The Dandy Horse. It's A Beautiful And Easy To Ride Pedal-Less Bicycle...

The pedal-less bike was an easy to ride and early way to get around on two wheels.
Recently French designers Andre Fonter and Guillaume Lehoux have revived the concept with this beautiful version of the old 'dandy horse' created with today's materials, engineering techniques and design skills.
There's more about it here on Treehugger.
A simple and comfortable way to get around...

The Motoped Survival Bike. How Can You Live Without One...

I'm not into toys but I'd like one of these!
I can imagine it hooked onto the front or the back of The Flying Tortoise.
The Motoped Survival is a 49cc motor-assisted bicycle that gets up to 160 miles to the gallon.
Its racks and tie-on points can carry a lot of gear too whether it's a trip to the supermarket or when the time's right to make your way out
to the wilderness.
And beyond the beaten track.
There's more here at Treehugger.
I just checked my pulse rate and yes
I'm definitely excited...

Enjoy The Timeless Elegence And Simplicity Of These Beautiful Wooden Watches...

Until I saw these beautiful, elegant and simple wooden watches featured on Treehugger,
I hadn't even considered wooden timepieces like these would even exist.
The folk at the small independent Analog Watch Co based in Philedalphia Pennsylvania spent months researching, prototyping and sourcing material, then countless caffeine fueled hours they say, experimenting, testing and creating.
They care about craftsmanship, beauty and simplicity. They are inspired by nature, leaves, trees, rocks, trickling water and crickets singing
in the night.
They are a little company who have a great philosophy. It's important for them to put back to the environment from which they take.
So, for every watch sold, they plant a tree.
Their beautiful watches are made using wood off-cuts, genuine leather for the straps and recycled packaging.
A company for our times...

Inspirational Michael Trimble. Being Born In Chernobyl And Having No Arms Hasn't Stopped Him Riding A Bicycle...

Twenty seven year old Michael was born without arms in Soviet era Ukraine, his birth defect a result of the 1986 disaster in Chernobyl.
He was one of thousands to be affected and can happily say, pun intended, It's not the hand you are dealt, it's how you play that hand.
He was lucky too. An American couple adopted Michael when he was seven and took him to live in Pittsburgh USA.
His gym teacher at the school he attended modified an old bicycle and Michael had his first taste of cycling, something he was to fall in love with but many years were to pass before he could realise this particular dream.
Michael graduated from Pittsburgh's Duquesne University with a degree in political science and the desire to be mobile on two wheels again.
Fortunately he met the wonderful Michael Brown of Maestro Frameworks and that meeting was life changing.
Now Michael can ride a bike, something most of us take for granted.
This remarkable young man wants to become a motivational speaker hoping to inspire others and show that despite seeming insurmountable odds, anything that you wish for can be achieved.
Treehugger have a wonderfully inspiring six minute video by Andrew Rush here and there's an interview with Michael here. 
If you can dream it, you can do it...

Treehugger Founder Graham Hill Talks About Living With Less. A Lot Less...

This man even though he's downsized, might well still have more than many, but what Treehugger's founder Graham Hill has done is put his money where his mouth is.
He's walking the talk.
As he told The New York Times recently.
'I live in a 420sq ft studio apartment.
I sleep in a bed that folds down from the wall.
I don't have a single CD or DVD and I have ten percent of the books I once had.
Our fondness for stuff affects almost every aspect of our lives. The average size of an American house in 1950 was 983sq ft.
By 2011 it was 2480sq ft.
But back in 1950, 3.37 people lived in the smaller house while in 2011, 2.6 people lived in the bigger one.
And apparently the super-size homes of today aren't big enough or provide sufficient space for the occupant's possessions.
They spend $22 billion on personal storage.
My LifeEdited apartment is well built, affordable and functional. I sleep better knowing I'm not using more resources than I need.
I have less and enjoy more.
My space is small and my life big.'
There's more about less here...

Beautiful Bicycles From The 2013 North American Handmade Bicycle Show

The 2013 North American Handmade Bicycle Show was held recently in Denver Colorado.
I didn't see anything radical or outside the square but there was some beautiful bicycles on display. Especially in wood.
There's a simply stunning bike made in Ash with Kevlar reinforcements and Walnut inserts by Conner Cycles.
Check out the slideshow at Treehugger or pedal a bit further and look here.
Cycle safely won't you...