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Ride Across Belize Pulls Gift Of Life Into Slipstream
posted (May 27, 2010)
In its seventh year, the Ride Across Belize is fundraising for Rotary's Gift Of Life programme. For years we've documented some of the work of this important organization as it provides bi-annual medical clinics for children with congenital heart defects. Well now the Ride Across Belize has taken the programme under its wing - or to use the cycling-specific terminology - into its slipstream. A herd or cyclists galloped into the city from Corozal today for The Gift Of Life and in celebration of life itself. Here's the story.

Jules Vasquez, Reporting
Schoolchildren came out to the roadside at 1!:30 this morning to cheer on the close to 100 riders who rode from Corozal to Belize City this morning in the first stage of the Ride Across Belize.

Chandra Cansino, Co-Founder - Ride Across Belize Committee
"Actually this is the biggest crowd that has started from Corozal. We had about 100 riders and that the biggest so far. I think the involvement of the Rotary Club has contributed to the participation as well."

There was no chase group, no teams, no front no back - just riders who fanned out across the northern highway as the Ride headed into the city at a credible but not too taxing 18 miles an hour. The field includes recreational riders, working professionals, a politician, a judge and a whole lot of people who made personal sacrifices to be here:

Chandra Cansino
"Not everybody rides to race, some people ride to get and some people ride to give and in its particular case we are all ride to give because we are riding for a cause. There are no sprints and no races, there is no competition and so its really an opportunity for all the riders who ride competitively and not, to get together and have a really good time."

Dr. Anastascio Cob, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"It was nice, good."

Jules Vasquez
"You have the two more stages in you?"

Dr. Anastascio Cob
"Yeah I think if we could survive the other two, we will be alright."

Jules Vasquez
"Ok now this first stage was cool, there was no rain, I know the road is a little rough. But the next two stages aren't that easy, you have some hills up ahead."

Dr. Anastascio Cob
"Yes, I think that's where you separate the men from the boys, because it's hard."

J.A. Denys Barrow, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"It was a lovely ride, the weather cooperated beautifully, there was not even a shower on us, and we saw parts of the road where there have been showers before. The sun was not very hot so, it was lovely."

Jules Vasquez
"Let me ask you though. This first stage was forgiving and fortuitous, no rain and its a nice flat cool day. The next two stages are not so kind."

J.A. Denys Barrow
"No, those are demanding and I think those will really put you to reveal the honesty of your preparation. There is no cheating."

Janelle Chanona, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"The weather cooperated, we didn't get any rain, we only had one little slip but nobody got hurt and everybody came in together so today was good."

Jules Vasquez
"I know that you are a veteran of this event. You know that the Northern stretch is always the best."

Janelle Chanona
"Oh definitely, tomorrow is where the interesting parts come in and the Saturday is where the big guns come out."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you think you will make it up the 'Gap' on the Hummingbird Highway?"

Janelle Chanona
"I will try."

Jules Vasquez
"Have you made it before?"

Janelle Chanona
"Yes, I did it under pressure the last time and I was mistakenly on the big blade, so it was really hard. I am looking forward this year to spinning up. I think I am able to do it."

Hon. Edmund Castro, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"It was pretty rough last year was rougher though. I believe only in the last 20 miles or so I stepped it up to like 20-21 miles an hour steady, I had more time on the bike, so I was able to hold on and hang on. I will be doing just the two legs - from Corozal to Belize and from Belize to Cayo and then I might chicken out for the Dangriga and Punta Gorda route."

And backing them up are elite cyclists like Mateo Cruz and Quinton Hamilton

Quinton Hamilton, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"Basically we are out here to help the people who are non-elite, more than likely we have a trailer that helps them too but we rather push them in the back and give them a little scoop more than to stop and get them in the truck."

Mateo Cruz, Participant - Ride Across Belize
"Usually we are at the back pushing up the guys up the hill, so we are probably the last guys going up the hill. Our job is to get them over the hill, so we just push them. Whosoever get over first, we go to the back. It's just a support thing for the ones that have big hearts, because for some of them as they see the hill they say 'they can't do it' then they get off their bike. There are some that want the challenge."

Janelle Chanona
"They're really attentive to you. They come and ask if they can get anything for you from the trucks, they are doing waiter services on the road. It helps out a lot. it really good to see people coming together and helping each other out. So little of that we have these days. "

People helping people - in any other context it would sound saccharine - but in this case everyone knows it's about the cause - and that elusive goal of realizing a personal best:

Dr. Anastascio Cob
"Jules it's a good cause, it's always a good cause to raise funds for people that need it and also for health, it's an excellent way to keep in shape and keep healthy."

J.A. Denys Barrow
"This is my second time and I do it because it really is reaching outside the norm, getting outside the envelope, pushing yourself to limits that you are not required to reach and therefore to do it voluntarily to stretch yourself is exhilarating."

Janelle Chanona
"Definitely it is expensive in terms of logistics, gas, getting to the start point, hotel rooms and food outside the house and giving up work time but it's such a worthy cause every year. You really find it something that you can afford to do. It's such a great event even beyond the cause, just to come riding on the road. It's a good time to just relax and a sense of accomplishment to say 'I did that'."

Hon. Edmund Castro
"I believe in what Social security is doing in terms of raising funds for the less fortunate."

Those less fortunate are the children who benefit from Rotary's gift of life program has already raised twenty thousand dollars to be matched by the social security board

Yvette Burks, Gift Of Life
"The average person does not have the proper insurance coverage nor the wherewithal by which to go out and get surgery costing US$50,000.00 - US$100,000.00 even upward of half a million dollars US depending on the complication to stage surgeries to correct a defect and Gift of Life has been here helping children in our country who have operable heart defects. It's really a wonderful show of endorsement and we sincerely appreciate that."

The Gift Of Life Programme sends off about 14 children a year for specialized treatment in the United states. The next clinic will be held in August with specialists from Florida.

The ride left Corozal at 6:00 this morning and arrived in Belize at 11:30. The riders leave from Belize City for Cayo tomorrow morning at 6:00

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