We first introduced you to Jerome Flores in 2006 - after he had designed his own recumbent tricycle. Flores is paralyzed from a fall he suffered in 2003 and built the bike as a way to get around more efficiently than he would in a wheelchair.
Last year he took his finely designed trike on the road - all the way from Corozal to belize - in an effort to raise awareness about the abilities of people we'd normally called disabled, proving that with determination they can do more than most able persons would think they could do.
This year he has again refitted his unique trike for another ride, this one into the hills. Monica Bodden found out more:...
Last year when we featured 28 year old Jerome Flores he was riding his custom made recumbent bike called Blue Shot but since then he has made it lighter and more road worthy.
Jerome Flores - Rider
"It's almost the same thing but I put on narrow wheels. What happen we found out that the wider wheels that we had on had more traction on the road and it was slowing me down so I went and I got narrow wheels so it will be less ground covered so it will be less strain on my body and I change the sprocket at the top. I put on a smaller one so when going up the hills it would be less strain on my body because it was a bigger one on when I go up the hills I could feel the extra strain on my body. Now it's different, it's a lighter one so for sure I'll get up those hills. I got a picture off the internet and I use it. It was just one angle I had and right from watching that all the ideas and all the angles and shape just came to mind and we started from the main frame and just added on the sides right there, when we found out we had a complete bike and it was riding perfectly I didn't have a fault with it any at all."
And he'll need it to be road worthy since this time he'll be riding through the rolling hills of the Cayo district.
Jerome Flores
"Tomorrow we will be riding from Belize to Cayo. The first day will be from Belize to Belmopan, The second day will be from Belmopan to Cayo. The team this year is 'Reach Out and Touch Someone' It means that you could assist someone day-to-day or on the road or if you see someone needs help, reach out and touch them. Some like a little old person or someone in a wheel chair if you see them and they look like they need are in need ask them if they would like you to assist them. The other one is 'Give a Word of Encouragement to Someone' like what we are doing with this ride it's not just to Jerome Flores and Mr. Adrian is doing this ride we are doing this for awareness for persons with disability and if persons with disability could do this challenge, if someone, a normal person shouldn't be complaining."
The ride starts at six o'clock tomorrow morning and Jerome says he is inviting Belizeans to join in.
Jerome Flores
"It will start at the junction of Western Avenue and the Western Highway at 6 o'clock sharp we want to leave out because we don't want the sun to catch us along the way because it's really hot now. We will leave from there to Belmopan junction and from there the next day we will pick it up from there to Cayo. This year why we are doing it from Belize to Cayo is because of the breeze. I rather have the breeze behind me that it in front of me."
And he's doing it for that intangible element to act as an inspiration to all those in adverse situations.
Jerome Flores
"What I've been through, what i have experience, you always hear people talking saying that it will be alright. If you haven't experience something you could never know how it will turn out or what will happen you don't know the challenges you have to go through. I've been there done that so I can talk about it now. Just going through my life I believe I am much stronger now because then I have a challenge every day, every day I have I do what I use to do different. When I am in this wheel chair to be honest people might say that I am crazy but when I am in this chair I feel just like I am walking. I don't make anything bother me, I just get up and do what I have to do and live my life. I do believe that I am much stronger now than before."
Jerome Flores has an organization named Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities...
