A Permanent is like a brevet but you can ride it any time, not just on one specific date. All routes are approved by RUSA. Most are at least 200 km (124 miles) in length but, unlike most organized century or double-century rides, there is no support. Like brevets, routes can be a loop or out-and-back that starts and finishes in the same location, but they can also run point-to-point. Five of my permanents are loop style routes and two are out-and-back with a terminal loop. In addition, I have three "Permanent Populaires" (two loop style & one out-and-back), which are shorter rides (100-200 km) that are also recognized by RUSA. Both permanent and permanent populaire rides are open only to RUSA members. They can be ridden alone or with a group (as long as all members of the group are RUSA members). Permanent rides in the US are validated by RUSA and do not count toward any ACP awards or as qualifying rides for longer brevets/randonnees (e.g., 1200 km Brevet or Grand Randoneé). However, a permanent can count toward annual RUSA Distance Awards or an R-12 Award. Permanent populaires can count toward the former but not an R-12 award.

Steps for Riding a Permanent (RUSA Members Only)

1. Request a Permanent Registration and Waiver Form from me (gwcourt@gmail.com), which I will send as an email attachment. Then fill out all details, including the requested ride number, name, date and start time*, sign and date the waiver, write a check to cover any registration fees, and mail everything to me (56100 180^th Street, Ames, IA 50010).

2. Upon receipt of your registration and waiver forms, I will mail you a brevet card (printed on heavy stock), cue sheet, and map.

3. Upon completion of your ride (or attempted ride), mail me the signed brevet card with your receipts (within 10 days). If you don’t finish, I still need to know as I need to submit DNFs to RUSA.

*I will format the cue sheet(s) and brevet card(s) based on the start time you request (per RUSA rules). Note that the start or “Open” time at Control #1 is your official starting time and the basis for subsequent control times (even if you start late). The “Close” time at Control #1 is one hour later and is your latest departure time. Select a realistic start time and stick to it, so your official completion time is not jeopardized.

-- Greg Courtney, Ames, Iowa

Central Iowa Permanents

This ride starts and ends in Ames, which is approximately 35 miles north of Des Moines, and travels through three counties: Story, Polk, and Boone. It is composed of one large loop mostly south and west of Ames. From the start in Ames, the route heads east to Nevada, then south to near Chichagua Wildlife Habitat Park. From there it travels west through Elkhart, crosses I-35, and continues to near Polk City. Before reaching Polk City, you will leave county roads and follow the recently constructed High Trestle Trail (aka Ankeny-Woodward Trail) for >18 miles. The western terminus of the trail, completed in 2011, includes a spectacular bicycle & pedestrian bridge over the Des Moines River (DMR). At Woodward, the permanent route rejoins county roads for a mostly northern journey paralleling the DMR Valley. Shortly before reaching Ogden, the route drops back into the DMR Valley then climbs west to the town. On leaving Ogden, you will travel north to Pilot Mound, turn east for the third and final crossing of the DMR, then continue more-or-less directly to Roland. From Roland it’s a few short miles south and west to the finish in Ames. Although traversing many miles of flat agricultural areas, the route includes several forested areas, lots of rollers, and of course three ventures into and out of the DMR Valley. Except for the High Trestle Trail and short sections in/near Ames, Nevada, and Madrid, the ride includes mostly county roads with light traffic.

Stats: 205 km (127.6 miles) with approximately 4500 feet of cumulative elevation gain. 

Start Point: Swift Stop or Dahl's Foods in north Ames (Exit 113 off I-35, go west on 13^th Street, then north on Grand to 1 block past North Grand Mall… on left).

Route map: click the following link 

Ride images: click the following link

Iowa River Ramble 212K (RUSA Permanent #522, approved in November 2008)

This ride starts and ends in Ames, and includes four counties: Story, Marshall, Hardin, and Hamilton. The route is composed of one large loop with a short out and back to Marshalltown at the southeast corner. After starting in Ames, you will travel east to Marshalltown (including a short detour to the town of Nevada), then northward along or parallel to the Iowa River, eventually reaching Eldora. From there the route heads south and west, passing the small towns of New Providence and Garden City, before reaching the penultimate control in Story City. From Story City you will swing east briefly through Roland, then south and west to the finish in Ames. The first and last portions of the route traverse mostly flat agricultural land, but the middle section (near the Iowa River) includes more forested areas and lots of rollers. Except for short sections in/near Ames, Nevada, Marshalltown, Eldora, and Story City, the ride is mostly on county roads with little traffic.

