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Thoughts for the Weekend & this Week’s Links

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Cycling to Stonehenge: A Solstice Ride into the New Year.

On 22 December 2017, under the cloak of night, Oliver and I joined a group of 30 on a cycling journey to Stonehenge. Leaving Southsea at 1 am, we pedalled through the darkness, a silent pact of adventure uniting us. Our path was lit only by the faint glow of the moon and the stars, with a solitary stop at a Southampton McDonald’s a brief respite in our nocturnal odyssey—a chance to eat and let others join our peloton.

Arriving at Stonehenge as dawn broke on the winter solstice, the ancient stones loomed before us, bathed in the first light of the shortest day. This journey, a pilgrimage of sorts, brought us face to face with a monument that has stood the test of time, enduring through centuries as a testament to the unknown past.

With its circle of 56 bluestones, Stonehenge stands as a riddle from the ancient world. The dark stones, flecked with white, mirror the night sky, a silent sentinel of the earth’s timeless rhythm. While it is widely believed that the structure aligns with the sun, marking the solstices, another theory suggests a lunar significance, a temple to the ancient Moon Goddess, revered in a time when matriarchal societies may have prevailed.

The discovery of a single woman’s elongated skull in a nearby burial mound adds weight to this lunar theory, hinting at a past where women held positions of spiritual power. The land itself, once part of the European mainland before the formation of the Strait of Dover, adds a layer of geographical intrigue to the story of Stonehenge.

Standing there in the chill of the solstice morning, surrounded by fellow cyclists, there was a sense of connection – not just to each other, but to the cycles of nature and the passage of time. In its stoic silence, Stonehenge reminded us of our place in the grand tapestry of life.

As 2023 winds down and we gear up for 2024, I can’t help but think back to that epic bike ride. Stonehenge, standing strong through the ages, puts things into perspective. It reminds us to keep moving forward despite all the ups and downs.

So, here’s to stepping into the New Year with a bit of that Stonehenge spirit – tough, curious, and always ready for what’s next. Let’s make 2024 a year of new stories and new adventures. Happy New Year, everyone.

This week’s web links include skulls, mattresses, a monastery and a return to concrete waves.

Feel free to let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. You will always find me at carl@carlarchitect.co.uk.

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This Week’s Links:

Maria Wheatley on elongated skulls.

A new year feels like a good time to buy a new mattress.

A new city in Bhutan centred on Mindfulness.

Everyone should visit a monastery next year. Here is a good one in central France designed by Le Corbusier. You can sleep over too.

How about a trip to Manchester? It’s better than Leeds.

And for your travels next year, we all need a suitcase with skateboard wheels.

And I’m getting back on my Carver Skateboard next year and searching for some smooth concrete waves.

Main image credit: @bikeulike

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