Rock Cobbler

The 2019 version of the Rock Cobbler was an adventure to say the least. Here is my post from Instagram:

Another Rock Cobbler is in the books. I have a theme for every one and this years is “Sh!t Show”! It rained for the first hour of the ride (temps in the high 40’s) which turned a lot of the course to sticky mud. I had a lot of drivetrain issues (as did almost everyone else), walked way more than I wanted to, and had to take an unplanned detour to a porta potty in an orange grove. The worst part is I missed riding through the house because the guy who was supposed to direct us overslept and showed up after I went by. Like I said..... Sh!t show. BUT I wouldn’t expect or want anything else from @tacoman661 and the rest of the Bakersfield crew. We had a lot of first timers this year.... some of which missed a turn and got so lost they didn’t finish (see what I mean about the theme?). Even in these conditions they had a blast and are coming back next year. As for myself, as I was carrying my bike at mile 40 up a muddy hill we normally ride, I swore I would never be back.... but I’m already looking forward to next year. Maybe it’s just the Mac and Cheese at the finish.
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As it turns out, the first 75 riders missed a turn at about mile 20 and ended up riding the last part of the course (up the infamous hike a bike and down the canyon). Some who had done it before figured it out right away and turned back. The majority had blinders on and just kept going. Maybe 25 kept going when the hit the highway, and the rest realized their mistake and doubled back to catch the course. This is funny because through out the ride things didn't seem right. At one point I was able to count the number of tracks in the mud of people who were ahead of me and I remember thinking 'There is only about 20..... I can't be that far up front", then panicking I was in the wrong place, but then seeing trail markers and figuring I was just delirious. Then I had all these normally super fast riders flying by me around mile 50 (Tim Zandbergen, Todd Brown, Team Monster Media) and was asking myself how I was ahead of them? It was because they all missed the turn. The lesson: LISTEN TO THE RIDERS MEETING at events/races! They completely explained that this section may be confusing because the course doubles back on itself and where to go.

I rode my new Hakka MX and fought drive train issues all day. Someone fell into me early on and my bike fill into sticky mud (think B*) and when I picked it up the entire cassette was full of sticky mud. It was never the same after that! I grabbed some chain lube at the second aid station and that helped a bit but we had a few mud/stream crossing right after it so that was short lived. I finally stopped at the 4th aid station (after fighting it and having to push/carry my bike up the majority of a 3 mile climb) and they were able to clean it up and get me going. It worked great after that.
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The good news is that there is zero damage or scratches to the Hakka. A part of me spent the entire day crying inside about what I was doing to the new bike, and I was relieved this morning when nothing happened to it. Thank god for all that massive mud clearance in the frame!

18 hours removed from the finish and I can finally enjoy yesterday. It was actually pretty fun. I think its just the event and the crew that put it on. Everything is about suffering, but having fun and not taking yourself too seriously while doing it.

The man, the myth and the legend: TACO MAN! He does the roll out, races around the course cheering everyone on, takes pics and vids, and allowed everyone to go through his house last year.
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I always thought I'd do it, but my pain-o-meter has dropped a few ticks.

I've laid out plans for the Lost & Found in June (loosely planned to cap off a week of Eastern Sierra fishing), and then back-to-back weekends in September with the Lassen Gravel Adventure followed by Mammoth Tuff. If my brother in-law heals up from a MTB spill, I hope to meet him mid summer for some Utah gravel. Good luck to anyone taking on the Cobbler.
 
Danmtchl said:
Anyone doing the Cobbler this year? It’s supposed to rain for a few days so the course will be muddy most likely.
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I did it a couple of years ago, on my full suspension Epic since I don't have a gravel bike and my CX bike has crappy canti brakes (and an equally crappy mechanic) and not geared for those climbs.
It totally kicked my ass. And, I only did the Pebble. The event itself is awesome.
I won't go back until I have a proper bike and fitness - which might be never.
 
Rumpled said:
I did it a couple of years ago, on my full suspension Epic since I don't have a gravel bike and my CX bike has crappy canti brakes (and an equally crappy mechanic) and not geared for those climbs.
It totally kicked my ass. And, I only did the Pebble. The event itself is awesome.
I won't go back until I have a proper bike and fitness - which might be never.
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The race is brutal, my co worker who is not experienced on a gravel bikes and off road in general did it and crashed three times came by the ball pit where I was working, was visibly concussed. She only did the peddler cause of her condition. And if you didn’t hear from last year, a bull attacked a rider, mostly his fault getting right next to it. He finished 9th overall…..
 
Rumpled said:
I did it a couple of years ago, on my full suspension Epic since I don't have a gravel bike and my CX bike has crappy canti brakes (and an equally crappy mechanic) and not geared for those climbs.
It totally kicked my ass. And, I only did the Pebble. The event itself is awesome.
I won't go back until I have a proper bike and fitness - which might be never.
Click to expand...

LMAO :laugh:!! Might be never!?
 
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