Free lift tickets, free test rides, free body armor, free helmets, an apres ride party, a special lodging package and an opportunity to win a new bike.

It's all part of the Free Ride Weekend next Saturday and Sunday at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

Anna Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Somerset County resort, said the bike crew has been building some "sweet new trails" and invites mountain bikers to try them out.

Campbell said riders will have their choice of a variety of chairlift-access trails -- from entry level, cross-county trails that families can enjoy to experts-only downhill trails and "an epic freeride trail complete with ladder bridges, rock drops, fall-line sections and jumps of more than 20 feet."

The trails are rated the same as the ski/snowboard slopes--a green circle for beginners and novices, a blue square for intermediates and black diamond for those with advanced skills.

If you're unfamiliar with the courses, as most riders will be, take a slow scouting run the first time down. Give the rider ahead of you plenty of space.

Riders can take free test rides on more than 100 bikes provided by Kona, Trek Factory, Trek WSD, and Santa Cruz. In addition to its standard fleet, Trek will have new Remedy and Session freeride bikes to sample.

Although free body armor will be available, Campbell said veteran riders are "strongly encouraged" to bring their own.

She said the high-speed six passenger chairlift on the front side of the resort will be running extended hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days.

An apres ride party that will feature music, a barbecue and a variety of beverages at special prices will begin at 11 a.m. each day at Emo's Pit outside the Foggy Goggle Lounge. The resort also is offering a first-come, first-served special lodging rate of $135 per room per night for riders who want to spend the weekend.

To participate in all the rides and activities, check in at the Foggy Goggle with the proper safety gear and sign up to test ride the Kona, Trek and Santa Cruz bikes. For more information, call 1-800-452-2223.

Movin' in Montana

There's nothing like good weather and a tail wind on the first day of a three-week, 1,600-mile bike ride from North Dakota to Oregon.

"Wednesday was a very nice day--the high was 72 degrees, the rolling terrain of western North Dakota was really pretty and we rode 75 miles from Stanley to Williston," Mark Rubenstein said.

"We logged 94 miles to Wolf's Point Montana on Thursday, arrived in Glasgow, Mont., yesterday and are heading to Idaho today," he said yesterday.

Rubenstein, 55, of Squirrel Hill, a criminal defense attorney, who is trying to make a difference in the lives of inner-city youngsters, is leading a group of seven of them on a bike trek to the West Coast.

When they reach the Pacific Ocean and dip their front tires in the surf, two kids, Nuwh Wallace, 17, of Homewood and Justin Dean, 15, of Carrick will have peddled across the country, a distance of more than 4,000 miles. They started their epic ride in 2006 and completed the second leg last summer.

Joining them last year were Dion Wallace, 14, of Greenfield, no relation to Nuwh, and Nate Kiger, 15, of Oakland.

New this year are Paul Aaron, 14, of the Hill District; Chris Butera, 14, of Swissvale and Aaron Wakefield, 14, of East Liberty.

Also new to the ride this year is Justin Kline, 22, of Shadyside, a member of the support staff. He joined crew chief Charles Monroe, and Gordon Roth, both of Squirrel Hill.

For more information and to make a contribution to the non-profit Pittsburgh Youth Leadership Inc., go to www.pghyouthleadership2008.blogspot.com or call 412-391-4305.