On 16 October, Paul Erasmus and I did a little "mini-grit test" in the form of 2-day "Bloemfontein Dash", a ride from Henley on Klip in Gauteng to Bloemfontein.
Social Media Link Below:
My Bloemfontein Dash 436,5km ride route runs from Gauteng to Bloemfontein. Being October, it was very hot, but that's expected.
Rides to Bloemfontein have been a favourite of mine over the years, the Free State roads being generally quiet traffic-wise (if you stay off the national roads), and the countryside low on population.
I used to ride a now defunct unsupported race, known as the Free State Dash, organised by Andy Masters’ Massive Adventures back in 2016. It was a shorter option within Andy and John’s original 1,000 Miler Race idea, and ran concurrently with the Joburg to Cape Town 1,000 Mile Race that existed at the time.
The race ran from 2016 - 2019, and was not actually a fixed route race. Rather, it was a race with specific checkpoints through which riders had to pass, but the checkpoints were plentiful enough to channel most riders onto one or two obvious route options.
The race started at Thaba Trails in Johannesburg, and ended at the Protea Hotel in central Bloemfontein, and followed some fairly busy roads out of Gauteng via Vereeniging and Sasolburg.
Although a checkpoint, one of the most obvious routes is provided below.
Click on the link below for the route of the original Free State Dash Race:
But times have since moved on, and these days I try to find routes that are more gravel and less tar. However, finding a nice quiet route out of Gauteng is challenging.
What I now call my Bloemfontein Dash Route is the nicest Gauteng southern exit I have found to date. We started at Henley on Klip, just south of Joburg, heading south on tar roads to the Vaal Dam, Deneysville, and then on to Heilbron. From Heilbron, it is south to the site of the Battle of Vegkop, whereafter it is gravel to Edenville, and then further along the same gravel roads followed by my Joburg 2 Blouberg 1,000 Miler via Steynsrus, Ventersburg, Winburg and Verkeerdevlei.
The ride ends on the outskirts of Bloemfontein at Bram Fischer Airport, where there is a Road Lodge Hotel for us to crash for a long sleep, and a car hire at the airport for the trip home if need be.
I do like a little trip a few kms further into central Bloemfontein to see the historic old Free State Republic Government buildings in President Brand Street ... while I'm waiting for a plane or a lift...but it must be said that Bloemfontein CBD is not in great shape these days.
The route is approximately 435,6km in distance:
Click on the link below for the Bloemfontein Dash Route:
The Bloemfontein Dash (Gravel) route distance is approximately 436,5km, and includes +2,924m of vertical ascent and -3,048m of vertical descent.
Key features of the route and the ride:
Henley on Klip to Vaal Dam Wall – 49,5 km (49,5 km from the start)
Starting in the pretty Gauteng town of Henley on Klip, the ride winds its way southwards on fairly quiet tar roads to the Vaal Dam Wall. Just over the Vaal River, on the Free State side is a popular coffee stop called Die Sluishuis, know by riders for cappucino's and roosterbrood, and a nice view of the dam wall.
Die Sluishuis is almost half way between Henley and Heilbron, so it is not a bad stop option, although this time around we were in a bit of a hurry with a long day ahead. The town of Deneysville is a few kms further on to the left.
Vaal Dam Wall to Heilbron – 51,4 km (100,9 km from the start)
The road continues on tar all the way to Heilbron...bar a strange 1km of gravel just after the Oranjeville turn-off, which someone forgot to tar....or alternatively the money ran out.
Heilbron, a former national capital (capital of the Free State Republic during the final weeks of the Anglo-Boer War) is a sizeable town with an all-important KFC.
Heilbron to Edenville – 60,4 km (161,3 km from the start)
Our ride then progressed southwards on tar past the Battle of Vegkop site, an 1836 battle between Voortrekker and Matabele.
Our ride then progressed southwards on tar past the Battle of Vegkop site, an 1836 battle between Voortrekker and Matabele.
From the battle site it was on to the gravel roads, which we found in generally good condition all the way to Bloemfontein.
Edenville to Steynsrus – 48km (209,3km from the start)
The 48km ride from Edenville to Steynsrus is largely dirt road. Steynsrus is a little more significant in size, and has a U-Save supermarket as probably its sole national brand. U-Save appears to be the most "resilient" national retail brand, seen in many of these impoverished towns where even KFC doesn't venture.
The 48km ride from Edenville to Steynsrus is largely dirt road. Steynsrus is a little more significant in size, and has a U-Save supermarket as probably its sole national brand. U-Save appears to be the most "resilient" national retail brand, seen in many of these impoverished towns where even KFC doesn't venture.
Steynsrus to Ventersburg – 45,3km (254,6km from the start)
It is dirt road from just outside Steynrus to Ventersburg. Ventersburg is the 1st “24-hour town” since entering the Free State, as it is on the main N1 route from Joburg to Cape Town. It is not a pretty place, but is useful for resupply, and has significant accommodation. This was the town for our night's sleepover, 254,6 km in and still 182-odd kms to go.
Ventersburg to Winburg – 62,3km (316,9km from the start)
It is another almost almost exclusively gravel road stretch from Ventersburg to Winburg.
It is another almost almost exclusively gravel road stretch from Ventersburg to Winburg.
Winburg is a quiet town these days. Decades ago the national road from Durban used to intersect with the Joburg-Cape Town N1 in the centre of town. These days though, the N1 bypasses it, as does the national road coming from Harrismith and Durban. But it has a garage shop, with a fairly good restaurant too....and they make coffee milkshakes.
Winburg was a capital itself back in the day, being the first Voortrekker Republic.
Winburg to Verkeerdevlei – 57,2km (374,1km from the start)
After a short ride out of Winburg on the Excelsior Road, the route travels by gravel road toward Bloemfontein via Verkeerdevlei. Verkeerdevlei was good for a Coke, steri-stumpi and an ice-cream ....and “slap chips” (hot chips), but isn't the type of town that one wants hang around in for too long in.
Social Welfare grants likely sustain a large portion of the inhabitants of the town, with little economy to speak of.
Verkeerdevlei to Bloemfontein – 62,4km (436,5km from the start)
We ended as usual outside BramFischer Airport on the outskirts of Bloemfontein. I typically end rides to Bloemfontein here because there is a 24 hour Road Lodge Hotel, which is very convenient not only due to availability but also due to not having to ride through some questionable areas after dark into Bloemfontein. There is also a car hire at the airport which we have used to take us home before.
This time around, though, we took a Sunday morning ride through Bloemfontein past the Raadsaal and other old Free State Republic buildings in President Brand Street, before heading out to Tom's Place at Tierpoort on the N1 for our lift home.
