If expectations were already at an unrealistic high for Rock Cobbler 10.0, somehow once again it beat them.
The legend has grown over the years and obviously the many antics stick out, but bottom line it’s the attitude carried by all that is the jewel of the crown.
This being a special anniversary, I expected the classics like riding through someone’s home.
While you remember these moments, there’s also eighty miles of riding leaving a lot of potential to go wrong.
For Rock Cobbler 10.0, the first third is very playful with a lot of rolling action not to mention the antics.
It’s heading up to the Breckenridge portion where people got creative with curse words as this twenty mile section was the biggest test of survival for the day.
This sector started with the longest climb for 10.0 which was mostly palatable, but the top portion saw riders slipping all over the place as there was no choice but to walk through this gully of mud.
Now Sam can’t be at fault for the rain that caused this condition as riders had to battle this moisture on what would be a tough descent when dry.
The difficulty level highlights the beauty of the Rock Cobbler as situations like these could be infected with bad attitudes fast, but there is a massive buy-in having a “we’re all in this together” mantra that can only be experienced first hand.
If your mindset is still stable, then hopefully you can handle “The Cow Trail of Death” which wasn’t so much a vertical challenge, but tenuous maintaining balance not falling away down the hill.
The portion between the next two aid stations brought back the fun type of riding earlier…minus the incredibly difficult hike a bike that somehow topped last years.
Still, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride delivered with its sweeping curves and seeing the crew from Grizzly Cycles bring the party at the next stop was another spirit lifter.
There was still thirty miles to go hitting the Oil City portion with a lot of vert and dirt left that’s a test you’ve already succumbed to in survival mode.
While there are some to level racers that show, most are just happy for the journey and the party down atmosphere at the end that we have stories for, but words can only do so much.
Here’s to ten years of the Rock Cobbler and oh my, there’s always more to throw at us.