I rode my first permanent today. Did the 100k solo, and it couldn’t have been a nicer day. A permanent is different from an organized brevet in that it is an approved route that can be ridden on your own time of choosing. There are permanents that span from 100k to 1000k. Some are well known brevet routes.
It was interesting in that there were three controls where I bought snacks to collect receipts. Generally during a brevet, the store cashier signs and records the time on the brevet card. This was all solo with no real interactions.
Two of the controls were questions about the spot in focus. I took photos of these just in case. Not a bad experience, overall. I felt pretty good, the bike was flawless, and the weather was glorious. The ride took just over 5 hours, and I added 21 miles in transport to the start and from the finish.
Zoo Hill itself was intense. It climbs 1000 feet in a mile or so. There were amazing views, and the descent was smooth and fast. My favorite part of the ride was May Valley Road. New blacktop on a sweeping fast flat farm valley. Very picturesque!
Cycle Seattle 