NEWRY — The Trek Across Maine kicked off Friday morning under sunny blue skies at Sunday River Ski Resort, with close to 2,000 riders participating. 

The Trek is a three-day, 180-mile cycling tour from the mountains to the sea in Belfast. Overnight stops at the University of Maine in Farmington and Colby College in Waterville provide a place for cyclists to rest and relax after each leg of the Trek. 

Funds raised by cyclists go toward the American Lung Association of Maine to fight lung disease and increase awareness of the importance of lung health.

Because the trek occurs each year over Father’s Day Weekend, it’s not surprising to find many dads participating alongside their sons and daughters.

Ted Naden, 64, of Gardiner was riding in his third trek — along with his 13-year-old grandson, Chaffee, of Friendship. Naden and his grandson were among the many of the first riders of the morning. 

“I’m feeling good about the day,” Naden said with a smile just before he and his grandson rolled away from the start line.

Once the riders got going, the rest stops became busier.

Jim Eickmann and his two sons, Caleb and Ethan, had come up from Kennebunk to ride with a team of 18 other cyclists from Corning Inc. This was Jim’s seventh time riding in the trek. 

“It’s Caleb’s sixth and Ethan’s third,” Eickmann said. “This will be Ethan’s first with no rain!”  

Eickmann said that he rides to support the cause and also because it’s a great way to spend a weekend with his sons.  

The trek is, of course, not limited to fathers and sons. Matt St. Cyr of Pownal was riding his seventh trek with his two daughters, Rosie, 9, and Maisy, 11.

“They were nonconsecutive,” St. Cyr said. “I took a lot of years off to get them ready,” he said of his daughters. “This is Maisy’s third trek and Rosie’s first.”

Because of an age requirement for solo trekkers,  St. Cyr had outfitted himself and his daughters with a tandem triplet: a bike with three seats.

St. Cyr said he started doing the trek because he thought it was a good way to help others.

“It’s a good benefit,” he said.

Many riders were there for the sheer enjoyment of being on a bike and riding with others who shared the same interest in cycling. 

Karen Saltus of Kittery Point was riding a specialty bike built by Bike Friday of Eugene, Ore. 

“It’s a foldable road bike and made in the USA,” said Saltus, who was participating in her second trek.  “It only took me a year to figure out to ride with Gritty’s for the free beer,” she added.

The Gritty’s Trek Team is sponsored in part by the well-known Maine microbrewery Gritty McDuff’s.

Other riders included George Giese and his 13-year-old son, Will, both of Yarmouth. This was the George’s sixth trek and Will’s fourth. 

“This was Will’s first time alone on his own bike,” said the senior Giese. They had ridden before on a tandem bike.

“I’m feeling a little bit tired,” Will said. “I didn’t train enough.”

In previous years Giese’s daughter, Georgia, had participated. 

“She’s volunteering this year,” Giese said, referring to the army of helpers who do everything from hand out drinks and snacks at rest stops to direct traffic at busy intersections. 

In 2011, Giese and his family were joined by his wife, Jayne Giese.

“She was going through chemo at the time,” Giese said. 

Jayne passed away in 2012 after a six-year struggle with breast cancer. George and his children have kept their tradition of the trek alive ever since.