How do I turn a planned long ride into a DIY?

[ElyDave]

I've got a couple of routes in mind that I could turn into 150km, or 200km quite easily.  Thinking about a 150 to start with as a first recumbent Audax. While I can plot the routes quite easily, and go out and ride them I have no idea how to do them as a DIY.

Also, if doing a Perm, can I jump onto the route at any point or do I need to start and finish as instructed?  Boudicca's revenge 200 goes almost past my doorstop, so to speak

[HeltorChasca]

As a newbie this is interesting to me. I do a 100km from where I live through Bath, onto Bristol and back. What would make it qualify?And who chooses the 'checkpoints' (shop receipts etc) or can I send in a GPX file or something?

The 'Mendip Transmitter' is also almost on my doorstep. How do I turn that into a perm?

All points considered, I guess it is only worthwhile 'collecting' these if you are an Auk member. Is that right?

Dave I'm sorry to jump onto your thread.

[Martin]

ED; you can start a regular non DIY perm anywhere on the route by inserting an extra control in between two of the regular controls (it won't make the route any shorter as the distance between the normal controls will be based on the shortest distance; might make it a bit longer) check OK with the organiser first as it's a tiny bit more admin 

HC; assuming the calendar org is not planning to make it into a perm you can just ride it as a DIY by submitting a gpx track as "mandatory route" or just enter the old fashioned way by listing the controls on the DIY entry (plus an extra one if you are starting at an intermediate point) You can enter as a non-member and I presume also collect them to qualify for the various distance / AAA related awards (I never got a definitive answer about claiming an SR medal as a non-member as I joined AUK shortly after starting one)

Although a calendar ride and indeed a perm below 200km may use info controls a DIY may not; you will either have to use gps or replace the info controls of the calendar event with receipts if you can find somewhere to find them

http://www.aukweb.net/diy/routes/

[ElyDave]

Thanks Martin

HC, no worries, the more the merrier.

Next question. If I'm designing the route, determining controls and riding it as a DIY (rather than perm turned into a DIY), who do I send the gps track to for validation?

[Smeth]

Second bit first - In the case of a listed Perm belonging to an organiser he/she will state if a variety of start points are available. Differs with event. The most common options are 1. Start and finish at the designated points.2. Start/finish at any of the designated controls. I note the comment about inserting an extra control. Ask the org for sure. There are definitely many perms where you can't do this. These perms are not frequently proof by GPS, although I guess the org may rarely allow (or not?), so receipts are generally required hence the two common options. Re your 200 local you could submit it as a DIY 200 perm and use the same or similar route.

Now for the 150-200 bit. You can make any route into a DIY. 200 is the minimum distance for validation. Just ride the 150 for fun eh?  When I say any route, you have this freedom with Mandatory route by GPS online option but you must ride the route you submit and submit a valid track. If you want any flexiblity of route you can either get a printed brevet card and plan in the traditional way with controls - obviously you can't use infos, but the absolute shortest route between controls must be 200k+ whether you ride that route or not, so you tend to do a little over mileage. Or you can submit controls and use a gps track to prove your passage. This is the Advisory Route with online brevet option.

All this is explained in more detail on the AUK website. look at the Permanent tab on the left - this lists all the pre-planned rides belonging to orgs. Often . good for getting the essence of an areas you may not know. Now look at the DIY Perm and ECE tab below that and it's various sub tabs.

A quick scan of the AUK regulations under the Official tab should complete the picture. It seems tricky at first but once you've done a couple it's no problem. Your local DIY organiser may be a source of advice.

[Martin]

Thanks Martin

HC, no worries, the more the merrier.

Next question. If I'm designing the route, determining controls and riding it as a DIY (rather than perm turned into a DIY), who do I send the gps track to for validation?

If you are from Ely Cambs that'll be Mr Smith  you have to buy the cards and submit the route first though!

https://www.aukweb.net/forms/diycards.php

there are definitely perms you can validate by GPS (including all of mine) but I think it varies as the org has to have the required status; some can only use card validation, some still have to send the cards on to the perms Sec.

[Smeth]

Next question. If I'm designing the route, determining controls and riding it as a DIY (rather than perm turned into a DIY), who do I send the gps track to for validation?

Assuming you're using GPS as proof, buy your electronic brevet(s) first. When you buy you will be asked which regional organiser you want to buy from. There's a list.
That's the person you do everything through. If they are away you can use any other who will agree.

[arup]

The best way to get a definite answer would be to get in touch with the DIY organiser for your area. It's determined by where you live rather than where you ride. What I've done so far in terms of riding DIY perms is to create a route using Google Maps set to walking and figure out the controls. You can then submit this as your minimum distance. If you're riding DIY by GPS then buy some virtual brevet cards too. Then create your actual route, which just like a calendar ride needs only to pass through the controls. Email your virtual brevet number, gmaps url and proposed ride date to your organiser (up till the day before so you can be sure of decent weather). Then ride it either collecting receipts or recording a GPS track. Submit receipts or GPS track. I often put the start / end controls at my house and takes sections from various calendar rides or perms. I don't know how the mandatory route system works so can't really comment.

[Smeth]

There are now two forms for electronic entry on the AUK site. One for Mandatory Route, on for Advisory route, and you upload your planned GPS using that form rather than emailng. This automates it for you and the DIY org and makes life a lot easier (mainly for them - they are after all volunteers). Check out the tabs I mention above. It's all there.

[Smeth]

Correction to a point I made earlier. You can submit a shorter ride than 200k as a Brevet Populaire. the form gives options of 50, 100 and 150k. Validated but no points I believe. Not pointless though!

[Greenbank]

Correction to a point I made earlier. You can submit a shorter ride than 200k as a Brevet Populaire. the form gives options of 50, 100 and 150k. Validated but no points I believe. Not pointless though!

Definitely not pointless (in either sense). AAA (if it's overly hilly) and FWC (if you're on fixed) points still available for BP rides. I've done quite a few 100km DIYs for the FWC points.

Never got round to regularly doing my 100km DIY that gave me FWC and AAA points (the CTC's Hilly 50 Surrey Hills route with to/from from SW London - 1000m of climbing in the middle 50km - pretty brutal on fixed).

[Somnolent]

There are now two forms for electronic entry on the AUK site. One for Mandatory Route, on for Advisory route, and you upload your planned GPS using that form rather than emailng. This automates it for you and the DIY org and makes life a lot easier (mainly for them - they are after all volunteers). Check out the tabs I mention above. It's all there.

Quite so.
For those unfamiliar with the mandatory route process there are very detailed (and freshly updated ) instructions at http://www.aukweb.net/diy/routes/mandatoryprocss/
It looks horribly long-winded on that page, but once you've worked through it carefully once, future rides can be processed very swiftly.

[Kim]

Correction to a point I made earlier. You can submit a shorter ride than 200k as a Brevet Populaire. the form gives options of 50, 100 and 150k. Validated but no points I believe. Not pointless though!

Brevet awards and AAA points aside, it's also entirely reasonable to submit a shorter ride to check that the logging and validation process works.