Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Adventures

On this day, we were to back-track to and through Rock Village, then to parallel near and far from the Merrimack River to Haverhill, then we would turn North (cross-country away from the river), cross into New Hampshire, and then we would eventually head for Salem NH by way of a half arc northwest then southwest. Salem, NH, is also on the Merrimack River but I don't think that we saw the river in Salem.

The highlight of the day was visiting a 4000-year-old solar and lunar astronomical observation site.
The site used large placement rocks for marking key positions, similar to Stonehenge.
We had no idea that such a place existed in the USA. More details follow within ...

Above Left: We're backtracking to Rock Village along the Merrimack River. Yesterday we cycled by this interesting large and old cemetery but we were too tired after a steep hill climb to stop and take a picture.

Above Right: we're working our way NW along Merrimack River.

Above Left: Cycling up-stream along the Merrimack River.

Above Right: A unique temperature gauge and time piece bicycle display.

Above: The Rock Village Bridge - We will pass by the bridge and cycle paralleling near and far from the Merrimack River toward Haverhill.

Above Left: It's a Pumpkin Patch (and an unintentional tandem shadow selfie).

Above Right: We were in very green farm country and stone walls were becoming common.

Above: Kimball Farm, Maize and Pumpkins are the best sellers before Halloween. That's Lil Karen in the Photo.

Above: Dennis & Terry Struck and the Bee cycling cross-country in the Fall Foliage; we were located somewhere between Haverhill, MA, and Plaistow, NH (Photo by Judy).

Above Left: We passed by a lake.

Above Right: Wetlands surrounded by a Hardwood Forest.

Entering New Hampshire!

Above Left: Entering New Hampshire from Massachusetts on Hwy-108.

Above Right: Dennis & Terry Struck stand with the Bee at the Massachusetts-New Hampshire State Line.

Above: Dennis & Terry Struck and the Bee stand at the Massachusetts-New Hampshire State Line (Photo by Judy).

Above: We dropped into the Head Quarters of America by Bicycle (AbB) for a Snack Break / SAG Stop in Plaistow, New Hampshire. It was located just a few miles up Hwy-108 from the State Line.

Our Gang plus America by Bicycle Staff (L-R): Steve, Karen, Dennis, Terry, Lil Karen, Gary, Vickie, plus Bill, Karen and Doug.

Above Left: Someone has good tastes (a Tandem) - A peak into the storage area of AbB.

Above Right (L-R): Gary, Vickie, Steve, and Karen discuss a topic while on a SAG break at AbB.

Northbound on Hwy-108 in Massachusetts

Above Left: Northbound on Hwy-108 in Massachusetts.

Above Right: Fall Foliage.

Above: Hanging a left to start our long northwest to southwest arc to Salem, Mass.

Left: Hampstead Meeting House, since 1745.

Center: The Bee pays respect to the Hampstead Meeting House, Hampstead, New Hampshire.

Right: About the origin and use of the Hampstead Meeting House Bell.

We all voted YES to visit this place, America's Stonehenge. The site has been dated back to about 4,000 years for its alignments matching with Earth's True Cardinal Point markers, Solar Solstice markers, and the 18.6 year Lunar Rise and Set Cycle markers. Carbon Dating places matter at the site at from 2,000 BC to 125 BC years old. There are some stone markers that have no explanation. Realizing what the site entails causes one to ask a lot of questions, most of which are not known, starting with 'Who built the site?'.

Unfortunately, this site once had a home built upon it and some site objects have been wittingly or unwittingly tampered (mid 1800s). The home was destroyed by fire. Some of the stone markers were moved to make the alignments current with their day (17 or 1800s) and later moved back into position (so true accuracy was lost for either time period). Some rock quarrying has occurred at the site (17 or 1800s). There is a wood platform gazebo placed over the Origin Center by the current owners, who cater to the tourist trade - No one actually gets to see the actual Origin Center. So one has to take into consideration that site does exist but it has been highly tampered.

Archaeologist Clive Runnels stated that "If you've got a Bronze Age site in, say, Great Britain, near Stonehenge, you're going to find pottery, tools, evidence of burials, and hearths" and that "No Bronze Age artifacts have been found there [America's Stonehenge], in fact, no one has found a single artifact of European origin from that period anywhere in the New World - Brian Fitzgerald, February 1, 2002.

Above Left: A house built on the site burned down in 1855, the cave structures have been used by people on hard times, and for sheltering runaway slaves. The site was used as a rock quarry to avoid taxes in the town area.

Above Right: Man made stone laid ground structure, most of it is original, some of it has come since the 1700s.

