Riding RUSA Permanents can fill the void when Brevets are not available

With the 2018 brevet season many months away many riders are supplementing their mileage by riding permanents.  Partaking in this activity helps maintain the right physical and mental condition needed for brevets. With over 60 routes available in New Jersey / New York City the opportunity is there to stay in peak condition and to earn RUSA k's in the process.  Permanents work the same as brevets with the exception that they are totally self supported and do not qualify for medals.  However, they do qualify for RUSA distance awards, R-12's, P-12's, American Explorer, and more.  In addition, they have one huge benefit that brevets can't offer.  The rider chooses the date and time to ride!  One can ride solo or solicit a friend or two to accompany them.  All riders on Permanents must be current RUSA members.

To participate in a permanent select the one you want from the RUSA database.  Contact the route owner listed with that route and arrange to ride on the date and time you've chosen.  They will guide you through their specific sign up process, which In most cases is done via e-mail.  Typically, there is no fee associated with these routes. If the route owner and rider agree the proof of passage can be supplied electronically without the need for a brevet card. Each route owner can determine the form of passage they will accept.  Upon completion  an official result will be submitted and appear under your name on the RUSA web-site.  Listed below are some of the awards which can be earned by completing permanents. 

The R-12 Award is one of the most popular.  Many riders chase this award every year. The requirement is to complete a 200k, or longer, brevet or permanent, in every calendar month of the year.  Also, a P-12 Award can be earned with 12 consecutive months of 100k results.  Either R-12 or P-12 can begin in any month of the calendar year.

Kilometer awards up to and including the coveted K-Hound are largely supplemented with permanent rides.   

The American Explorer is earned by completing a brevet or permanent route of any distance in at least 10 states.  If a route passes though more than one state the rider earns credit for each state.  

 Small groups have been known to participate together.  There have been permanents ridden in New Jersey with over fifteen riders on a single ride.  Permanent routes can be of any distance although most conform to either 100k or 200k. When time is not available for an all day event a 100k permanent can be squeezed into a smaller part of the day. 

New Jersey has a long and diverse list of Permanent routes in the RUSA database.  The first route established  in the state, The New Jersey Transit 200k,  was approved in 2008.  Since that time there has been continual growth of both routes and the numbers of riders that take to riding them.  Thousands of individual results have been recorded in the state. 

Below is a list of the top five permanents in New Jersey for the year of 2017 in both 100k and 200k distance.  

Top Five 200k Permanents in 2017

Matawan - Lacy 200k  

Shore to Please 200k

Princeton - Belmar 200k

Three to OC - 200k

Independence Hall 200k

Top Five 100k Permanents in 2017

Tabernacle 115k

Liberty Bell 100k

Knapp's Cranbury 100k

Princeton - Whitehouse 100k

For Pete's Sake 100k