Free-Route Permanents

Administration
-- Rules
-- RBAs
-- Records

Introduction
A Free-Route Permanent falls somewhere in concept between a regular Permanent, and a RUSA Arrow or Dart. It is an individual (not team) ride, over a given distance on an agreed date, like a normal Permanent. However, only certain basic route parameters are pre-defined, and the exact route to be taken is by agreement between the rider and route owner, more like an Arrow or Dart. All Permanent routes in the United States are administered by Randonneurs USA (RUSA), and its member volunteers. Free-Route Permanents are patterned after similar routes in existence in other countries, notably France and the UK (such as Land's End to John O'Groats).

Rules
Rules specific to this type of Permanent route are noted below. Riders and route owners are also expected to follow all other Rules for Permanent Route Owners, and all other applicable rules and requirements listed in RUSA Rules for Riders and Rules for Organizers respectively.

Basic Route Submission
A RUSA member who wishes to organize a Free-Route Permanent submits a sequence of two or more locations between/through which a rider will pass. The sequence of locations may form a point-to-point, out-and-back, loop, or any combination thereof in compliance with normal brevet rules. These locations define the corners of the route, and are required control points for the rider.

The distance between any consecutive pair of defining locations is recommended to be between 200km and 1200km. However, a Permanent Populaire may also be defined solely by its end points in this way.

In addition to the defining locations above, the route owner may prescribe non-control locations, or short sections of detailed cue sheet, as necessary to help guide the rider past known hazards. Because these will not be control locations, they should represent parts of the shortest legal and safe route that can be taken by bicycle between the defining locations. Such short sections or locations are not intended to represent more than a small percentage of the total ride.

Basic Route Approval
After receiving an application to organize a Free-Route Permanent, the Permanents Coordinator deduces the shortest legal and safe bicycling distance between the defining locations submitted, including any additional prescribed route details, using available mapping software together with input from the local RBA(s) and route owner as necessary.

Once approved, the route is entered into the Permanents database together with the above distance. This is the distance that will be credited to any rider completing the route. The database entry will include an explicit description of the route as a Free-Route Permanent.

Detailed Route Creation
When a RUSA member submits an entry to ride a Free-Route Permanent, the actual detailed route to be taken must be agreed between the rider and route owner before the ride takes place. Either the route owner or the rider can create this detailed route.

Any route can be agreed which complies with normal brevet rules. However, the distance credited to the rider will be the distance entered in the RUSA database. It is therefore advisable not to create an excessively circuitous route.

At a minimum, the agreed route must be defined sufficiently to include all population centers through which the rider will pass, and a sequenced list of road numbers to be taken between population centers. However, a level of detail that would necessitate traveling the route beforehand is not demanded.

Intermediate control points on the route can also be defined in advance of the ride, but this is not required. The rider is permitted to find suitable controls as he/she progresses along the course, as detailed below.

The route must include all non-control locations or sections of detailed cue sheet that were included in the original route application to the Permanents Coordinator.

Both rider and route owner must have possession of a written copy of the agreed route before the ride takes place.

Control Card
If intermediate control points have not been defined in advance of the ride, the route owner should supply the rider with a control card where only boxes for the defined database locations have been pre-populated with information, usually just the start and finish. Enough blank boxes should be left in between to allow the rider to obtain control stamps at reasonable intervals, say, 50-80km depending on the overall distance.

During the Ride
During the ride, the rider must comply with all applicable rules listed in RUSA Rules for Riders. Both rider and route owner must be current RUSA members on the day(s) the ride takes place.

The rider must obtain control stamps at all pre-defined locations, including those defining the route in the RUSA database entry. If intermediate control points have not been defined in advance, he/she must also obtain control stamps at other suitable control locations on the route, spaced no more than 150km apart (80km is recommended). All of the usual options for providing proof of passage are permitted. Location and time of day must be entered for each control point during the ride. Distance information may also be entered if available. Failure to enter location and time information at all controls will result in disqualification.

Ride Validation
In order to confirm successful completion of a ride, the route owner must check that all required information on the control card has been entered correctly.

For the finish control, the opening and closing times must be calculated from the official route distance listed in the RUSA database. For the intermediate control points, the route owner should use the distances entered by the rider, where available, to calculate control opening and closing times. If this information is not available, then the route owner should estimate distances to these points.

Mileage/Time Limit Grievance
A rider who feels he/she took the shortest route, but has been given insufficient mileage credit and time allowance for the ride, may appeal the route distance listed in the database. To appeal, the rider will need to submit in writing to the Permanents Coordinator the exact route taken and mileage incurred, within 10 days of the ride taking place. The decision of the Permanents Coordinator regarding mileage credit is final.

Other Grievances

As stated in Article 16 of RUSA Rules for Riders, Randonneurs USA will be the final arbiter of any questions that arise which may not be covered explicitly in these rules.