The Bloemfontein Dash "Quarter Miler"

 The Bloemfontein Dash “Quartermiler” route runs from Gauteng to Bloemfontein.

It had its origin in an 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 run 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 original race started at Thaba Trails in Johannesburg, and ended at the Protea Hotel in central Bloemfontein.

Although a checkpoint, one of the most obvious routes is provided below. 

The ride had been undertaken at various times by either Free State Dash competitors or as 1,000 Miler race competitors.

Click on the link below for the route of the original Free State Dash Race:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44951124

But we have since moved on to try and find routes that are more gravel and less tar, and the early stages of the Joburg to Blouberg via Ouberg Miler Route gives us such an option.

Known as the Bloemfontein Dash “Quartermiler” (Gravel) Route, this route almost entirely follows a the section of the Jozi2Cape “Miler” Route from the Vaal River to Bloemfontein, with the exception that instead of starting it at Van Der Bijl Park or Vereeniging, it now starts in the tranquil Vaal River Town of Parys, and joins the Jozi2Cape route at Wolwehoek station about 37km into the ride. From Wolwehoek onward, the “Dash” follows the exact Jozi2Cape “Miler” route to Bloemfontein, ending on the outskirts of Bloemfontein at the Bram Fischer Airport, where there is a Road Lodge Hotel for a rider to crash for a long sleep, and a car hire at the airport for the trip home if need be.

The route is approximately 410km in distance:

Click on the link below for the Bloemfontein Dash”Quartermiler” (Gravel) Route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44969300

The Bloemfontein Dash “Quartermiler” (Gravel) route distance is approximately 410km, and includes +2,648m of vertical ascent and -2,684m of vertical descent.

Key features of the route and the ride:  

Parys to Koppies – 84 km (84 km from the start) 

From the start in downtown Parys (at the Eiffel Town nogal) , the route goes east to Wolwehoek station 36km in.

At Wolwehoek Railway Station, the 37km mark, the route joins a dirt road that runs next to the Johannesburg-Bloemfontein railway line. 

 

The route takes an array of dirt roads to near to Koppies, skirting Koppies Dam and Koppies itself, not going quite into the town. But it is a short ride from the route into Koppies is easily done should one wish. 

Koppies to Edenville – 50 km (134 km from the start) 

 

From Koppies to Edenville the route is on quiet tar roads. Edenville is a quiet town with a garage shop for a pie or cold drink and not much else, and it is unlikely to be high on any tourist’s bucket list. 

 

Edenville to Steynsrus – 48km  (182km from the start) 

 

The 47km ride from Edenville to Steynsrus is largely dirt road. Steynsrus is a little more significant in size, and has a supermarket and a take-away shop of sorts. It can be a good lunch time stop for those trying to make Winburg on the 1stday. 

 

Steynsrus to Ventersburg – 45km  (227km 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 will likely have accommodation that is open long hours too. 

Ventersburg to Winburg – 63km   (290km from the start) 

 

It is another almost almost exclusively gravel road stretch from Ventersburg to Winburg. Winburg is a quiet town these days, with the N1 bypassing it, as does the national road coming from Harrismith and Durban. But it has a garage shop, and the Winburg Guest House is a useful stopover. The same people that own this guest house also own the Winburg Hotel. They make a good TBone steak, pepper sauce and chips. 

Many years ago, Winburg was the first Voortrekker Republic. 

 

Winburg to Verkeerdevlei – 57km (347km 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 looks good for a Coke, and we did once find a place that served “slap chips” (hot chips), but it doesn’t appear the type of town that one wants hang around in for too long in. 

 

Verkeerdevlei to Bloemfontein – 63km (409.5km from the start) 

The route ends outside BramFischer Airport on the outskirts of Bloemfontein. It ends there because there is a 24 hour Road Lodge Hotel for the convenience of a tired and late-arriving rider, and because there is a car hire at the airport for those needing transport home.