Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh in eight days along the Great Allegheny Passage as part of the PNC Legacy Trail Ride organized by Venture Outdoors.

Eighteen teams of PNC Legacy Relay Riders covering that 335-mile distance to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh.

Of course, not all rides are that long nor have to be completed that quickly.

One of the best relaxed rides, especially for children and those who haven't been on a bike in a while, is the free 5-mile Pittsburgh Family Bike Ride, sponsored by the Pittsburgh North Optimist Club. It will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday at the REI store in South Side Works. A bike mechanic will be outside for minor repairs.

Participants will pedal along the paved Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a segment of the Great Allegheny Passage, to the Smithfield Street Bridge, use its sidewalk to reach the Eliza Furnace Trail, head up to the Hot Metal Bridge and use the sidewalk to return to REI.

But stop in the center of the bridge to enjoy one of the best views of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Those who would like to ride farther have several options:

• Instead of crossing the Hot Metal Bridge, stay on the Eliza Furnace Trail to the trailhead parking lot. Ride slowly down and under the Parkway East overpass and take the trail into Panther Hollow. If they're hungry, they can stop at Big Jim's restaurant in The Run. They won't leave hungry.

• Go over the Hot Metal Bridge, cross the street at the traffic light and continue past the practice fields for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers to the end of the trail along a chain link fence that borders the Caruso property.

• Use the Three Rivers Heritage Trail maps to get to and across one of the bridges over the Allegheny River and, after using a few North Shore streets, go upstream toward Herr's Island and Millvale or downstream to Western Penitentiary.

If you need a bike, call Tom Demagall and Britt Keefer at Golden Triangle Bike-n-Blade at 412-600-0675. They also have child trailers. The shop is between the First Avenue Garage, which has reduced rate parking on weekends, and the PNC FirstSide Center. There's free parking at a lot nearby.

The Optimist Club will be selling $20 raffle tickets for a chance to win a bike valued at $500 from Trek of Pittsburgh. Club President John Sinnott said there will be a winner for every 25 tickets sold. "We're not trying to make money; we want to give away bikes," he said.

For more information, go to www.pittsburghoptimist.org.

Missing links

The one-half mile long Sandcastle water park property in West Homestead is only one of several uncompleted sections of the nine-mile Steel Valley Trail segment of the Great Allegheny Passage that, when finished, will extend from McKeesport to the Glenwood Bridge. About 5 miles have been completed, but not all are accessible because of construction work.

Jack Paulik, project manager for that segment, said work is progressing on the design phase of two bridges that will cross over railroad tracks used by the Norfolk Southern and Union railroads near the RIDC park in Duquesne and in Whitaker near the Rankin Bridge, and negotiations are under way to acquire other needed properties.