Bicycling with Butterflies book

“What a wonderful idea for an adventure! Absolutely inspired,

timely, and important.” —Alistair Humphreys, National Geographic

Adventurer of the Year and author of The Doorstep Mile and Around the World by Bike

Outdoor educator and field researcher Sara Dykman made history when she

became the first person to bicycle along­side monarch butterflies on

their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included

three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did

it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. Her panniers were

recycled buckets.

In Bicycling with Butterflies, Dykman

recounts her incredible journey and the dramatic ups and downs of the

nearly nine-month odyssey. We’re beside her as she nav­igates unmapped

roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs,

and shares her passion with eager schoolchil­dren, skeptical bar

patrons, and unimpressed border officials. We also meet some of the

ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen

scientists and research­ers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers.

With both humor and humility, Dykman offers a compelling story,

confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration—and

the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us

all.

"An extraordinary story in which Dykman seamlessly weaves together

science, a real love of nature and the adventure and hazards of biking

with butterflies from Mexico to Canada and back. They share an epic

journey and encounter hardships, but they do not give up. The book is a

lament for our thoughtless destruction of nature and at the same time

a celebration of the beauty that remains. The migration of the monarch

butterflies is one of the wonders of the world—we must save it for

future generations." —Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & U.N. Messenger of Peace

"On this improbably adventure, Sara Dykman followed the extraordinary

monarch migration by bicycle, and came back to write about it. She has

recorded it well. Her almost incredible account captures the animal

itself, the continent it crosses, and its plight with style and deep

connection." —Robert Michael Pyle, author of Chasing Monarchs and founder of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

“What a wonderful idea for an adventure! Absolutely inspired, timely, and important.” —Alistair Humphreys, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author of The Doorstep Mile and Around the World by Bike

“Told with a writer’s eye for detail and a biologist’s sensitivity to

the fragile nature of the systems that support wildlife and humans . . .

a keen observer of the human condition, Sara draws attention to some of

the patterns in our society that are in conflict with the greater good.

Her narrative is an important wake-up call for the need to stay

connected to nature.” —Dr. Orley Taylor, director of Monarch Watch, Kansas Biological Survey

“People have long been fascinated by the monarch butterfly’s migration

across the North American continent. Thanks to this book, readers have a

better idea of what that incredible journey entails… Dykman’s

enthusiasm will motivate others to be more thoughtful about their

decisions.” —Library Journal

“The book is just as

much a poetic travelogue as it is informative about monarch butterflies.

Dykman’s research keenly supplements her experiences on the road…it may

be one singular bicyclist’s word, but represents a collective cry for

climate action.”—Booklist