The 10th Annual Ride Across Belize

Ride Across Belize covered close to eighty miles today. The peloton of riders took off from Corozal Town and by midday, they rode into Belize City. Among the mix were familiar cyclists as well as new faces with the common objective to join in the fund raiser to help the Belize Red Cross as well as the Belize Hospice Palliative Care Foundation. Duane Moody joined the riders on the stretch to Belize City. Here’s his report.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, Coordinator, Ride Across Belize

“This is the tenth anniversary for the ride across Belize and it’s a big accomplishment for us and we see where it goes from here.”

Duane Moody, Reporting

Another successful year for the annual Social Security Board’s Ride Across Belize.  Sixty persons—athletes, businessmen and others registered at the start in Corozal for the first leg of the ride. But as the peloton completed the eighty-five miles trek along the Philip Goldson Highway, the numbers grew up to a hundred cyclists. It’s the tenth anniversary and the goal is to raise sixty thousand dollars.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, Coordinator, Ride Across Belize

“In 2004, it was a staff initiative from around persons that like to ride. I guess we likened ourselves to artists that do what they like and do it for a worthy cause. And so that is how it started and we’ve been doing it every year. We chose charities or NGOs that contribute to the society.  Well our goal this year is for about sixty thousand so we haven’t finished the fundraising. We will follow up on our pledges until the end of this month and then we will be able to see if we met our goal; hopefully we do. I just need to add that the Social Security Board contributes twenty-five thousand…they match us dollar for dollar up to twenty-five thousand dollars. So that is a bog assistance for the recipients.”

The ride saw various companies and groups represented including BWSL, Telemedia, Benny’s Megabytes, Western Spirit as well as individual riders. Attorney Denys Barrow took off his hat as a legal practitioner and rode in his fifth race in the fundraising event.

Denys Barrow

Denys Barrow, Participant, Ride Across Belize

“It was a pleasant experience and congratulations to Chandra Nisbet in particular and the Social Security people for organizing again a lovely ride. It was excellent, well-conducted.  Every year I’ve been doing the four stages; last year I missed one because of court. The important thing is to prepare, get in your training ride, long hard rides—four hours, five hours, build up to six hours on the weekend and once you have your base, then you set.”

For Mick Fleming, two hip replacements will not prevent him from taking part in the ride. This is the second year he is participating.

Mick Fleming, Participant, Ride Across Belize

Mick Fleming

“It always amazes me where the energy comes from somewhere down the ride. But the fun thing is that it is just being together with a whole bunch of guys all out and just doing your thing. So I can’t compare. I love it.”

Duane Moody

“You will be doing all four legs?”

Mick Fleming

“I hope so. My mom fell over and broke her hip yesterday, so I am not quite sure. But if she is okay, I’m going to do the whole ride.”

Duane Moody

“You know, people woulda say it is just not for me. What would you say to them? Should they come out and participate; show their support?”

Mick Fleming

“Listen I have two hip replacements, I never believe I would be riding a bicycle. Shane and those boys got me on a bike and I wouldn’t change it for nothing. I started it when I was fifty-five and I am sixty-five now and I think it is the best thing you could ever do; climb on a bike. Good for your body, good for your mind so highly recommended.”

Beatrice Thompson

This year, the funds collected will be donated to the Belize Red Cross and the Belize Hospice Palliative Care Foundation.

Beatrice Thompson, President, Belize Hospice Palliative Care Foundation

“The funds will be used mainly for our patients. They go for buying pampers, buying medication for them. Our volunteers when they go out to see these patients, they take from their own pockets for their gas, etc as they go all over the town and City. Some of us even go out district and it’s been very costly to do that.”

Betty Tam

Betty Tam, 1^st Vice President, Executive Committee, Belize Red Cross

“The Red Cross had sent in a proposal for the Soup Kitchen, which is one of our social assistance programs. That we do every Wednesday. We give out soup along with bread; the bread is donated by Cabranes, this soup will be given to the needy, homeless and it is a hundred people that we serve.”

On Thursday, the ride goes some seventy miles from Belize City to Santa Elena; then on Friday, the peloton travels from Cayo to Dangriga and concludes on Saturday as the riders pedal from Dangriga to Punta Gorda. Duane Moody for News Five.

By the time the race ends on Saturday in Punta Gorda, three hundred and nine miles of road would have been covered.