BY ROBERT FRY
The numbers: 1,705 rides totaling 345,159 km, and 150 new routes.
Any way you slice it, the 2007 permanents statistics show clear evidence of a vibrant and still fast growing program. Things have come a long way in just a few short years from our tentative start back in 2004.
What has been the most heartening recently is to see a sharp increase in activity in so many new regions around the country, with a virtual explosion in the rate of both rides and new route applications after folks returned from PBP.
I am very glad that Edward Robinson was able to step in and provide so much valuable assistance in the last three months of the year.
And finally of course, I must offer Edward my very best wishes as your new permanents coordinator in 2008.
BY EDWARD ROBINSON
Thanks to everyone who has been in touch during the Permanents Coordinator transition! I'm looking forward to working with all of you—RUSA's Board of Directors, the club's officers and other volunteers, and our Permanent route owners and riders—to ensure that the Permanents program maintains the high standards now in place.
Speaking as a route owner and Permanent rider, I appreciate the untold work that Robert has done in establishing RUSA's Permanents program. The end result of that effort is apparent in the program's success. I've also appreciated Robert's guidance on the program's operation, and his continued hard work through the end of our transition.
The Permanents program rests, of course, upon the volunteer efforts of the dozens of RUSA members who have stepped forward to establish Permanent routes. Their work has resulted in literally hundreds of additional cycling opportunities for RUSA members across the country. To those of you who have organized routes for the rest of us to enjoy: Thank you!
As the year unfolds, I hope each of you will consider bringing new routes to the roster of available Permanents. I encourage and welcome new route applications from first-time applicants and experienced route owners alike—we simply can't have too many routes on offer for the RUSA membership.
Finally, I've established a dedicated e-mail address for Permanents-related communications: rusapermanents@gmail.com. If you have a question about any aspect of the Permanents program, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'll do my best to get back to you promptly. To all, for the season ahead, safe riding.
—Edward Robinson
Permanents Coordinator