From Audax Website: “Permanent rides are more flexible than calendared events. Most can be ridden at any time and many organisers will not insist that you commit yourself to a particular date in advance. Most organisers provide you with a route sheet and many offer advice as to possible places to obtain your proof of passage in designated towns or villages.”
As a Perm Organiser, the Entry entitles the rider for any support I can provide to ensure a successful ride. At the end of the day the rider will receive his Validated card. As long as I can trace the ride the rider has entered (and I will support a change of route if I have emailed him another Routesheet). Many riders collect PoPs as they ride without touching the Card, so if they DNF, they still have an untouched Card. I have many SAEs for outstanding cards, not returned after riders change their plans. Where there is a long gap between Entry and riding, I would advise riders to email for an up-to-date routesheet, as I am improving them every time I do a re-ride, adding gps-obtained inter-instruction distances and can even provide .tcx track data. I will not demand a second Entry fee; that surely is an agreement between Rider and individual Organiser. I buy blank Brevet Cards and provide the Card with a Routesheet. I appreciate email advice on intent to ride and will support any rider.
Many riders enter with undeclared date to ride, as they are a useful hedge for a good weather day or they have not made final plans. To insist on an entry date on each entry form is not very encouraging, if we want to promote Audax riding. Different Rules may apply if extending a Calendar ride. For Permanent also read Flexibility. I have the ultimate advantage of riding any of mine as I see a weather and date window. It seems selfish if I change the Rules of Engagement for others.
Of course a Calendar event has a different protocol as it is date fixed and Controls are only available during the 'Open Window'. There are occasionally exceptions where events may be cancelled or declared (weather)-unsafe and a (limited time window) Perm ride offered in lieu.