Tussen stasies

[Vaalseun]

Having been deprived from riding for about 6 weeks, I was looking forward to exploring this new route that looked quite promising. The route included a piece of Vredefort dome, some dirt highway, some sand, some railway reserve, some technical stuff and also some boer war history. Total distance was 472 km’s and moving time was 8 hours.



The temperature was freezing yesterday, and after a quick pie and some coffee in Parys, I got going into the dome. From the pic below, one can see how crisp the air is. Vir die Afrikaanse ouens, "crisp" is die engelse woord vir "f@kk&n koud".





Then it was on to the metropolis of Reitzburg, population I would guess about 5.

 

[Vaalseun]

Some nice dirt highway, direction Viljoenskroon



Old and new



As I approached Viljoenskroon, I got onto the railway reserve road. It was clear the reserve road carries the occasional traffic, and it was nice riding. What I like most about these railway roads is the fact that you hardly see any people



The first station was Groeneblom. The grain silo’s are still operating, being in the heart of maize country. However the station is no longer operational and only the remnants are visible. Trucks would pull onto this grid, and deposit the maize through the grid into a pit below. From there, a bucket conveyor would transport it from the pit, through the funny-looking funnels and onto waiting train wagons.



This is where Jonas would climb into the pit when the maize gets stuck in the bottom hole



This is Jors Troelie trying to soak in some sun. It was now about 11:00 and the temperature was still below 10 degrees

 

[Wild Blue]

Looks like a great route to try. Nice pics!

WB

 

[Vaalseun]

And on it goes. The Freestate is still hibernating, and those that did not grow up there may sometimes remark that its ugly.



At some point the reserve road just stopped. I did not come all this way to just turn around and I could only think of two options. The first would be to enter the nearest farm gate and hope that I could re-connect with the railway line further one. This sounded like a bad idea, and I did not feel like explaining to someone why I trespassed. The second option was to continue riding between the tracks until I could find some road again. I know this is probably illegal as well, but there was not anyone within 5 miles, let alone a railway official. I adjusted one side mirror so that I could watch my back all the time, and hit the road, I mean the rail. It was very bumpy, and the gravel between the tacks was loose. Jan Staal would have been proud as I focused in the distance ahead of my, just occasionally glancing at my mirror. The bike was however all over the place because of the loose rocks.



The problem with riding between the tracks is that you can not turn around, nor can you get off the tracks because they are just too high and too slippery to ride over. So, when I eventually saw some road again, I had to lay the bike down and drag it off the tracks. This was hard work, and I was dog tired. However I was now on safe ground again, and was eager to push on.



The road surface kept on changing, and at this point the road seem to be shared by the railways and the local farmer. Ahead one can see Renosterkop, located roughly between Kroonstad and Vredefort but closer to Kroonstad.



The stations have the most beautiful names. This one only has a loading area, and I guess the train would have stopped here to collect milk and cream cans.

 

[Vaalseun]

What better can you ask for, alone in the middle of nowhere with a road into the unknown.



The station of Rust was barely recognisable



Shortly after Rust the reserve road stopped again. The GPS indicated a public road intersecting the railway a kilometre or so further on, and I assumed I would be able to pick up the reserve road again at the level crossing. I managed to get onto the shoulder of the railway, and on I went



From here, the reserve road is not worthy of the name “road” anymore, and if it wasn’t for the railway line running alongside it, I would have lost my way. My ATTGAT was also serving its purpose, protecting me from the nasty thorn bushes. Turning around was however not an option.





And even the occasional farm gates to be opened





Attie is located close to the Kroonstad/Vredefort road, and in my younger days it used to be quite a busy station. Now the waiting room is overgrown by weeds and the copper thieves have done what copper thieves do best. The only purpose it now serves is wind protection to a weary biker having a Tarzan bar for lunch.

 

[jeff]

looks like fun :thumleft:

 

[Vaalseun]

From Attie, I left the railway line and cut through to Rooiwal, which is on the Kroonstad/Sasolburg line. Rooiwal is where the Boer War story begins, but first a short history lesson.

During the Anglo Boer war (1899 – 1902) a convoy of 56 British supply wagons en route to Heilbron surrendered to the Boers on the farm Swavelkranz on 4 June 1900. General Christiaan de Wet had his farm in the Rooiwal district, and obviously knew the area like the back of his hand. He wanted to follow up the success at Swavelkranz and on 7 June 1900 launched simultaneous attacks on a large consignment of stores at Roodewal station (now Rooiwal), and on a military construction camp at the Rhenoster river where a railway bridge was being repaired as well as a camp at Greenlands station. All three objectives were taken with 47 fatalities on British side and one (Myburgh) on Boer side.

