WATERVILLE -- Energetic steams of cyclists rolled into a parking lot behind the Field House at Colby College on Saturday morning, marking day two of the three-day Trek Across Maine.

Riders arrived individually and in groups Saturday, wearing colorful helmets and sleek cycling outfits, while waiting volunteers banged on cow bells, blew horns and waved plastic hand clappers to welcome the cyclists.

The riders then sped triumphantly under an archway made up of about 100 bright-colored balloons, toward two large tents set up to give the sweaty trekkers a shady place to sit on the sunny, warm day, and to munch on proffered slices of pepperoni pizza.

"Best organized lung ride in the country," said Bill Ross of Freeport, as he stood at the information booth headed by Michelle Caliandro, a table where riders could get campus maps, events schedules and even acetaminophen for aching muscles.

Jeff Jones, 37, of Hampden had already popped some of those over-the-counter pain relievers, he said.

"I had surgery in January on my right foot. I had ruptured the tendon arch of that foot. It's sore. Last night I soaked it," he said.

For Jones, a member of the Blazing Saddles team of Portland, this is his 22th year with the trek.

Trek Across Maine, organized by the American Lung Association of Maine, attracted 1,900 riders this year. Its 600 volunteers set a new record for participation.

Celebrating its 24th year, the fundraiser generated $1.5 million for the Maine Lung Association, according to a press release from the organization.

"It gets bigger every year," said Lee Gillman Scott, vice president of health promotion for the association.

"I believe the riders support the work we are doing. Most people who ride have family members or friends who have asthma, COPD or other lung disease," she said.

To take part in the trek, riders had to raise $500 apiece. Some participants raised more. Kim and Curt Spencer of Wayne raised $1,300, they said.

"This is such a beautiful route," said Kim Spencer, 51, assistant principal at Greene Central School in Greene, who has done the trek for seven years.

"We averaged about 15.5 miles per hour. The rest stops along the way are fabulous," she said.

"Our son, Casey, 19, calls it 'Eat Across Maine,'" said Curt Spencer, 50, a sales manager for ConvaTec, a firm based in New Jersey.

This year, the trek had 148 teams who earned the honor of having their own tent.

Cory Lathrop, 39, of Pittston was part of the team, Charlie's Big Wheels, sponsored by Charlie's Auto Mall, one of 29 corporate sponsors for the event. Lathrop is service director at the motor mall.

"We raised $13,000 for the lung association," he said. With him was Phil Garwood of Gardiner and his two sons, Ben, 23, and Greg, 20, both of Portland.

All were part of the Big Wheels team.

Phil Garwood works for the Department of Environmental Protection in Augusta and bikes to work six miles every day, he said. "It's better than driving my three-quarter-ton truck," he said, of the much smaller carbon footprint made by riding a bicycle.

His wife, Pam Mitchel, he said, was helping out at Tent City at Colby, where many bikers would be staying the night.

Bikers came from all parts of Maine to take part in the trek, including Gardiner, Tenants Harbor and Ellsworth. Many were riding in memory of friends and loved ones lost to lung disease.

"I do it for a coworker," said Alden LeBlanc, 42, of Westbrook, supervisor for at the facilities department for the city of Portland. "Her 12-year-old son died of an asthma attack," he said.

Jacques Moore, director of special programs at Colby, was on hand to help out that morning, along with two dozen Colby students.

"We've got two dining halls open for meals, to serve (trekkers) dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning," he said.

About 1,000 bikers will be sleeping in residence halls Saturday night, and 500 to 600 will be sleeping in tents at the Roberts Building lawn. Another 300 or so will be sleeping in the Field House, Moore said.

Some riders came from out of state, like Veronica Yourel, 40, of Amherst, N.H.

"We drove up to Bethel and left the car. My husband Kevin will pick us up in Belfast," said Yourel, 40, seated in one of the tents with her son, Patrick, 13, a student at Nashua Catholic Junior High, in Nashua, N.H.

"This is our first time. We started riding in April," said Yourel.

Yourel had a spirited reason to participate in the annual trek. She has been battling lymphatic cancer since being first diagnosed in 1974.

"I've had radiation treatments six months ago. I've had 17 surgeries, chemo 11 times and radiation," she said, as she glanced at her son.

"It's been a fight. Today is a good day," she said.

Lynn Ascrizzi -- 861-9245

lascrizzi@centralmaine.com