Rules for Permanent Route Owners

Permanent route owners are recommended to read the online RBA Procedures document. Although this was written for RBAs organizing ACP brevets, it contains much useful information on creating a route, preparing the cue sheet and brevet card, RUSA's liability insurance policy, etc.

Introduction

A Permanent is like a brevet, but it can be ridden on any date by agreement between rider and route owner. Permanent rides in the USA are sanctioned and validated by Randonneurs USA. RUSA members who organize a Permanent must strictly enforce the rules for participants (Rules for Riders), and must comply with the supplemental rules for route owners below. Like BRM events, Permanents are not casual affairs, and route owners must take their responsibilities seriously. Route owners must respect the rides and those who participate in them, but should not hesitate to penalize any participant for any violation of the rules. Randonneurs USA thanks all volunteers who contribute to the organization of these rides, and as a consequence to the development of long distance cycling in the USA.

Requirements for Route owners

Organizing a Permanent is open to any RUSA member — it is not restricted to RBAs. A prospective route owner may submit a new route application to the RUSA Permanents Coordinator at any time. The route owner should live within a reasonable distance of the proposed route. For a route to be officially designated a Permanent, it must be approved by the Permanents Coordinator and added to the RUSA online database. The Permanents Coordinator is required to consult with any RBA(s) within whose region the route passes, regarding suitability of the route and the applicant. Each RBA will be given 30 days to respond to a request for input. When a route application is made by an RBA, such consultation will therefore be required only if the route passes within another RBA's region. If a route, or any part thereof, does not pass within any RBA's region, the Permanents Coordinator will take appropriate steps to confirm that the route meets RUSA requirements. Route owners are asked to make a minimum two-year commitment to offer each route. Subsequently, a route owner is responsible to notify the Permanents Coordinator to have it deleted from the database.

Important Note: For insurance reasons, it is highly recommended that a Permanent be organized directly by an individual RUSA member, not through a bike club. This recommendation extends even to existing RBAs who may already organize brevets through a bike club. This distinction should be made clear if information about a Permanent is given on a club's web site. Riders' entry fees should be paid directly to the route owner, not to the club. See the online RBA Procedures document for more details on who is, and who is not, covered by RUSA's Liability Insurance.

Liability Insurance

All Permanents route owners must use RUSA's insurance policy to provide liability coverage. RUSA is pleased to cover the cost of this insurance for Permanents. No paper work is required. Coverage is provided automatically based on results submitted for validation. However, a route owner must inform the Permanents Coordinator of any DNF rider. DNF riders also require insurance coverage, and there is no submitted result to trigger this coverage.

Routes

The route application consists of the application form, together with a detailed cue sheet and highlighted map. Mileage must be determined from state road maps, odometers, or computer mapping programs. The cue sheet must include the location of all checkpoints, as well as their opening and closing times. (Note: The start time is by agreement between the route owner and the rider. Control opening and closing times should be listed with the route application as total elapsed time, rather than time of day.) The highlighted map should clearly show the location of each control point. Choosing the route is left to the route owner; however, a route consisting of doing the same loop multiple times is not permitted. Ideally, the route should be interesting, and take low traffic roads that are easy to follow. It may take the form of an out-and-back, a loop, or a point-to-point. Extreme terrain should be noted in the route description on the application form. The route owner may permit a point-to-point or loop to be ridden in either direction, so long as the appropriate cue sheet and brevet card is created. When considering the reverse direction, the route owner should take into account the control facilities available at the different times of day that the rider will pass through, as well as any safety considerations etc., that may be different for riding in the reverse direction at the altered times of day. A Permanent route may have only one starting point; therefore an out-and-back route may not be ridden starting from the far end. A Permanent may be any distance of 200km or more. A Permanent Populaire may be from 100-199km. Routes may be new to RUSA, or may follow the course of an existing or former brevet. Minor revisions, which may need to be made to a route from time to time, do not need to be re-submitted. Major changes will require re-approval. The online RBA Procedures document offers guidance on what constitutes a minor change.

