NeverLost X Acme

You may have never heard of Katonah, NY. I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s one of dozens of small towns within 60 miles North of New York City, in the vicinity of the Hudson River, known to New Yorkers as “upstate New York.” Each town is quaint, unique and quiet. The towns have names like Cold Spring, Peekskill, Croton-on-Hudson, Mt. Kisco and my favorite Sleepy Hollow. NeverLost made a weekend visit to host some rides with Acme and Rapha and find out what all the fuss is about.

If you happen to find yourself living and working in New York City, as I did beginning in 2007 (especially if you’re not a native New Yorker), there will come a time when you take a stab at hatching a plan to move just far enough out of “the city” to still be able to work there but not have to actually live there. Some choose to search across the river in New Jersey. Some choose Long Island, basically you drive through Brooklyn or Queens and just keep going. Ever heard of the Hamptons? It’s at the end of Long Island. However, many choose to take refuge in upstate New York. And that’s what my friend Colin did a few years ago. Enter Katonah and Acme Bicycle Co.

Colin is one of my best friends and has been since we met in 2009. Colin was working at a bike shop in Park Slope, I was a very new road cyclist and had joined my first road racing team. There’s an incredible road cycling community in NYC thanks in large part to CRCA, the Century Road Club Association which was founded in 1898! They organize a series of road races each season in Central Park and Prospect Park. These races are the foundation of the vibrant, diverse road cycling community in the city. That’s where Colin and I cut our teeth.  So we met at the shop one day and the next thing you know I had him joining the team with me. 

Fast forward many years and we’ve both grown up into somewhat actual adults. He fled North out of the city to Katonah and I fled South to Atlanta. In addition to still be a very talented rider Colin is now co-owner of a pair of bike shops called Acme Bicycle Co. where he and his partner Jonathan Blyer are especially known for being some of the best bike fitters in the industry. So when Spencer and I had the idea of doing these little NeverLost weekender events I knew we had to collaborate with Acme. We’ve done this in Atlanta of course and in Austin with Breakfast Club and for our collaboration rides with Acme we teamed up with Rapha as well who provided support for the entire weekend. These events are free, there’s always a bunch of swag from our sponsors and good times are guaranteed. 

The weekend started with a banger of a ride on Friday evening. The weather was crisp, the roads were dry and we explored a short mix of gravel around the Katonah area. We started with a gravel climb on Maple Ave. by the Cross River Reservoir. Then we headed South to Bedford and finally ending with the Wood Rd. climb just before returning to Katonah. Apparently we rode by a large property owned by Martha Stewart too. Who knew!? 

We planned and promoted the Saturday ride to be longer, harder and faster. Colin did not disappoint in coercing the watt-gifted locals to come out. This ride was a relentless race-pace effort with mixed terrain, a singletrack section and a brutal super chunky downhill gravel descent. We left Katonah and passed through Bedford then Ward Pound Ridge before making our way North to the 1.6 mile climb of Rippowan Road and crossing into Connecticut. The hammering continued into Mountain Lakes Park which is a wonderfully difficult multi-mile gravel climb ending with a super chunky and bone rattling descent. We even saw a black bear in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Yes, a bear.

As we got to North Salem we made a little loop and crossed into Connecticut again. More hammering, more gravel, more uncomfortable through clearing and coughing from the pack as Jonathan, Andy and Colin continued to drive a ripping pace. Finally we began to make our way back South towards Katonah, crossing the Cross River Reservoir just before rolling back into town. Upon completion we celebrated and drank merrily and thanks to our sponsors Topo Chico and Maxxis Tires free stuff was given away.

Sunday was exactly what we all needed with a leisurely stroll out of town and up to Croton Falls where we were treated with a cider tasting at Folkways Wines. I honestly had no idea cider could taste so good! If you didn’t know already, New York is a huge apple producer. It’s the second largest in the country. Sip sip cider and then back in the saddle. We kept a very comfortable Sunday pace for the remainder of the ride where we again crossed briefly into Connecticut and then made our way all of the way around Titicus Reservoir before ending up back in beautiful Katonah.

Thank you immensely to everyone who came out and shared the weekend with us. Thanks most of all to Colin, Jonathan and Laura of Acme for hosting and helping to plan the rides. And to our sponsors Topo Chico and Maxxis Tires for their continued support. See you on the road.

-Let the winding road free your mind.

SBT GRVL 2022

Champagne, it's not just for breakfast.

Anyone that knows the gravel scene in the US knows that there are a few hallmark, don't-miss events. One of those is undoubtedly SBT GRVL, whose claim to fame is the best “champagne gravel” in the nation. Gravel connoisseurs will understand how much difference there is between gravel surfaces and just how much that can change the course of one’s day on the bike. We can now attest that the dirt roads in Steamboat Springs truly are the champagne of gravel.

