Bloem, surrounding & beyond

[Grunder]

Day 1

Early morning start for me on the Saturday. Had to be in Heilbron by 9 (did not happen). So set of at 5 here in Bloem.
(The phone does not take good night pictures)

 

[Grunder]

Had a plan to skip the toll gate and hit the dirt but did not want to go gravel in the dark so decided on the toll gate to Brandfort.

Wanted to have a theme for the weekend to notebook each town I went through. So I took pics of the local churches in the towns; quite fitting I would say.

So first stop, Brandfort (again BAD low light picture apologies)

 

[Grunder]

From there I took a backroad to Winburg. Initially thought it would be gravel but turned out to be tar. Nice little road and discovered a new local Pass, Bells Pass

 

[Grunder]

At Winburg I spotted the local church and stopped for a pic. Went looking for a fuel station and found another big church. The second church made me think of those European type churches with the big open space around it where there would be Markets on weekends.

Fille up, phoned the kids and headed to Senekal.

 

[Grunder]

I tell you, the Freestate plains are beautiful.

Close to senekal I found a mountain that greatly resembles Table Mountain; thought I would grab a pic as proof

 

[Grunder]

At Senekal I found the local church... and from there I headed off again. Just outside Senekal took a left towards Lindley.

Actually forgot to take a pic of the Lindley church. Went in search of their prison instead [emoji23] . Had to take a pic for a friend who almost ended up in Lindley (His father used to work for DCS). Very very small town.

 

[Grunder]

After Lindley the road should have been Petrus Steyn and then Heilbron as final destination. But just outside Lindley I saw a possible detour straight to Heilbron. What a lovely detour it was

 

[Grunder]

Reached the church in Heilbron just after 10.
Had a great meeting!! God is good!!

Took the road back to Petrus Steyn to spend the night at a good friend of mine.

End of day 1

 

[Patrol]

Baie nice om die plat vrystaat wat nie heelpad plat is te ry nie,,share biki daai roete van jou ,,,ek het so paar draaie om te ry van Reitz na Bfn en sal laaik as die meeste biki grondpad is.....terlooops is daar nie n ander pad as om die 2 tolhekke te vermy by Brandfort en Verkeerdevlei nie

 

[Grunder]

Baie nice om die plat vrystaat wat nie heelpad plat is te ry nie,,share biki daai roete van jou ,,,ek het so paar draaie om te ry van Reitz na Bfn en sal laaik as die meeste biki grondpad is.....terlooops is daar nie n ander pad as om die 2 tolhekke te vermy by Brandfort en Verkeerdevlei nie

Het vir jou boodskap gestuur

 

[RobCrouch]

From there I took a backroad to Winburg. Initially thought it would be gravel but turned out to be tar. Nice little road and discovered a new local Pass, Bells Pass

The road from Winburg to Brandfort is quite intresting, halfway from the pass to Brandfort it has these whoops... interesting in a Tazz at 150... :sip:

 

[Dorsland]

Die Vrystaat op die regte tyd van die jaar is pragtig.  Eintlik het elke tyd van die jaar sy eie bekoring as mens van die beskawing af wegkom.  Waar is daai Bells Pas Grunder?  Baie mooi. 

Die hartseer van al daai pragtige kerke is hoe leeg hulle deesdae staan.  :'(

 

[Dorsland]

Hier is Lindley se kerk vir jou versameling.  As Time tydskrif vir jou USD1m aanbied om hom op hulle voorblad te gebruik, dibs ek 75% asseblief.  :lol8:

Interessant is dié skaalmodel van die eerste kerk op die kerkgronde.  Na aan die einde van die Anglo Boere Oorlog is hy afgebrand en is die model gebou, ook ter nagedagtenis aan die Boere krygers wat gesneuwel het.

https://ruralexploration.co.za/Lindley.html

 

[Grunder]

Waar is daai Bells Pas Grunder?

Hy is tussen Brandfort en Winburg

Dankie vir die kerk [emoji3]

 

[Grunder]

Day 2

The day started late. Left Petrus Steyn only around 10. Filled up and was on my way to Reits (not before grabbing a snap of the local church). Plan was to try and reach Clarens by lunchtime and from there work my way back to Bloem.

Pictures don't do these parts justice. Stunning views!

 

[Grunder]

I was almost in Reits when I saw on the gps a nice possible dirt road leading all the way to Bethlehem. Took that one instead...

Lovely road. The Cosmos was already in bloom everywhere. Here and there you could see the road took a beating with all the rain we had this year.

Every time I saw a little dam somewhere I would hit sand in the road. I later came to the conclusion that it was probably also tha rain which flooded that section of the road due to the dams overflowing.

 

[Grunder]

More pics of the road between Reits and Bethlehem

 

[Grunder]

Got to Bethlehem and could see the local church from far away

 

[Grunder]

The google machine showed me the place in Bethlehem where presumably a famous car salesman works. [emoji6] [member=27175]petri oosthuizen[/member]

Unfortunately I was there on the wrong day at the wrong time.  No Ugly Bettie either [emoji16]

 

[Grunder]

At this point I realised my timing failed. Left Petrus Steyn too late. Still had 2,5 hours ride still to get to Bloem. So I tailed it back on tar from there. Must say the road and views from Bethlehem was still very good.

Made a stop at Senekal to take a pic at the chair and buy some cookies for my kids.

Fluit fluit my storie is uit...