Stats: 212-214 km (depending on starting point) with 4465 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available all year, but March to November are best.

Start Point: (a) McFarland Park / Story County Conservation Center (Exit 116 off I-35, go west on County Rd E29, & follow signs). This start/finish is more scenic and slightly shorter (212K) but requires that I be at the start/finish to sign your card. (b) North Grand Mall (Exit 113 off I-35, go west on 13^th Street, then north on Grand… the mall and various stores will be on the left). Although slightly longer (214K), this start / finish doesn’t require my presence (because there are plenty of shops, ATM’s, etc. where you can get receipts).

Route map: click the following for (a) McFarland start/finish, (b) North Grand start/finish

Ride Images: click the following link

Tour de Trails 217K (RUSA Permanent #731, approved in November 2009)

This ride starts and ends in Slater, which is approximately 25 miles north of Des Moines. The route is composed of one large loop, including nearly 60 miles of paved recreational trail. You will ride briefly on the first of these, the High Trestle Trail, as you leave Slater, then pass along lightly travelled county roads until around mile 36. From there the route joins the scenic Raccoon River Valley Trail, passing through several small towns (e.g., Adel, Redfield, and Panora) before reaching the penultimate control in Jefferson. From Jefferson the route heads mostly east and south on county roads to Woodward, where the rider returns to the High Trestle Trail (HTT)... at the west end... crosses the Des Moines River on the spectacular HTT Bridge, then remains on the HTT for the final 9-miles to Slater. Overall, the route is quite flat but includes a few short climbs near Granger and after Jefferson. Expect to see wildlife along the trails, especially deer, raccoons, and fox.

Stats: 217 km (135 miles) with 3360 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available all year, but March to September are best.

Start Point: Casey's General Store in Slater (Exit 102 off I-35, go west approximately 5.5 miles, then through 4-way stop in Slater… Casey's is on the left).

Route map: click the following link

Ride Images: click the following link

Devonian Shoreline Shuffle 303K (RUSA Permanent #663, approved in June 2009)

Picture Iowa not as a patchwork of corn- and soybean fields, but as a subtropical sea with abundant corals, sea lilies, and various other forms of marine life. If you had been around the place a few years ago... OK, a few hundred million years ago... you would have indeed seen some oceanfront property. The Devonian Shoreline Shuffle takes the rider back in time to Fossil and Prairie Park, where an abundance of Devonian creatures are exposed. The park, site of the former Rockford Brick and Tile Company, is known for its fossil deposits and for the fact that visitors are encouraged to collect fossils. Consequently, it is a popular destination for school groups. It and the nearby town of Rockford are the turnaround points of the Devonian Shoreline Shuffle. This route is mostly an out-and-back through "contemporary" Iowa (small towns and many corn- and soybean fields), with a short loop at the terminus. The ride starts in Story City, travels generally northeast to Alden and Sheffield, then loops to Fossil & Prairie Park, Rockford and Dougherty before returning to Sheffield and retracing the route back to Story City. Except for short sections in Story City, the ride includes mostly small towns and county roads with little traffic.

Stats: 303 km (188 miles) with approximately 4350 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available all year, but March to November are best.

Start Point: Kum & Go General Store on the east side of Story City (Exit 124 off I-35, on Broad Street just west of interstate… on left).

Route map: click the following link 

Ride images: click the following link

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Heartland to Hills 400K (RUSA Permanent #732, approved in November 2009)

This challenging ride starts in Iowa’s heartland and extends westward to the Loess Hills before returning to central Iowa. The ride starts and ends in the picturesque town of Adel, approximately 25 miles west of downtown Des Moines. The route is an out-and-back with a 70-mile loop at the west end. The latter traverses the Loess Hills, one of the most scenic areas of Iowa. These hills encompass over 640,000 acres of distinctive topography along the Missouri River Valley (aka Iowa’s “west coast”). The Loess Hills were created thousands of years ago, during the last Ice Age, when massive glaciers covered much of Canada and the northern United States. When these glaciers melted, they left fine silt particles that were blown across the landscape, eventually forming thick deposits of windblown silt (i.e., loess) along the Missouri River Valley. Iowa’s loess deposits are among the most extensive in the world, and are largely responsible for the area’s scenic ridges, rippled bluffs, and outstanding prairies and forests. As one might expect, traversing the Loess Hills involves some climbing. However, even the segment in central Iowa is very hilly (and, ironically, the flattest section may be the Soldier River Valley in the heart of the Loess Hills). Other than the Soldier River Valley and the first- and last-few miles (on the Raccoon River Valley Trail), this ride is nearly always going up or down… a perfect route for anyone who likes rollers! Except for short sections in Adel, the ride includes mostly small towns and county roads with little traffic.

