noisy — I want to be able to hear the stories first hand!
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What’s all this about cooking in the sleeping bag? Pictures don’t show it. That’s fine for the rest of you but Wytze must be quite a foodie to sleep in the bag afterwards.
Glad your bear sighting was distant… Ma
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I did have a sleeping bag cooking photo back a few weeks. Instead of simmering which uses gas we just let the food cook in Wytze’s sleeping bag. Works like a charm!
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