The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: August twenty-sixth, saying happy trails to you.

It will soon be possible to ride a bicycle the entire way from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania without traveling on a public road. More than 300 miles of riverside tow paths and defunct railbeds have already been stitched together into to an easy-pedaling pathway. When the final pieces are in place, the Potomac/Youghegheny River trail will be America's longest bikeway.

But not for long. Last October, Hillary Clinton announced plans for the Millenium Trails project, a series of developed pathways spanning the continent. Pennsylvania leads the nation in converting railroad right of ways to handle new wheels, but all across America hundreds of old railroads are being converted to trails for cyclists, hikers, joggers, and roller-bladers.

If your adventurous spirit is in high gear, you can ride a bike through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania or pedal a far piece on a trail that starts in the town named after Olympian Jim Thorpe. In Wisconsin, the 32-mile Elroy- Sparta State Trail boasts three railroad tunnels, two revamped depots, and several bed and breakfasts. For urban sight-seeing, try Seattle's Burke-Gilman trail, with its dramatic views of the city skyline. For a taste of the sea, pedal the Monterey Peninsula Trail past Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has a Web site and directory that list 10,000 miles of trails in the U.S. They vary from dirt paths to paved roads, and are listed by location, length, surface, activities, and services.

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