NEWRY – Roads from Newry to Farmington will be bristling with bicyclists Friday.

More than 1,500 riders have committed their pedaling stamina to the American Lung Association of Maine’s Trek Across Maine – Sunday River to the Sea event.

The bicycling feat is a three-day, 183-mile ride, beginning at Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry, with overnight stops at the University of Maine at Farmington and Colby College in Waterville. The trek begins Friday, June 18, and continues through Sunday afternoon at Snow Marine Park in Rockland.

In a press release, Bob Verrill, the association’s special events manager, said the annual fund-raising event is much more than a bike ride.

“The individuals and businesses who participate in the trek as riders, sponsors or volunteers are committed to helping the Lung Association accomplish its mission of improving the lives of all Maine citizens, one breath at a time,” he stated.

The 2004 trek is expected to raise more than $1 million to support the association’s efforts to improve indoor and outdoor air quality.

Other goals are to reduce Maine’s high smoking rate, provide asthma management education, support asthma research, and assist many other initiatives to improve lung health of people statewide.

Last year, 1,458 riders, who biked 274,000 miles combined, and more than 300 volunteers raised $932,000 in pledges.

The first leg of the ride, from Sunday River to the University of Maine at Farmington, is the Trek’s longest at 65.5 miles. First-day riders will also experience the course’s highest elevation, at 1,325 feet above sea level, between Weld and Wilton.

Riders are to take off from the ski area from 7 to 9:30 a.m. in groups of 50.

More information may be obtained on the Internet by visiting www.mainelung.org.

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