Base Builder Early Season Gravel Cycling Getaways

Start your season your way

For 2026, we are offering two early season weekends to get you out riding and building your base for the coming season.  The first two weekends in May are historically great for early season riding in the Almaguin Highlands.  Winter has moved out, roads are dry, the days are long and the blackflies haven't shown up yet!

The 'Base Builder' concept is straight forward. We provide meals, accommodation and personalized route options to suite your distance and challenge goals.  Nothing complicated, just early season days where you can focus on riding, meeting some new friends and enjoy our unique culinary experience.  Leave 'adulting' behind and put 3 days of riding on the calendar and start building your base for seasonal goals.

Option to participate in the Greystone Gravel Grinder - May 1-3rd weekend

In recent years, we have kicked of the region's gravel season with the Greystone Gravel Grinder event, a fundraising gravel ride supporting the Huntsville Mountain Bike Association.  We provide the route design, help with signage and provide the mid-ride water station for the longer routes.  We have had multiple years of fantastic early season weather, and participants have loved the dry 'champagne gravel'.  In prior years, many folks open their season with a bit of mud at Paris 2 Ancaster, and join us the week after for what has been a drier route. 

The start of the Gravel Grinder is a 15min drive from our location, and we feature as a rest stop on the longer routes.

Weekend structure:

  • A full-suite of pre-designed routes for a range of distances plus the option to personalize routes and surface types (20-120km options).
  • Building for a endurance bikepacking adventure? Our 'Unsatiated' endurance routes are available as an option - 200km+ days (Just be back in time for dinner!).
  • Routes provided in various formats (Strava, RidewithGPS, GPX or Google Maps).
  • Includes our famous farm inspired meals for hungry cyclists, personalized for dietary preferences. (Gluten free is our default)
  • Join as an individual or bring a few friends. You can preview our accommodation here.
  • For the May 1-3rd weekend, sign-up and participate in the Gravel Grinder event as an option for your Saturday ride

Base Builder May 1st-3rd - Greystone Gravel Grinder Weekend

Make it a full weekend of riding while taking on an awesome community event and supporting a local cycling association.

The Greystone Gravel Grinder is a key fundraiser for the great trail work and event series provided by the Huntsville Mountain Bike Association. We have been supporting this event since day 1 and want to make the most of the weekend.  Guests can come and support the HMBA and take on a great event as part of a full weekend of riding.

Registration for the Saturday event is done separately through the HMBA website. We will update the link when registration is live and notify and guests that have already signed up for our weekend getaway. 

Participation in the HMBA event is not a mandatory part of the weekend. We can still provide alternate customized routes if you are looking for something different.  The HMBA event typically has a range of route options. 

Includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and dinner and Sunday breakfast and lunch. For Saturday, assumes participants will have lunch while riding or as part of the Gravel Grinder post-ride option which is included with event registration.  We are happy to provide alternative lunch options for participants with dietary restrictions that might not fit with the HMBA event post-ride lunch.

Registration Cost: $450 + HST (reduced to support registration for the HMBA event Saturday)

Registration links details coming soon - contact us by e-mail to register directly!

Base Builder May 8-10th - Mother's Day Weekend - Women's Getaway

We'll be honest and admit that for the last few years, we have been trying to figure out how to approach this weekend.  A great opportunity for early season riding, but who would want a cycling getaway on Mother's Day Weekend? 

Well...from talking with many guests in 2025, it sounds like a weekend for the ladies is in order.

Wondering what the 'mom' in your life wants?  Apparently, it is a catered weekend of gravel riding in the Almaguin Highlands!

3 days of riding on personalized routes. Ride solo, with a friend or join the mid-distance daily group option.

Enjoy the farm-stay retreat when off the bike, or check out one the local artist studios, waterfalls or cool local shops like the workroom or the Mag.

Registration Cost: $520 + HST

Registration links details coming soon - contact us by e-mail to register directly!

What do our past guests think?

General Itinerary:

Friday

  • Arrival options starting early afternoon (post-lunch)
  • PM ride option 
  • Anticipate most guests arrive late-afternoon into evening if travelling Friday
  • Dinner 8PM (Date to be reserved separately from base package)

Saturday

  • Breakfast 8-9 (Schedule to adjust for Gravel Grinder stat times)
  • AM ride option - return from lunch around 1PM
  • PM ride option or social/personal time.

Sunday

  • Breakfast 8-9
  • AM ride -  planned for a return before lunch
  • Lunch 1 PM
  • PM ride option
  • Departure 

Cancellation Policy:

(21 days or more) Full refund, less processing fees, if the cancellation is made 21 days or more prior to the event start date.

(21 days to 7 days prior) A credit will be issued for a future event with Missing Link Adventure Tours if the cancellation is made between 21 and 7 days prior to the event start date.

(less that 7 days prior) Cancellations that are made less than 7 days before the event start date and attendees who do not show up will not receive a refund or credit and will forfeit their registration fee.