These are the graves of fallen British soldiers at Rooiwal







Rooiwal not only is a historical site, it also has its own Doctor cum chemist cum guesthouse cum midwifery



This is the bridge over the Renoster river as it looks today



The current bridge was built partly on the foundations of the original bridge



The graves of the soldiers that have fallen in the battle for the bridge. The one Boer (Myburgh) that died in the battle was also buried here



Disused road bridge near Koppies

 

[Vaalseun]

Old school building outside Koppies. Sad that such treasures are not being looked after



From Koppies, I followed the railway line again to Sasolburg.





This station is called Leeustroom



Halfway between Koppies and Sasolburg is the Vredefortweg concentration camp. The number of deaths in this camp was 172 adults and 335 children





Old farm school building at Dover station





Charcoal ovens



And that was my trip.

 

[Ratt]

Very nice

 

[Dorsland]

Lekker RR Vaalseun.  Daar is altyd 'n stukkie Anglo Boere Oorlog geskiedenis naby as mens moeite doen om dit uit te soek.  Dankie vir daai interessante stukkie.  :thumleft:  Die Vrystaat se winterveld het maar 'n bekoring van sy eie in die winter.

 

[gecco 162]

Great RR and pics! Its quite sad to see abandoned places and I always wonder what happened to all the people that lived there!

 

[Bliknêrs]

Ja thanks for sharing. I feel a mixture of fascination and sadness when I look at your pics.
What a beautiful building this is

 

[Chrisl]

Vaalseun dis nou n gawe RR. Jy het regtig agter jou neus aan gery. :thumleft:

 

[COLES]

great history very good pic,s love this type of report

 

[J3THRO]

Hi Vaalseun baie dankie vir die RR dis stunning.
Ek het in Koppies groot geword en al daai paaie met my yz80 gery om by my vriende op die plase by greenlands en Rooiwal te gaan kuier.
Ons het as Voortrekkers eenkeer n jaar al die grafte gaan skoonmaak en onderhou ek wonder wie doen dit nou. Daai area is vol geskiedenis, oral waar jy in die heuwels in gaan kan jy merke sien waar koeels in die sandsteen geskiet is en partykeer selfs nog van die haelkorrels optel.
Daai plaas skool op die Koppie Dam pad is stunning, iemand wou paar jaar terug die plek koop en regmaak vir n gastehuis maar obviuosly het dit nooit gebeur nie. Ons het natuurlik as kinders vas geglo dat dit spook daar. Ek is al 14 jaar in die Kaap en wil definitief met die 990 vir my ouers gaan kuier sodat ek al daai paaie weer kan ry.

 

[Jondu]

Mooi werld vol karakter. Nice RR.

 

[Sidpitt]

Lekker RR Vaalseun.
Ek't so pas besef hoe bevoreg ek is om elke dag die paaie (behalwe vir die off-road deel langs en op die spoor) te kan ry.
Daar is baie min paaie wat ek nog nie hier in die Noord Vrystaat gery het nie.
Alhoewel ek gereeld by baie van die plekke waar jy kiekies geneem het verby ry (soms jaag)  besef ek nou weer hoe spesiaal die plekke is en dat ek tyd moet maak om dit te waardeer.
Thanks!
PS: en ek's bly jy het sulke mooi woorde vir ons ou vaal Vrystaat.
:thumleft:

 

[spoedvark]

What an adventure you had on your adventure! Well done and thanks for sharing. Great pics!  :thumleft:

 

[0012]

cool rr dankie!

 

[Vaalseun]

Lekker RR Vaalseun.
Ek't so pas besef hoe bevoreg ek is om elke dag die paaie (behalwe vir die off-road deel langs en op die spoor) te kan ry.
Daar is baie min paaie wat ek nog nie hier in die Noord Vrystaat gery het nie.
Alhoewel ek gereeld by baie van die plekke waar jy kiekies geneem het verby ry (soms jaag)  besef ek nou weer hoe spesiaal die plekke is en dat ek tyd moet maak om dit te waardeer.
Thanks!
PS: en ek's bly jy het sulke mooi woorde vir ons ou vaal Vrystaat.
:thumleft:

Dankie Sidpitt. Ek het self my eerste 18 lewensjare in jou dorp geslyt, in die omgewing grootgeword en in die blouskool skool gegaan. Het nou nog 'n grondjie daar. Die Vrystaat het maar net sy eie bekoring.