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.