I first heard about SBT before their inaugural edition in 2019. Personally I'd never been to Steamboat but everyone knows Colorado is magical and this whole "champagne" thing really had me intrigued. My wife and I made the pilgrimage for the 2019 event and were so impressed by the event and the course it became a yearly tradition. 2020… well y'all all know what happened in 2020, so that event didn’t happen. Flash forward to 2022 and we decided to make it a NeverLost event.

Like with most events in the gravel scene, the popularity of the SBT event has skyrocketed. So much so that it's now a lottery to get in. NeverLost entered as a team and brought 4 riders - Spencer, Ray, Jonny, and Kat. We won our slots and teamed up with Colin from Acme Bike Co. in New York to make the journey together. We also picked up another teammate in our good friend Shawn from Halfway Crooks!

 We were super stoked to be selected and felt like a few days of riding were in order. When we arrived in Denver our first order of business was to climb lookout mountain. Not the hardest climb out there but certainly one of the best. We managed to hit it right at sunset which offered a beautiful view at the top and a thrilling night time descent back into town. 

After much rental car drama we were off to steamboat. It's a lovely 3 hour drive west and almost to Wyoming. Steamboat is a charming little town and it's absolutely busting at the seams for this event. It's clear why they limit the attendance.

 The day before the race we got to tour the moots factory. That was both humbling and impressive. They make some top top titanium bikes in the industry and it all started in a tiny building in Steamboat Springs in 1981! And then, a very technical bike tech rundown from each rider in the group. Highly valuable insights.

Race day cometh. Everyone had their strategy planned out but "everyone has a plan til they get punched in the face" as they say. The race kicked off and the pace was immediately high. I remember thinking, oh shit, can I keep this up for 100miles? There's always that fine balance of staying in the group (and therefore exerting far less effort) and dropping the pace (but going solo). See video evidence ☝️.

Tensions were high, elbows we're rubbing, I took a handlebar end to the thigh, but after 10 miles or so it mellowed and the nerves died down. My goal was to chase Colin as long as I could. Colin… who can basically take a KOM at will. Not a great plan but hey, it got me through the initial stage of the race. Colin went on to finish 4th on the day in his category!

Somewhere around mile 15 I knew I had to drop my pace. I just couldn’t do 100 miles red-lined. Shortly after, I scooped up Ray and we spent about the next 60 miles together. The effects of altitude for a flatlander like myself were very apparent. The flats felt fine but the second things started going UP I felt like I was riding a lead bike.

The unique thing about steamboat is that it's just so dang beautiful it's hard to get in the hole and have a bad time. Every time I started feeling down, something cool would happen, like the single track section near steamboat lake.

99.6 miles from the start we finally arrived back on Yampa street. I got a cheeky little sprint in with a race buddy and finished right alongside Reggie Miller! Crusty, dusty, salty, and cracked, I gulped down the best beer I'd ever had. Shortly after, the thunderstorms rolled in and we spectated the finish. The whole town is buzzing with that post race euphoria. It’s great vibes all around. 

Steamboat is one of the best days you'll have on the bike. It's something I'll aim to do as a yearly event. Here's hoping we're lucky in the lottery again this year 🤞 

Austin Texas

Austin, Texas. It's one of a kind. Visiting from Atlanta there's a somewhat common thread of being a city stuck in the middle of a state that is very different from it. A sense of pride in being unique.

Our original plan was to attend Gravel Locos in Hico but the more we talked about going to Texas, the more Austin came up. Ray and I had been there many time but never spent any time there on a bike. From the outside looking in, the Austin bike scene seemed like it had something magical going on and we were keen to explore it.

We began planning by reaching out to some contacts at the Meteor Café and the Breakfast Club. Andrew at the Meteor was quick to set us up with local legend David Ross, a mechanic at The Meteor and the brilliant mind behind Rip My Routes. David is a one of a kind individual who has aggregated all of Austin's greatest routes and shared them for anyone to enjoy. One amazing thing was that he doesn't even ride with a computer. It's all up there in his noggin and he's out exploring on a bike enjoying being screen free. We spent the evening with David and his partner Natalie climbing hills, jamming down some single track and ultimately crushing some pizza at the Meteor (as is tradition, I'm told). This was one of the most fun rides I'd been on in a long time and I knew the rest of the weekend wouldn't disappoint.

