November 16, 2010 -

12 miles north of Merritt there is a 'shortcut' through Douglas Ranch (Douglas Lake Road) that ends in Westwold and cuts out most of the boring loop to Vernon. Its hard packed dirt with gravel and worth the ride. You can't miss the turning point with the log cabin church.

Douglas Ranch is 100 miles square and the largest ranch in Canada. The route is 60 miles long and I found it is separated into a North/South range. Dry that day in the south and wet in the north meant the north side was 1-3" of mud. Took almost 2 hours to cover 30 miles street tyres may just as well been slicks for all the traction I had. Even so, it was worth the ride and highly recommend it for the variety of landscapes. If its dry, you will love this ride. Although it is easily done on a street bike, I recommend checking the weather before taking it on.