The route on an audax is only advisory and as long as you control at Walford and Tutshill you're free to choose your own route. Avoiding the rock is easy but you still have to make the same height and it's a bit of a slog. I'm popping out on monday and will probably walk up the rock (unless, like the last time I did it, I can't unclip before it's too late).
Also, we have a nice stop at Lambourn this year staffed by Iddu and Assassin so there should be loads of opportunity to buddy up for the rest of the night unless you are pathologically dull (but that probably rules most of us out...)
Liam