AUGUSTA — The Trek Across Maine and the American Lung Association have announced several new elements and a detailed map of the new route for the annual bike ride that will take place Friday through Sunday, June 14 to 16.

For the event’s 35th anniversary, the ride will have a new route that will showcase more Maine cities and towns, plus a virtual option. Since 1985, the annual event has raised more than $24 million and is the largest fundraising event in the country for the American Lung Association.

Final preparation and planning is under way by organizers who have unveiled a detailed map showing the roads and streets that will see nearly 2,000 cyclists leading up to the event. The new map is available at trekacrossmaine.org and includes specifics on roads and streets that will be used and an elevation chart for cyclists to plan their training rides. Registration is open until 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 20.

The new route will start at Brunswick Landing and take cyclists through new cities and towns that include Augusta, Auburn, Bath, Belgrade, Brunswick, Freeport and Lewiston. The route still includes the popular tradition of Team Tent City at Colby College in Waterville between days two and three, but includes new rest stops, including at L.L. Bean in Freeport. There is also a virtual trek enabling more friends and family to participate and rewarding participants for exercise options that are equivalent to the trek experience.

The three-day event is expected to have a positive economic impact for several new regions and draw more cyclists from the southern part of the state and across New England.

For the first time, Brunswick will host the start and finish line at Brunswick Landing. Flight Deck will host a pre-trek dinner on Thursday, June 13, and welcome visitors and supporters of the riders for happy hour.

Lewiston is also one of the new cities welcoming cyclists this year and is planning Trek Downtown, a block party event on Friday, June 14. For the first time in nearly 25 years, the city will close a full city block of Lisbon Street (Ash Street to Main Street) to vehicle traffic for community members to cheer on the cyclists, eat, drink and visit local businesses. In addition to restaurants offering food and drink specials, there will be food trucks and a beer garden in Dufresne Plaza and music, including live music at 7 p.m. from Skosh.

With an increase in bicyclists on the roads and to help communities across Maine that will see more cyclists leading up to the event, American Lung Association of the Northeast has released a new public service announcement for television and radio to highlight that more cyclists will be on the road and encourage people to drive safe and look out for cyclists.

Participants can register for the 2019 Trek Across Maine at trekacrossmaine.org until May 20. Learn more at TrekAcrossMaine.org.

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