Above Right: The background Gazebo, above this foreground structure is just to the right and back of the #18 Sign; the Gazebo sits directly on top of the Geometric Center Point of all of the sighting lines. I looked underneath the structure. There was no evidence of a specific cleared spot or a smoothed spot, like I have witnessed in European Henges, the Zero Spot was just a rocky uneven and un-treated surface. However, nothing was growing there and that is common in all of the European Henges.

Comments and Questions: The overhead slabs are fairly hefty.

This stone work seems more fitting of passageways than of a dwelling area. Did the dwellings disappear? So many questions. The construction seems to be very temporary, not to be used more than a few years. This baits the question, Why build an Astronomical Observatory? Most European Henges seem connected with knowing when to plant and harvest. The very word Planning derives from Planting, knowing when to plant.

Above Left: Evidence of stone shaped/chiseled drainage (unfortunately marked in white).

Above Right: Evidence of chiseled stone (stone work) drainage, although the purpose is unknown (possibly an Animal Sacrifice or Butchering station).

This site, America's Stonehenge, was reminding us of another site that Terry and I visited on the Orkney Island (located north of Scotland in the North Sea) called Skara Brae. The images and recordings are worthy of the Reader's review. This site has construction similarities to known Scandinavian (Viking) settlements.

Above: Sighting Lines.

Above: Sighting Lines with a precision placed rock Markers.

Above Left: Closeup of a Sighting Marker.

Above Right: Sighting Line.

Above Left: Sighting Line.

Above Right: Sighting Marker.

Above Left: Sighting Marker and a curious crack.

Above Right: Sighting Marker.

Above: Dennis & Teresa Struck with a Standing Stone Lane Marker at America's Stonehenge, near Salem, Massachusetts.

A Contour Model of the American Stonehenge Site

Above Left: Model of the American Stonehenge Site.

Above Right: Key to the Model of the American Stonehenge Site.

Curious Unsubstantiated Statement: In the Welcome Video, the Narator mentioned that a student took one of the unknown purpose lines and by using Google Earth Maps software, followed the projected the line, and it traced dead center through Stonehenge of England.

- More Stuff of Myths -
Another Noteworthy Mystery, the Westford Knight (Sir James Gunn)

[This is NOT related to America's Stonehenge but related to the Idea of Norsemen/Viking Visiting the Area in the Past]

Above Left: A Display in the America's Stonehenge exhibit area.

Above Right: A closeup of the casted copy of the Westford Knight's (Sir James Gunn) Stone Burial Marker.

Above Left - Mystery Details: It is best to read the photographed statement first (above left).

• Fact 1: "Henry I Sinclair (sometimes St. Clair), Jarl of Orkney, Baron of Roslin (c.1345 – c.1400) was a Scottish and a Norwegian nobleman. Sinclair held the title Earl of Orkney (which refers to Norðreyjar [Northern Isles] rather than just the islands of Orkney) under the King of Norway." - Wikipedia
• Fact 2: Henry Sinclair had built a Shipping Empire that was larger than the Navy of most countries.
• Fact 3: Henry Sinclair was born around 1345.
• Assumption: Henry Sinclair would probably have been between 30 and 50 years old at the time of his alleged visit to the Americas.
• Implication: Henry Sinclair would probably have visited North America from 1375 to 1395.
• Fact 3: Columbus' voyage to the Americas was in 1492.
• Implication: Henry Sinclair would have visited North America about 120 to 100 years before Columbus.
• Fact 4: The Stone Burial Marker Exists (as reported above in the picture) and the marker is physically located in Westford, Massachusetts.
• The Big Question: Is the Stone Burial Marker in Westford that of Sir James Gunn, thus giving confirmation that the men of Norway and/or Scotland had been in North America.
• PROBLEM: There are absolutely no written records nor written mentions in-passing that this journey ever happened.

There are Two implied and related allegations/myths and One Criticism (set) that should be shared about the preceding Facts and Implications (at least worthy of mentioning and neutrally presented in Wikipedia):

1. The Alleged Voyage to North America
2. Alleged Templar Connections
3. Criticisms of These Theories

Above: Just to point out how strange this is to Americans and the American Education System but not to Scandinavians, the above photograph is a reproduction of a Map that I saw in a [Historical Museum] Historiska Museet's Movie in Stockholm, Sweden (Aug-Sep, 2012). BTW - Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland.

On the Road Again
Heading for Salem, New Hampshire

Above: Fall Foliage.

The Mexican Restaurant, at Our Hotel, Makes a Two Pound Taco.
Challenge Accepted!

Above Left: Dennis (talking), with the 2 Pound Taco - We had some camera lighting issues.

Above Right: Dennis, after eating the contents. Basically, it was like eating a large taco salad. It was very good!