Base Builder Early Season Gravel Cycling Getaways
Start your season your way
For 2026, we are offering two early May 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.
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).
- 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 Greystone Gravel Grinder event as, supporting the Huntsville Mountain Bike Association
- Put 3 days of riding on your calendar to help get your season started and working towards your goals.
Base Builder May 1st-3rd - Greystone Gravel Grinder Weekend
In recent years, we have kicked off 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'.
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 (event reg live as of 2026-01-15).
The start of the Gravel Grinder is a 15min drive from our location. Make it a full weekend of riding while taking on an awesome community event and supporting a local cycling association.
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 (20-50-80-100km).
The Base Builder Package includes Friday dinner (scheduled for travel time and optional riding), 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 - event registration completed separately)
Registration page one Zone4 - or contact us by e-mail to register directly (no fees for payment be e-tsf)!
Base Builder May 8-10th - Women's Weekend
We'll be honest and admit that for the last few years we have been trying to figure out how to approach Mother's Day weekend. It has historically been a great opportunity for early season riding, but would anyone want to join a cycling getaway over that weekend?
Well...from talking with many guests in 2025, it sounds like a weekend of riding and great food is indeed a good fit.
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 page one Zone4 - or contact us by e-mail to register directly (no fees for payment be e-tsf)!
What do our past guests think?
Fueling your adventure - great food is at the core of our getaways:
We provide guests with meals for an active itinerary that meet their dietary preferences, while featuring ingredients from our farm and other local producers. Our default is gluten free and we operate from our certified kitchen in the LINNK.
We balance unique and freshly prepared creations while ensuring guests are getting the fuel they need. You can get seconds!
We have had guests return multiple times simply because of Julia's culinary creations.
General Itinerary for Base Builder:
Friday
- Arrival options starting early afternoon (post-lunch)
- PM ride option
- Anticipate most guests arrive late-afternoon into evening if traveling Friday
- Dinner around 8PM
Saturday
- Breakfast 8-9 (Schedule may adjust for Gravel Grinder start times)
- AM ride option - return from lunch around 1PM
- PM ride option or social/personal time.
- Dinner around 7PM
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.
Check out our other retreats:
Back for 2026, 'camp counsellors' Julie Toole and Adam Hill will be sharing their knowledge to support participants with improving their gravel riding game! Join us for three days of great gravel riding.
A great getaway to help build confidence when wandering outdoors. As a refresher, adding to your canoe tripping, hiking and risk management skill set or preparing to try out Adventuring Racing or Orienteering, Rob covers the concepts of map and compass and the sport of orienteering while ensuring your knowledge is anchored in understanding the key concepts, decision making and strategies to navigate confidently.
More details - Introduction to Navigation & Orienteering
Our very popular collaboration with Pedals and Provisions Cycling Club, Gravel Grazer is all about sharing rides, meals and our big farm table while exploring the Almaguin Highlands.
This is your chance to give bikepacking a try, with our supported Intro Weekend. Optional gear transport, experienced co-facilitators and an overnight trip to beautiful Mikisew Provincial Park.