There comes a time during most bike rides when it's a good idea to take a break.

	John Beale, Post-Gazette Yough River Trail Gardens provide a rejuvenating stop for the weary biker traveling the Great Allegheny Passage through Elizabeth Township. Click photo for larger image.

One of the best places is the Yough River Trail Gardens in Buena Vista in Elizabeth Township. It's about 16 miles south of Monroeville via Route 48 and 10 miles up the trail from McKeesport.

In addition to the flower and vegetable gardens, the well-tended 3.5-acre property, which is open to the public, includes a large pavilion, picnic tables, benches, grills, fire pit, handicapped rest rooms, trash receptacles and convenient parking.

The site is a land development project begun in early 2004 by the Allegheny East Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center in Pittsburgh.

There are plans to add a greenhouse, handicapped accessible walking paths, a concessions stand, an ability garden and overnight tent camping, said Barbara Conniff, chief executive officer of the center.

Kathy Bayer, director of MR services, said the project was designed to provide the disabled with "a variety of vocational and recreational outdoor growth activities" and "opportunities for commercial enterprise and public participation.

"It allows our clients to be part of the community and for the community to see what our clients can contribute," she said.

And what those clients already have contributed to the blooming success of the gardens has trail users slowing down or stopping to admire their efforts.

Each small garden has a sign that identifies the work of clients from the Enterprise Work Activity Center, Nelson Therapeutic Activity Center, Lawrenceville Support Center, Transitional Services Inc., the Mental Health Department and New Horizons Senior Center.

Rick and Deb Rieger of Plum, frequent users of the trail and the river, were impressed.

"The gardens are beautiful," said Deb, 35, a provider relations representative for a health maintenance organization. "The people we meet here and along the trail have been super friendly. It's a joy to be out here."

Rick, 41, an illustrator, praised the new pavilion, the cleanliness of the rest rooms and the placement of the wooden picnic tables, especially the one down near the edge of the river.

"That's the one we use when we go fishing," he said. He and his wife had fishing licenses pinned to their T-shirts. "We always bring along our rods for some catch and release fishing." Their daughter, Avalon, 9, also an accomplished angler, enjoys watching the frogs along the river bank.

Richard Keller of Wilkinsburg, the site architect, said the best thing about the property is "what it permits MH/MR to offer their urban and suburban clientele in this beautiful setting. And the more people use it, the better chance it has to be self-sustaining."

After everyone departed from a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pavilion last month, I sat on a comfortable tan bench to watch the passing parade.

People on upright, recumbent and three-wheeled bikes pedaled by. An older cyclist softened his ride with a lawn chair cushion on top of his seat.

When the trail was vacant, the silence was broken by songbirds vocalizing from nearby trees and the horns of CSX trains across the river.

In addition to trail users, the site is ideal for families and groups looking for a special place to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, reunions, weddings and other events.

For more information and to make reservations for the pavilion, go to www.aemhmr.org or call 412-371-7391.

For more information on the Youghiogheny River Trail North, which extends from McKeesport to Connellsville, go to www.youghrivertrail.org or call 724-872-5586.

And for more information on the Allegheny Trail Alliance, go to www.atatrail.org or call toll-free 1-888-282-2453.

You're invited

The Allegheny Highlands Trail in Maryland has invited all trail users to help it dedicate the newest section of its trail -- a 5.86-mile section from Frostburg to Woodcock Hollow -- at noon Wednesday at the trailhead along New Hope Road, just below the Cumberland & Pennsylvania Railroad station in Frostburg.

The invitation includes biking to and from Woodcock Hollow or riding the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to Woodcock Hollow at no charge and pedaling back to Frostburg. If you'd like to ride the train, call 1-301-777-2161. The railroad will transport your bike at no charge.

Three major trail supporters -- Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.) and U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) -- are scheduled to attend. Sarbanes and Murtha teamed to provide $1.6 million in federal transportation money so the final section of the trail from Woodcock Hollow to Cumberland can be completed next year.

For more information, go to www.ahtmtrail.org or call 1-301-777-2161.