Joe and Janet McConkey of Scott were riding on the Great Allegheny Passage from Confluence to Ohiopyle last month when the rough trail surface caused their water bottles to bounce out of their holders.

"The trail is very lumpy," Janet McConkey said in an e-mail. "It may not look like it, but riding a bike on it tells the true condition of the trail. This is a spectacular trail that deserves proper maintenance. Are there any plans to resurface it?"

Twenty-eight miles of the passage go through Ohiopyle State Park -- from the Ramcat Trailhead, two miles downstream from Confluence, to Connellsville. The Ramcat to Ohiopyle segment is the oldest section of the passage and is showing its age. I rode that section Labor Day and found the ride to be as rough in spots as the McConkeys said it was.

The Ohiopyle to Confluence segment is one of the most popular sections of the trail, especially on weekends. The smooth crushed limestone surface has been worn away in a number of places because of frequent use, heavy rains and strong winds. The thumb-sized gravel subsurface is exposed and can't be avoided in some spots because it's as wide as the trail. It's a bumpy ride, and the sharp gravel has flattened some tires.

I called John Hallas, the manager of Ohiopyle State Park. Hallas, a frequent trail-user, said he was well aware of the trail conditions and has been working to improve them. He said the improvements are underway, thanks to the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps

The PCC is a statewide program that provides work experience, job training and educational opportunities to young people who complete conservation, recreation and historical preservation projects on the state's public lands.

Corps members, aged 18 to 25, work in crews under the guidance of skilled, adult crew leaders for up to two years. Since it began in 1984, almost 14,000 young people have completed more than 1,000 projects, including work in every Pennsylvania county.

They are paid $7.35 an hour, get an increase to $7.87 after six months and a $1,000 bonus at the end of the year. They also can receive $8,450 to further their education or training.

Bruce King, the crew leader for the trail project, said his crew is applying four inches of crushed limestone to the trail and then using a heavy roller to compact it to two inches. "It gets like cement," he said. "We're also trimming some trees."

King, 52, a carpenter, lives next to the park and enjoys riding the trail. After applying the new surface, he said he and the crew will work on a variety of improvements to the park during the next year.

The new surface will be much appreciated by the PNC Legacy Trail Riders who leave today from Washington, D.C., for the start of an eight-day trip to Pittsburgh via the C&O Canal Towpath and the Great Allegheny Passage, and the PNC Legacy Relay Riders who will depart Washington Friday afternoon and arrive in Pittsburgh 24 hours later. The relay riders, who will travel in groups of six, will be pedaling at least 15 miles per hour. If you're biking on the passage between Ohiopyle and McKeesport from 7 a.m. to noon next Saturday, give them room to pass and cheer them on.

For more information on the PCC, go to www.dli.state.pa.us and enter corps in the keyword search or call toll-free 1-888-577-4722.

Celebration Saturday

A variety of activities will be held from noon to 4 p.m. today in West Newton, Connellsville, Ohiopyle, Confluence, Rockwood and Meyersdale as part of the Pittsburgh 250 Celebration and the PNC Legacy Trail Ride. Informational kiosks also will be unveiled in several cities, including West Newton, Connellsville and Pittsburgh, to direct trail users to amenities and services in those towns. For more information, go to www.trailtowns.org and www.atatrail.org.