Thats were the unless it's altered part comes in... The rod doesn't grow older and wiser, it doesn't have an emotion to manipulate it's shape. Things change it's appearance and reliability but it realistically stays the same. If I ride that road and you ride it Monkey only outside things can effect it..You ride no sand/gravel I ride it's there. But if you and I ride that road on the same day with the same circumstances the difference will be skill level, how we are feeling that day, focus, and knowledge of the road. That road will not change because I am coming down it instead of you...But all the the rider I am and the rider you are will make the difference on reaction to situations, how fast through a corner and blah blah blah. On days we lost riders on certain roads it is arguable to say they were not the first to go down that road that day. So the variable has to be the rider