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.

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.

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. We went to the event this summer and nearly passed out from the elevation alone.

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 plan was originally going to attend Gravel Locos 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.

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.

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.