The 24th Annual Trek Tri-Island bicycle ride to benefit the American Lung Association had over 300 riders participating in the three-day event Sept. 16 to 18. On Saturday, cyclists in Seattle traveled to Port Townsend.Sunday’s ride was from Port Townsend to Orcas Island, traversing the length of North Whidbey Island to reach their destination.

On Monday, the ride was from Orcas Island to Victoria, British Columbia, and back to SeattleMany of the cyclists were from the Puget Sound area and had ridden in the annual event for more than 20 years, but many others traveled great distances to participate.

Around 1 p.m. Sunday, a group of four women, two from Indiana and one from New York, stopped for a breather just south of the Deception Pass bridge.

“This is the fourth year I’ve ridden in the event,” said Tacoma resident Jessica King. “Our team raised about $4,000 this year.”

Also in the group were Terra Schmidt and Andrea Moll, both from Harland, Indiana, and Terra’s sister, Jocelyn, who proudly confessed: “I’m from Queens, New York.”

The group had a fifth member, Stewart Todd, who had ridden on ahead.

“He just rode off and left us,”

Moll said. “Is chivalry dead or what!”

Schmid said this is the third year she has participated in the ride. “It’s a wonderful event,” she said.Clara Protzman said she just moved to Washington from Maui, Hawaii, to be with family and now resides in Kirkland.

This is the first time she has ridden in the event.

“First time I’ve ridden, first time on a bicycle,” she said laughingly. “It’s an excellent event, but I have an uncomfortable seat on my bicycle. Everything else is great.”