Saturday came bright and early and we were headed back up to the Meteor to meet up with the group that puts on Austin's biggest group ride - The Breakfast Club. The Breakfast Club started during the pandemic and grew into a 400-500 person group ride within a couple years. They offer options for riders at all skill levels and are an impressively accommodating for folks getting into the scene. It seemed like everyone I spoke with was a ride leader of some kind which rightfully carried a sense of pride. It's wonderful to see what they've done to open doors into the cycling community. Matt, Summer, Jake, and Jordie took us out to the Creedmore area to explore the Texas countryside. What they lack in elevation gain they make up with in wind speed. We certainly got our fair share of practice with crosswinds. One of the greatest things on this ride was Matt (Matt Kundo Digital Marketing) absolutely shredding at the front of the group on his steel commuter bike with a rear rack and big knobby tires. Matt's friend was in town for his birthday and he'd let him borrow his race bike for the day. When we finally turned to head north we had a strong tailwind carrying us home the whole way. Temps were creeping up and expected to be even hotter the next day. We, of course, ended up back at the Meteor’s lovely back patio for more coffee, a snack, and a pint.

Sunday was all about meeting up with the crew at Rapha. No one really cultivates a vibe like Rapha so we were pleased to be invited to their Sunday ride. We heard there would be espresso, beer, and Giro d'Italia at the end so how could we say no?! Personally, I had never attended a Rapha group ride and was very impressed with how organized the whole thing was. The pace was quick, but steady. There was a store stop, a regroup point, and a nice bit of hanging out at the end. Charlie, Dave, and Jordie (yes she helped lead both rides!) were excellent ride leaders and kept the whole thing organized without being overly structured. We rode a very similar route to Saturday, but somehow the ride felt completely different.

There's something magical about the Austin scene. It's positive, welcoming, and doesn't seem to carry an ego like you might find in other places. I guess you could say that reflects the city itself. It's got a certain bit of unique and affable charm that just can't be replicated. In the end, while we missed out on the racing action in Hico, Ray and I were pleased to have been a part of the scene for a few days. We barely scratched the surface of the riding possibilities in central Texas. We'll definitely be back.

Keep your eyes peeled for a 2023 NeverLost tour in Austin.

Interested in joining the NeverLost crew in 2022? Check out our August and October tours here.

Want to grab the gear? Visit the shop.

Fried Clay 200k

At NeverLost we feel it's important to show that our tours are provided to riders by riders. Our vision is to provide an experience that we would love to enjoy ourselves. Our tours are bred from the spirit of shared fun and camaraderie through suffering, something that's truly unique to cycling.

To align with this ethos, we (Spencer and Ray) have decided to challenge ourselves in a few landmark races this year as a pair. First up is a beloved local Georgia favorite, the Fried Clay 200k.

The finishers patch from the 2020/21 Fried Clay 200k

I guess you could call the Fried Clay 200k a gravel race, but it's really a lot more than that. At its core it's a test of mental and physical fortitude that throws everything it possibly can at you to make you want to quit. The Fried Clay takes you through some of the Oconee National Forest's most beautiful back roads, but also through some absolutely brutal single track. The inevitable mud, sand, creek crossings and hike-a-bike sections add a unique element to the race unlike anything else out there. Race organizer Pat Patterson claims to have added these sections solely to, "f*ck with roadies."

Ray hikes across one of the many creek crossings on the course after suffering a mechanical.

What you won't find at this race is truly the thing that makes it unique. There's no giant sponsor signs, no vendor booths, no glitzy bike demos - just a large primitive campsite where folks gather round the fire and talk strategy for the upcoming day(s). There's a lovely mix of bikepacking setups, single speeds, flat bar bikes, drop bar bikes, knobby tires, skinny tires... just about any configuration you can dream up. The race is undeniably a little bit punk and that's where the charm originates.

We arrived Friday evening to find the campsite already bustling with activity. The air was buzzing with excitement as people set up their makeshift bivouacs for the weekend. After one last carb-rich meal and enjoying the largest campfire I've ever seen, we were ready to take on the day.

Pat and the Fried Clay crew keeping folks warm and toasty the night before the race.

8am arrived and we were sent off into the wilderness after some inspiring words from Pat "y'all are dumb, go have fun!". The pace was steady but quick at the front. After riding all day with a case of wet, cold, soggy feet in 2021 I opted to take off my shoes and socks for the first deep water crossing and walk through barefoot. The hope was that the morale boost of warm, dry feet would claw back that time over the span of 12 hours or so. Rolling through 40 degree weather for the first hour or two I knew it was the right choice!

Into the time-warp of endless gravel roads

Around mile 40 riders enter the infamous horse trails. Tucked quietly off one of the gravel backroads the sandy, winding singletrack seems unsuspecting at first, but quickly turns brutal. You find yourself hucking your bike over many downed trees and navigating some pretty rooty off camber trail. It was at this point that Ray caught a snag and snapped his derailleur in half. D'OH! Some quick trailside maintenance from another racer and we had his bike turned into a single speed. However, with an oval chainring and a big gear ratio it quickly became apparent that this was going to end up being a DNF for Ray.

