The trip helped fund a study conducted by Mt. Kisco, N.Y., physician Dr. Daniel Cameron

But the same perseverance that helped both men through long, agonizing bouts with Lyme disease over the past several years would see them through the marathon bike trip, a trip Mr. Somoroff called "the longest and hardest" he has endured.

But the same perseverance that helped both men through long, agonizing bouts with Lyme disease over the past several years would see them through the marathon bike trip, a trip Mr. Somoroff called "the longest and hardest" he has endured.

The duo went on to complete the 300-mile round-trip to Rutland, Vt., and back in just 22 hours. The bicycle trip was their brainchild - a way to raise money for Lyme disease research through the donations of sponsors.

Specifically the trip will help fund a study conducted by Mt. Kisco, N.Y., physician Dr. Daniel Cameron on the use of antibiotics in treating the disease which is transferred to humans through the bite of the deer tick.

Mr. Somoroff thinks he contracted the disease in 1989 when an extensive rash appeared on his back after a mountain biking trip. Unfortunately, as a result of bad advice, he waited a year before seeking a diagnosis and starting antibiotic treatment.

Despite the disease, he was able to continue bicycle racing, making a cross-country trip in 1994 with Mr. Worth and securing a second place in the state time trial championship race in 1997.

By August of 1999 however, his condition worsened dramatically, attacking his spinal column and neck, and causing a numbing sensation in his arms and legs and attacks of extreme anxiety and sensitivity to light and noise.

"It created havoc," Mr. Somoroff recalled. "I underestimated the disease. I watched my life disappear within a few weeks."

In his opinion, a short dose of intravenous antibiotics did little to help his condition and could have done more harm than good if continued.

"My immune system was not there," he said. "In my opinion, going to the doctor isn't enough. You have to keep your own council."

His self-administered treatment focused on a complete change of diet, including natural foods and drinking a quart of vegetable juices a day. Carrots, kale and cabbage juice replaced caffeine and sugar and herbal remedies were bolstered by doses of garlic.

A combination of therapies plus "diligence and perseverance" were key to his eventual recovery, he said, but daily, strenuous exercise "was the turning point," he declared.

Mr. Somoroff started a regimen of weight lifting, running and intensive aerobics and found that the more strenuous the activity, the better the results.

"A lot of people helped me when I was ill," he said. Raising money through his bicycle trip was "my way of paying back. I realized if there was anything I could do to benefit this cause, I would do it."

Presently, Dr. Cameron is treating 2,500 people suffering from Lyme disease, Mr. Somoroff said. Patients include both "outdoors" types and people who may contract the disease from ticks brought into their houses by pets.

Completing the Vermont bike trip was "my personal goal," he said. "It was my mountain to climb." Its successful outcome was even more gratifying, since he had come close to fulfilling the same goal in 1995.

The 300-mile trek, known in biking terms as a "triple century," was "an amazing journey," Mr. Somoroff reported.

He and his partner averaged 16.2 mph on their bikes while Mr. Somoroff's wife, Maryann, and a family friend drove several miles behind them, catching up to supply food and light from the car's headlights after dark.

Mrs. Somoroff "spent 24 hours behind the wheel," her husband said.

Traveling along Route 7 all the way into Vermont, the cyclists stopped for breaks about every 100 miles, not counting an unexpected stop to repair a flat tire.

When they reached the 150-mile mark in Rutland, they rested all of 10 minutes before starting the long journey home.

On the homeward leg they hit a snag when the police in Manchester, Vt., "booted us off Route 7," Mr. Somoroff said, adhering to a local ordinance. They were forced to take a very hilly detour through the Green Mountains.

Once home, it took him about three days to recover from sore muscles, he said, but he is gratified to be free of symptoms of the disease that inspired him to push himself to succeed.

He plans to continue his healthy lifestyle and may try a 325-mile bicycle trip next year.

"I may turn it into an annual event," Mr. Somoroff told Voices, "and involve more people."

The story was published in VoicesNews