Checkpoints

Similar guidelines apply for checkpoints on Permanents as on brevets. Checkpoints should be more or less regularly spaced between the start and finish. Typically, checkpoints should be about 50-100km (30-60 miles) apart depending on total route distance, closer together for shorter routes, and further apart for longer ones. Additional checkpoints should be located at each end of the route, as well as at any point along the route where a shortcut might be taken. To the extent possible, all checkpoints, including start and finish, should be manned at all times between their official opening and closing times. Preferably, checkpoints should be located in an establishment where a rider may have his/her brevet card verified and stamped, and may purchase food and drink. The address of the establishment should be listed on the brevet card. Since the aim is to provide proof of passage, reasonable alternatives to a stamp are allowed, such as an electronic cash register or ATM receipt showing the time and date. If a checkpoint must be located where facilities are not available, e.g. at night, the route owner should inform the rider of this at the time of entry. In this circumstance, the rider may mail a postcard from the checkpoint as permitted in the Rules for Riders. Where it is difficult to eliminate a potential shortcut from a route, an information control may be specified. In this case, the rider answers a question, posted on the brevet card, about the control location, e.g. name of a business or church, color of a house etc. The route owner should compile several questions and alternate them from rider to rider, and from year to year. As with a brevet, the route owner may set up a secret control. A rider should always have reasonable expectation that there might be one.

Brevet Cards

RUSA Permanent and Permanent Populaire card masters are available online on the Permanents main page, and under RBA Resources. On the outside of each card, the required rider information must be filled out. On the inside of each card, the route owner must note the place name, address, mileage, and the opening and closing times for each checkpoint (start, intermediate, and finish.) It is preferred here that the opening and closing times for each control should be noted as time of day, rather than elapsed time.

Calculation of Opening and Closing Times

A - Start Checkpoint:
   Opening: The start time is set by agreement between the route owner and the rider.
   Closing: The closing time is 1 hour after the opening time.

B - Intermediate and Final Checkpoints: Opening and closing times are calculated from a formula based on maximum and minimum permitted average speeds. The maximum average speed is held throughout the ride at 30kph (18.6mph). The minimum average speed depends on the total distance of the route as follows:

        Distance       Min. Speed

        100-199km      15kph   (9.3mph) (Permanent Populaires)
        200-699km      15kph   (9.3mph)
        700-1299km     13.3kph (8.3mph)
        1300-1899km    12kph   (7.5mph)
        1900-2499km    10kph   (6.2mph)
        >2500km        200km (125 miles) per day

The minimum average speed applies for the duration of the ride. A calculator for Permanent control opening and closing times is available online on the Permanents main page, and under RBA Resources.

Availability

Route owners are normally expected to allow entries to a Permanent throughout the year. A route owner may restrict the months of availability, e.g. due to extreme seasonal weather, but is encouraged to keep this to a necessary minimum. Availability should be indicated on the route application form, e.g. 12 months, March through October, etc. During a route's usual time of availability, a route owner can refuse entry on a certain date if it is inconvenient for any reason.

Rider Registration

A rider is expected to give reasonable notice of entry. Rider registration should consist of an entry form, the appropriate entry fee, and must include the RUSA Waiver of Liability. An entry form master, including the Waiver of Liability form, is available online on the Permanents main page, and under RBA Resources. Permanents may be ridden only by RUSA members. The route owner should check that a rider's membership is current using the online search engine. Once the rider's entry is accepted, the route owner must provide a brevet card and a cue sheet, and preferably a highlighted map of the route. Riders are expected to acquaint themselves with the Rules for Riders, as well as comply with them. The rider must start at the date and time agreed at entry. At each checkpoint the rider should obtain proof of passage in his/her brevet card, including the time of arrival, together with a stamp or receipt, etc., as listed previously. In the case of the start checkpoint, the time of departure is noted. At the finish, the rider is expected to sign his/her card. No medals are available from RUSA for Permanents.

Submission of Results

A rider is expected to return the completed brevet card to the route owner within 10 days of the ride. The route owner should submit each result within 10 days of receiving the card. This is normally performed online using the web form provided on the Permanents main page, and under RBA Resources. New route owners are required to send the first completed card(s) to the Permanents Coordinator for validation, instead of submitting the result(s) online. This requirement allows RUSA to verify that the route owner fully understands the Permanents rules and has properly implemented them. Any route owner of any Permanent may be required to submit the card(s) from a ride to the Permanents Coordinator for review. Any published results should list riders alphabetically by last name and not by the order of the riders' arrival or total elapsed time.

Official Certification

The Permanents Coordinator will review results submitted by route owners and verify that the rides have been properly executed. Brevet cards submitted for review will be returned to the route owner with validation numbers entered on them. The online submission procedure issues validation numbers immediately, and the route owner can enter these directly on the cards in the space provided. Completed cards should then be returned to each rider by the route owner. Note: Although the online procedure issues validation numbers immediately, validation must be considered provisional until the Permanents Coordinator has reviewed the results. RUSA can decline validation if it finds that the rider or route owner has failed to comply with the rules.

Arbitration

Randonneurs USA will be the final arbiter of any questions that arise which may not be covered explicitly in these rules.