Wait a minute… that’s not where your derailleur goes!

After a brief reprieve onto some gravel roads (according to Pat "to lull you into a false sense of security") you enter the next segment of horse trails. Horses have churned up this mud so frequently and repeatedly that there's really no way to ride through it efficiently. Some took alternate lines bushwhacking through the woods, while I chose to hike it through the sometimes shin-deep mud. The sheer absurdity of this section keeps things light hearted, even though it's a slog.

The “easy” part of the horse trails

Clearing all the caked up clay off your bike and getting back on the road feels glorious and you really feel like you're back to business. From here it was all about chomping up the miles - hydrating and eating consistently. I chose to make a vegan variation on these rice cakes that kept me fueled throughout the day. The stop at mile 75 felt like a desert oasis (with cokes!). Pat and the team were posted up cheering riders on and providing some much needed nutrition and positive vibes. From there it was "only" 55 miles of gravel, pavement, chip seal roads. Headwinds were gusting up to 30mph which at times could be a real morale killer. Somehow the gusts seemed to wait until we were about to climb a hill to rear their ugly head. Add to this some heavy smoke from the controlled burns in the area which made the going pretty tough at times.

Is there a better sight after almost 80 miles of riding?

The goal was to make it back before dark. As the sun started to lie low in the sky each hill in the final few miles felt like climbing a mountain. My focus was to just keep the legs turning, no matter how difficult it seemed. Around mile 100 I just couldn't stomach any more food, which I knew would make for a rough last 10 miles or so. 11 hours, 48 minutes, and 21 seconds after the start we arrived back where we started completely depleted but ecstatic. In true FC200k form you simply arrive at the finish and it's over. No transponders, no inflatable finish line. The joy is in the journey. After about 12 hours of sleep in the van it was time to head home. I've got to say... that Waffle House breakfast sure did taste better than ever!

The rare moments you got to enjoy pavement were glorious.

Huge shoutout to Pat, Brianna, and Loretta (the best camp dog in the world) for organizing such a wonderful event. Congrats to all this year's finishers. Hope to see you back next year!

Delirious but cheezin’ at the finish line.

NeverLost will hit the road in May to visit Austin Texas where we’ll organize a couple of weekend group rides. In August we will travel to Colorado to compete in SBT Gravel. There we'll tackle another big race day in the saddle - this time at altitude. See ya there!

-Spencer

Interested in joining the NeverLost crew for an adventure of your own? Signups are open for our June all-road adventure in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

NeverLost is Born

When we set out to create NeverLost it was out of a desire to bring the rich history of bike touring in Europe to the United States. The U.S. contains some of the most stunning mountain passes, lush forests and gravel routes in the world. From the Appalachian and Blue Ridge to the Rocky Mountains the potential for adventure by bike is unlimited and often under appreciated. Whether you’re looking for a way to celebrate an occasion with a friend or spouse or maybe you just need a vacation to get away from it all NeverLost is here to lead the way so you can focus on letting go and enjoying the ride. We also commit to prioritize an inclusive environment that is respectful to cyclists of all races, gender identities, religion and background.

We began by tapping into our own passion. Co-founders Ray and Spencer like to say bike racing is in their blood. Whether riding slow or fast it’s a love that is deeply engrained in each of them. It stems from a desire to feel that ultimate sense of freedom, the kind of feeling you can only tap into when on a bike. They channeled their combined passions into creativity and in 2021 began planning for a launch in 2022. Ray and Spencer have both traveled the world seeking adventure, with NeverLost they turn to their own backyard to begin a new adventure on some of the most glorious roads in the U.S.

The video above was produced during our first prototype tour run on October 2021. Many of the roads featured in the video will be a part of the routes we designed for the 2022 tours. To find out more about the tours we have lined up visit our Current Tours page.

NeverLost will hold it’s first tour in June 2022 with others to follow in August and October. From there, plans to scale up and to locations beyond the southeast will follow in 2023 and 2024. We’ll hope you’ll join us on an upcoming adventure.

NeverLost is here to serve as your guide and ride leader offering gravel and road specific tours ranging from three to seven days. We serve as your personal road captain and support handling everything from food and lodging to post-ride massages and mechanical. We keep the show on the road so you can focus on having fun and enjoying your experience.

Chef-catered meals, private lodging, soigneur massages and plenty of NL swag makes your off the bike time just as special as when you’re on it. NeverLost is committed to bringing positivity to cycling, insisting on inclusivity and standing against the ego-driven, macho mentality that is pervasive in the sport. Join the NeverLost crew in 2022!