On the Joburg to Blouberg via Ouberg 1,000 Miler route, there are some shorter adventures worth doing, for those who may not have the time for a full 1,000 mile ride. Why not try this?….a crossing of the Free State Province from Vaal to Orange, following a section of the above mentioned 1,000 Miler route.
Just south of the “Great City of Gold”, Johannesburg, lies the Vaal River, the border between South Africa's Gauteng Province, and the more sparsely populated gravel biking paradise, the Free State. The Free State was once an independent republic, before it was overrun by the British in the Anglo-Boer War over a century ago. The province is sparsely populated, apart from in and around its capital City of Bloemfontein, and thus full of quiet gravel roads across its length and breadth.
So what better place than the Free State to challenge yourself to a 600 odd km gravel bike ride from the northern border all the way to Gariep Dam, South Africa's largest and most splendid dam, on the province's Orange River southern border?
Below, a link to the route map for GPX file download:
The idea was to find as much gravel road, and as little vehicle traffic, between the Vaal River bridge on the southern side of van der Bijl Park, Gauteng, and Gariep Dam on the Orange River southern border of the Free State. The obvious constraint on the amount of gravel was that we needed the route to go though enough towns for resupply purposes, to facilitate unsupported riding, the biggest town en route being the Free State Capital of Bloemfontein.
The route includes the historic town which was the 1st Voortrekker Republic, Winburg, and the country’s judicial capital and former Free State Republic capital of Bloemfontein (where you will go past the former republic's old government and parliament buildings). It then moves through old former N1 route towns of Edenburg and Trompsburg (riding on the "forgotten" old N1 between Edenburg and Trompsburg) , the battling railway junction of Springfonten, and on to the spectacular Gariep Dam.
The route follows exactly the same route as the Free State section of the longer Joburg to Blouberg 1,000 Mile Challenge (the one running from Gauteng to Cape Town).
If the Free State Dash is too easy for you, then challenge yourself to an "out and back" for a "double".
Key features of the route and the ride:
Vaal River Bridge on Rietfontein Street, Van der Bijl Park, to Koppies – 75 km (75 km from the start)
After starting at the Rietfontein Street Bridge across the Vaal River, Van der Bijl Park, the rider winds through quieter suburban and gravel roads to Wolwehoek Railway Station at the 28 km mark. From here it runs down 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 – 47 km (122 km from the start)
From Koppies to Edenville the route is on quiet gravel and some 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 (170km 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 supermarket and a take-away shop (Big Bite) of sorts. It can be a good lunch time stop for those trying to make Winburg on the 1ststday.
Steynsrus to Ventersburg – 46km (216 km 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. The route bypasses close to Ventersburg, so resupply or accommodation in the town is a short detour off the route.
Ventersburg to Winburg – 62km (278km 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 etsblished as the first Voortrekker Republic.
Winburg to Verkeerdevlei – 57km (335km 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 – 70km (405km from the start)
The route goes right through the middle of Bloemfontein, capital city of the Free State and Judicial Capital of South Africa. Bloemfontein has everything from 24 our hotels, to restaurants and take aways (all of the main brands), to bike shops and hospitals if one is in need of running repairs. It is the last place on the route that one is likely to find a bike shop of significance.
Bloemfontein to Edenburg – 79km (484km from the start)
Just past Bloemfintein there’s another quiet gravel road stretch to Edenburg parallel to the N1, Edenburg is a sorry old town, once a hive activity decades ago when the N1 used to pass through the middle of it….but the N1 has long since been diverted to bypass it. It is a case study of what can happen to a rural town when its main economic driver is removed. It appears good for a quick packet of crisps and cold drink before moving on.
Edenburg to Trompsburg – 37km (521km from the start)
The 36km to Trompsburg is a quick tar road ride. Trompsburg is a far better bet than Edenburg in terms of nice accommodation options, including a hotel and some guest houses, as well as one or 2 restaurants....and good coffee at Snobs Coffee.
Back onto gravel road for a quick ride to Springfontein, a key railway junction which does have the odd bed and breakfast. But Trompsburg would be our pick for a sleepover well ahead of this town…..with all due respect, as they say.
Springfontein to Gariep Dam – 54km (606.6km from the start)
Gariep Dam is a beautiful place to end the challenge, right at the dam wall. The Gariep Dam town is probably the next best accommodation option after Trompsburg, having a variety of self catering options, a luxury hotel by name of De Stijl which has a beautiful view of South Africa’s biggest dam, and a Forever Resort. There is also a very well stocked OK Bazaars Mini Market and a restaurant called Tjailatyd next door.
Although close to the N1, scheduled bus services don't generally stop here. The public transport stop is a short ride on to Colesberg, which is a key N1 town, for those wishing to catch a bus home. When booking a bus, make sure that they will carry your bike on board.
- The Free State is a Summer rainfall area, and it can be a mud bath during this period of the year. Lightning can be dangerous during Summer thunderstorms. Temperatures in summer can be extremely hot all along the route, sometimes in excess of 40 degrees Celsius. In winter, it can be bitterly cold by South African standards, with temperatures often going significantly into sub-zero territory at night. It is largely dry in Winter (2022 being a bit of an anomaly).
In winter, the prevailing winds along the route are more from the west and north west. The winds are often less or non-existent at night, which can make night riding an option should a headwind be forecast by day, if one can handle the cold. Spring and Autumn may present the best riding times, neither too hot nor too cold nor too wet.
Bikes:
- We prefer mountain bikes, with dual suspension, overgravel bikes. While this is simple gravel and tar road riding, the roads can be severely rutted in sections, and when they are we appreciate the dual suspension. It is an easy riding route, mostly flat to undulating.
Logistics:
- While major towns on the N1 such as Ventersburg, Bloemfontein and Colesberg are “24-hour towns”, where one can find some form of shop and accommodation open around the clock, many of the other towns are not like that. The likes of Winburg, Edenburg and Trompsburg see businesses closing early in the evening. This requires some planning. It is best to depart early and arrive early at an overnight or resupply destination, in order to find shops and guest houses still open. If one is running late, it is best to phone a guest house owner in the afternoon to book a bed and perhaps some food. Some guest houses will leave a key hidden somewhere for a rider to let themselves in late in the evening, and even leave food in one’s room if ordered. The Free State folk can often be helpful like that.
If one is thinking of “bailing” from a ride, there are easy options all the way along the route which never runs too far from the N1 route. Some of the towns have major bus services stopping and taking on passengers for Johannesburg or Cape Town, and one can easily book online. One should check with the bus company in advance about being allowed to take a bike onboard. Some companies are “sticky” about this.
Overnight stays:
- Some folk have been known to sleep in the “bush” near to the road, taking tents or bivvy sacks and sleeping bags. That’s the heavy packing option. This shouldn’t be necessary though. At no time, is the distance between towns much over 100km, and there are plenty of accommodation options.
Speed of Service:
- The country towns en route are often known for their friendliness, but not for their speed. If one is in a hurry, and wants to take a short break before moving on, ordering cooked food that needs to be prepared may not always be a great idea. Even take-aways do not compete with McDonalds and the like for speed around these parts…..and McDonalds is not a common occurrence on this ride (apart from in Bloemfontein).
