RUSA Permanent #2679 -- Dudley Dursley Populaire

• Distance: 137K
• Elevation: 2736 feet according to RideWithGPS
• Route
• Cue Sheet
• Registration

Sometimes, a route is too perfectly simply out NOT to go out and ride it.

This permanent, for instance, has exactly one navigation cue between the start and the first control at mile 33, and that cue is "go straight". So, you get a nice two or three hours of riding on Highway 14 -- and as is often the case with mid-size highways, the road gets nicer and nicer the further away from Yakima you ride. It's mostly gradual climbing to about mile 24, then downhill until your control at the Silver Dollar Cafe on the northern end of Highway 214.

241's climb is not nearly as gradual; it's still far from horrible, but does throw just under a thousand feet of elevation at you in about four miles. The south side of the highway's high point is more gradual; you get about eight miles of descent before a right turn onto Independence Rd, towards Zillah.

The next (and last) mid-ride control of the day comes in that small town, just short of 100K into the ride. A little gas station convenience store on the corner of 1st and Cheyne has a bunch of delicious greasy fast food options, or of course small stuff like Gatorade and potato chips if you're in more hurry.

Cheyne connects you to Yakima Valley Highway, another pleasant low traffic stretch since most car traffic uses the parallel freeway. You rejoin 14 at mile 80 -- right at Bale Breaker microbrewery, wink wink -- then have another five miles to get back to the start point.