---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.107

It's well known that counting the rings of a tree reveals its age. Each ring represents a year, a 12-month growth cycle starting with a boom in the spring and ending in winter dormancy. Hidden within the rings is every iteration of the tree, including the original sapling. Italian artist Guiseppe Penone carves out the young tree from its final form. This is something amazing to see!

CARVING OUT SAPLINGS (photo essay)

Why cut down a tree to build a home when you can build a tubular glass structure encapsulating it? If and when this idea becomes a reality, sign RETREET up for a tour. Perhaps our future HQ?

BUILDING AROUND A TREE (photo album)

Taking the previous concept to the next level is this vertical eco-village. A design that creates more energy than it consumes and is entirely sustainable, this concept is an engineering marvel. Watch a short video and be dazzled. Hopefully, this will be a major element of cities to come.

INCREDIBLE VERTICAL ECO-VILLAGE (video)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.106

We've seen folding bicycles before, but the GI FlyBike really takes the cake. This futuristic ride halves in size in seconds and makes for easy storage. This is clip we could watch again and again. And again.

GI FLYBIKE (video)

Happy Birthday to the world's oldest tree! Methuselah, a bristlecone pine, just turned 4,847. It's exact location is kept a secret by the US Forest Service in order to protect it, though we know it stands somewhere in the Great Basin. Here's to many more years!

WORLD'S OLDEST TREE (short article)

What's better than a public food forest? One that floats! Swale, an edible tourist attraction built on a barge, is set to disembark this June in NYC. If you have a chance, check it out.

FLOATING FOOD FOREST (article)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.103

There are a lot of rules governing the production of road bicycles, especially those used in races like the Tour de France. Standardized dimensions, materials, and functionality are set by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), and must be strictly followed. One designer, Robert Egger of Specialized, decided to throw all of that out the window and push the limits of possibility. Behold the fruits of his labor, the FUCI. Yes, the name means what you think it means.

SPECIALIZED CONCEPT BIKE (video/article)

Speaking of rules, did you know that all trees break at essentially the same windspeed? 94/mph. Explore why at the link below.

HOW WIND BREAKS TREES (short article)

Trees give us so many edible delights. What better place to plan a foodie expedition than in the forest? Check out The Forager, a bicycle that enables you to scout, prepare, and consume the bounty that awaits.

ULTIMATE FOODIE BIKE (photos/article)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.101

NASA is using a system of satellite and lasers to create a 3D map of the world's forests in order to determine the amount of carbon dioxide that they encapsulate. The system they've devised, called "lidar," is phenomenal, and is the latest advancement in tree cartography. Learn more below.

NASA USES SPACE LASERS TO MAP FORESTS (article)

Norway is investing $1 billion to create a system of two-lane bicycle highways that connect the country's nine largest cities. The hope is that this new infrastructure will greatly reduce the impact of emissions, and the goal is for at least 10% of journeys to occur by bicycle in 2030. We hope it works!

NORWAY SPENDS $1 BILLION ON BICYCLE HIGHWAYS (essay)

Architects in Ho Chi Minh City were asked to create a new university campus. Taking into account the rapid urban sprawl and takeover of the natural environment, one group created a beautiful design that purposefully invokes a city overrun by vegetation. Seems almost post-apocalyptic. After seeing the photo spread, we definitely want to attend this university!

FOREST CAMPUS IN HO CHI MINH CITY (photo essay)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.99

Happy Valentine's Day! Here at RETREET, we love trees. Don't you? Trees are home. Trees are sanctuaries. Take a moment to read an excerpt by Hermann Hesse about how trees teach us the truth about who we are. What a perfect partner for Valentine's Day.

TREES ARE SANCTUARIES (essay)

We've seen some impressive cycling over the years, but the set of skills on display at this year's EMS Cup were really something else. It's hard to fathom balance this good.

INSANE BALANCING ACT (video)

Riding a 3-D printed bicycle across a 3-D printed bridge is closer than you think. A group of students in Holland has created prototypes for both. The woven steel frame of their bike is quite eye-catching, don't you think? The future is here!

3-D PRINTED BICYCLE (article)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.87

Big news out of Oslo, Norway. The city recently announced that it will ban all cars from the center of town, a move that affects some 350,000 or so vehicle owners. The plan also calls for the addition of some 35 miles of bike lanes and heavy investment in public transport. It is the first major city in the world to make such a bold move. Read more about it at the link below.

OSLO BANS CARS (article)

Europeans have been building wildlife bridges across major highways for many years, and, in more good news, some US cities are taking the initiative to do the same. Following the lead of Washington state, California now plans to construct the largest such crossing in America in an effort to aid wildlife species suffering from habitat loss due to urban sprawl. 

LOS ANGELES WILDLIFE BRIDGE (video)

Need some inspiration? Check out Inspired to Ride, the new film from director Mike Dion. 45 cyclists gear up to race across America, an epic journey that crosses 10 states and 4,300 miles. The fastest time? Just under 18 days. This amazing film is definitely a joy to watch. Check out the trailer below!

INSPIRED TO RIDE (preview)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.74

There are some truly monumental bicycle rides out there, among them The Swiss Epic. Watch this stunning short film about five teams from different backgrounds attempting to win "Europe's Toughest Mountain Bike Race," facing a whole host of incredible obstacles along the way.

THE SWISS EPIC: EUROPE'S TOUGHEST MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE (short film)

Electric bicycles are all the rage these days, but a legitimate question remains: how to generate all of the electricity required in a green fashion? Iranian inventor Mojtaba Raeisi has a smart answer. Behold his sleek concept, the Ele Solar Bicycle. Instead of spokes, its wheels have automatically adjusting solar panels that give it the juice it needs to go farther than the competition, in a more Earth-friendly way.

ELE SOLAR BIKE (video)

We love spending time amongst the trees, and revere the advice of our elders. Take a moment to enjoy the company of these trees, the ancient masters that have lasted for millennia. Surely, there is something to be learned.

OUR TREE ELDERS (photo essay)

---

SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.65

Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi are a truly amazing duo. Haixia lost his sight and Wenqi his arms in unrelated accidents at work. Determined to continue leading productive lives, the two best friends started a business and have planted 10,000 trees over the past 10 years, overcoming incredible challenges together. Their inspiring story deserves a read.

BLIND MAN AND ARMLESS FRIEND PLANT TREES (photo essay)

An often-forgotten fact of history: cyclists were the first advocates for paved roads. Back in the late 1800s, the bicycle was the new technology on the scene, and riding conditions were terrible. Enter the League of American Wheelmen, who pushed for better roads, convincing their fellow citizens that improvements would benefit all. Even Henry Ford gave credit where credit was due. Remember that the next time you are on the road! 

CYCLISTS: FIRST ADVOCATES FOR PAVED ROADS (photo essay)

On a completely related note, there are some awesome futuristic concepts regarding the next generation of roads for cyclists. Among them, the SuperCycle pathway, a 221km elevated bicycle superhighway in London. Check out the details and components of this amazing design!

SUPERCYLE PATHWAY IN LONDON (photo essay)