NEWRY — More than 2,300 bicyclists are registered for the 30th annual Trek Across Maine, which leaves Sunday River Ski Resort on Friday and goes for 170 miles to Steamboat Landing in Belfast on Sunday.
It’s the largest American Lung Association cycling event in the country, raising $22 million in the past 29 years.
Kathryn Libby, senior director of development for the American Lung Association in Maine, said there are 200 more people registered this year than last.
She said because it’s the 30th anniversary participants can expect extra activities, such as live bands and at least one team doing a flash mob during the weekend. There will also be a Bob Marley Comedy Show starting at 7 p.m. Friday at the UMF Amphitheater. It’s free to trek participants and volunteers.
The route will be nearly identical to last year, she said. One change is riders will follow Route 2 through Hanover and take Route 232 to South Rumford Road, bypassing downtown Rumford.
Last year, riders rolled through congested traffic in downtown Rumford for hours, since groups of riders started from Newry at staggered times.
For years, the first day’s rest stop has been the United Steelworkers Local 100 parking lot on Route 108 in Rumford. This year’s first rest stop will be in the parking lot of the Apostolic Church at 135 South Rumford Road, 24 miles from the Newry start.
From there, riders will follow South Rumford Road to Wyman Hill Road and follow that 2.2 miles to Route 108 and head to Canton and the second rest stop at the former Canton Elementary School on Route 140.
They will follow Route 140 to Jay and take Routes 4 and 17 to Route 2 and Route 156 (Depot Street) to the third and last rest stop of the day at Bean’s Corner Baptist Church in Jay. Route 156 will be followed to Route 41 (Vienna Road) before rejoining Route 2 in Farmington to finish off High Street at the University of Maine at Farmington.
On Saturday, June 14, trekkers leave Farmington and head for Colby College in Waterville, where the college will hold a fireworks show.
On Sunday, June 15, riders leave for Belfast.
“I hope it’s going to be good weather,” Libby said.
$22 million raised in 29 years
$1.8 million plus raised in 2013.
700-plus volunteers donate their time.
2,310-plus cyclists are registered (1,900 rode in 2013; not all that register ride).
135 Trek teams this year.
106 Trek riders who participated in the first Trek in 1985. A total of 44,000 have participated since then.
5 trekkers will hit the 30-year mark for participation this year, and two will hit the 25-year mark.
28 states represented.
800 cyclists will travel by bus to the start line
454,320-plus combined miles by all trekkers.
170 miles for the 2014 Trek.
Foods to be consumed and supplies used:
200 pounds of carrots
3,000 to 4,000 apples
2,300 oranges
5,000 bananas
10,000 granola and power bars.
350 pounds of granola
300 signs along the route
120 portable toilets
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- Cyclists start the 2012 American Lung Association Trek Across Maine on their “old-school” bicycles at Sunday River in Newry.
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- Christian Wincklhofer, center, and Gabe Blodgett, left, of Rockport start the American Lung Association Trek Across Maine on their “old school” bicycles at Sunday River in Newry on Friday. “I think we have 21 speeds between the two of us,” said Wincklhofer. “This is what we ride at home so why not,” he said.
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