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“There is nothing that is impossible for the enthusiastic” – a Sanskrit saying

In May 2015, Team Maruti, a team of bicycling enthusiasts (many with no prior experience) from Bharathi Vidyashram and the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire rallied to “Bike for Dharma” as part of the 2015 Honor Ride New Hampshire in support of the nation’s injured veterans, and contributed over $1300 to the event through their participation. Bharathi Vidyashram and the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire are once again happy to encourage you to join in the second “Bike for Dharma” as part of this year’s Honor Ride around Nashua, NH, on June 4th, 2016, and make a difference in the lives of our healing heroes.

Honor Ride New Hampshire

“Ride 2 Recovery” is a program in support of veterans that was launched in 2008, whose mission is to save lives by restoring hope and purpose. The Honor Ride is a non-competitive bicycling event that lets the public ride alongside veterans. Over 15 honor rides in various parts of the country have been planned for 2016, including one in Nashua, NH, on Saturday, June 4, 2016. The ride in Nashua, held in memory of Sgt. John W. Nash, a New England bike industry legend, will be flagged off at the Holman Stadium at 67 Amherst Street. Riders can choose to ride on one of three different routes. The 10 mile route is relatively flat and will be well-suited to those who are new to bicycling. The 30 mile and 50 mile routes will offer more challenges in terms of gradients and distance, and be more satisfying to more experienced bicyclists. All routes will be clearly marked, and plenty of guidance is provided in the form of maps, cue sheets and downloadable GPS route files. In addition, volunteers and police officers will be posted at various intersection along the way, and SAG vehicles to fix repairs and help riders will shuttle along the routes. Local sponsors of the Honor Ride include well-known names including UnitedHealthcare, Bank of America, Macy’s and U-Haul.

Registration for the ride costs $55, if done before March 4, 2016. The cost goes up to $75 afterwards, and is $85 on the day of ride. The registration fee includes free Ride 2 Recovery cycling socks, a finishing medal and well-stocked rest stops. Children 10 and above are welcome to register and ride their own bike, while children under the age of 10 are welcome to participate on a tandem bike. Anyone 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 and over.

Registration fees cover event-related expenses and help create awareness about the need for veteran services. Any additional donations that you can raise from the community to sponsor your ride will go directly to supporting Ride 2 Recovery’s veteran rehabilitation programs. Ride 2 Recovery is a 501(c) 3 corporation, and all donations are tax-deductible (additional details available in the FAQ)

Bicycling

Bicycling can be very inspiring, especially when you ride through beautiful bike routes and trails. It is not only a pleasurable activity, but also a great form of aerobic exercise that can burn quite a few calories (about 300 calories in an hour or 10 miles) and help you shed those excess pounds. The natural endorphins generated by the intense activity can contribute to stress reduction. Biking with friends and family can strengthen bonds. If you are lucky enough to be able to ride to work, then you can also whiz through traffic jams and do your part to slow down global warming! You can also obtain a feeling of achievement by riding in challenges such as the Hub On Wheels around Boston, and the Five Borough Bike Tour around New York City which attracts over 32000 cyclists.

Bicycling is easy to learn and doesn’t require a great investment. You can get started with a $250 bike available in Costco, though you may want to invest on a more expensive bicycle available in a bike store, if you plan to continue with this sport for longer. If you do not wish to buy a bike immediately, you can even rent a bike for this tour at Goodale’s Bike Shop in Nashua, NH (or check out your neighborhood bike store).

The 2015 Bike for Dharma Ride

In last year’s “Bike for Dharma”, Team Maruti had 17 bicyclists whose bicycling experience ranged from beginner (including 9-year old Maitreyi Rayasam) to accomplished.  Many of the team members rented bicycles for the event, and others used this event as an excuse to purchase new bicycles. The weather was warm and sunny, and everyone had great fun riding through scenic and traffic-free (other than bicycle traffic) paths. Every member of the team successfully completed their chosen route, and was greeted and honored with an â€œHonor Ride” medal by Ride 2 Recovery at the finish line. The event was a great hit with many participants requesting that we organize the team again this year, and many enquiring about other bicycling opportunities. This video report from WMUR9 television includes a clip of one of the Team Maruti members, zipping through the finish line. More pictures from the event are available here.

Keep the Wheels of Dharma Rolling

The Honor Ride New Hampshire provides us with an opportunity to express our gratitude, camaraderie, support and love for our brethren of all faiths serving in or retired from the Armed Forces. The great teachers tell us that loving and serving others constitutes the essence of Dharma.  For example, Sri Kanchi Paramacharya exhorts us that “on the day we have not rendered any public service, we have not gone anywhere near punya”.  Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba teaches us that “Real paropakara is to act with faith and do meritorious acts to serve the Divine in others, without entertaining feelings of division and difference”. The great Sage Vyasa summarizes the wisdom distilled from the eighteen Puranas as “merit is helping others and sin is hurting others”

अष्टादष à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤£à¥‡à¤·à¥ à¤µà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¸à¤¸à¥à¤¯ à¤µà¤šà¤¨à¤¦à¥à¤µà¤¯à¤®à¥ |
परोपकार: à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯ à¤ªà¤¾à¤ªà¤¾à¤¯ à¤ªà¤°à¤ªà¥€à¤¡à¤¨à¤®à¥ ||

ashtadasha puraaneshu vyaasasya vachanadwayam
paropakaarah punyaaya paapaaya parapeedanam 

We encourage you to use this great opportunity to “Bike for Dharma”, and do paropakara (helping others) by supporting the veterans who have sacrificed much in order to uphold their Dharma of protecting the high ideals that this nation stands for.  Also, please don’t forget to have fun, enjoy the sights, and shed a few pounds in the process!

Bike for Dharma with Team Maruti

We have set up a team called “Maruti” named after Lord Hanuman for this event. Lord Hanuman symbolizes not only speed and strength, but also healing, which is one of the goals of this ride. In the Ramayana, Lord Hanuman carried and brought a mountain bearing the healing herb Sanjeevani to revive Sri Lakshmana who was fighting with Sri Rama to uphold Dharma. When you register for the ride at the link below, please click on “Join an Existing Team” under “Team Registration” and join the team “Maruti.” 

The Hindu Temple of New Hampshire will hold a “Blessing of the Bikes” (Vahana Pooja) at 8 AM on the day of the rally at the Temple to kick off the event.

To register for the ride click here: https://goo.gl/qzMA8B

To enquire about renting a bicycle, contact Goodale’s Bike Shop, Nashua, NH.

Get the wheels of Dharma rolling!

Register now to save $20 on registration. Use discount code “EARLY” and specify the team as “Team Maruti”.

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