Stats: 400km (248.7 miles) with approximately 12,500 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available all year, but April to September are best.

Start Point: Casey’s General Store near downtown Adel (Exit 110 off I-80, go approximately 5 miles north on Hwy 169, to junction with Hwy 6... Casey’s is on the left / northwest corner).

Route map: click the following link 

Ride images: click the following link

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Other Permanents (in OREGON!)

South Valley Circuit 206K (RUSA Permanent #829, approved in February 2010)

This scenic circuit of the southern Willamette Valley and adjacent parts of the Coast- and Cascade Ranges starts and ends in Corvallis, approximately 35 miles south of Salem and 45 miles north of Eugene. The route initially climbs over the Coast Range to the first control in Alsea, then winds up the South Fork Alsea River, climbing again over the Coast Range before descending back into the Willamette Valley near Alpine and Monroe. From there the rider traverses the flat southern end of the Willamette Valley, crossing several rivers and passing some of the most productive farmland in Oregon. Then, near the east end of the loop, the route climbs briefly into the foothills of the Cascade Range to the penultimate control in Sweet Home. After Sweet Home, just a few more rollers and a flat final push across the Willamette Valley to Corvallis. Except for short sections in Corvallis, Harrisburg, Sweet Home, and Lebanon, the ride includes mostly small towns and roads with little traffic.

Stats: 206km (127.8 miles) with approximately 8350 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available year round.

Start Point: Fred Meyer (Exit 228 off I-5, go approximately 8 miles west on Hwy 34, continue straight on Harrison Blvd (in Corvallis) for 1 mile, then turn north / right on Kings Boulevard for 0.3 miles. Fred Meyer is on right / east corner of NW Fillmore Ave & Kings Boulevard).

Route map: click the following link 

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Round The Ridge 205K (RUSA Permanent #854, approved in April 2010)

This scenic loop starts and ends in Corvallis, approximately 35 miles south of Salem and 45 miles north of Eugene. The first part of the route traverses the eastern foothills of the Coast Range, past farms, tree plantations and oak woodlands, and along the western boundary of Finley National Wildlife Refuge, an important overwintering site for Dusky Canada Geese. After dropping back to the valley floor and the small towns of Alpine and Monroe, the rider turns onto Territorial Road for a few fast miles (and some nice wineries), followed by another brief sojourn into the foothills. A couple challenging rollers and the second control, then it’s back to Territorial Road on the west side of Fern Ridge Reservoir. The route parallels Fern Ridge for several miles, en route to Veneta and the southernmost control at Crow. From there, the rider heads northeast to the outskirts of Eugene, then past the Eugene International Airport and rich agricultural areas along the west side of the Willamette River. After crossing the river at Harrisburg, the route intersects Oregon's first designated bikeway, the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway (WVSB). The permanent route and WVSB are comingled to the penultimate control in Brownsville and for several miles along the east side of the Willamette River. The rider leaves the WVSB six miles from the finish, then crosses the Willamette River one last time on entering Corvallis and the home stretch. Except for short sections in Corvallis, Harrisburg, and at a handful of highway crossings, the ride covers mostly roads with little traffic.

Stats: 205km (127.3 miles) with approximately 5400 feet of cumulative elevation gain. Available year round.

Start Point: Timberhill Center, at corner of NW Walnut Blvd and NW Kings Blvd (Exit 228 off I-5, go approximately 8 miles west on Hwy 34, continue straight on Harrison Blvd (in Corvallis) for 1 mile, then turn north / right on Kings Boulevard for 1.5 miles. Timberhill Center is on right / southeast corner of Walnut Blvd and Kings Blvd).

Route map: click the following link