Dykman cares deeply. Her feelings, whether anger or pleasure or something in-between, are palpable in her narration. Saving even one caterpillar from a mower did not require too much effort. Instead, it signaled her commitment. If one individual could change the course of extinction through sheer will, Dykman would succeed. Also- I enjoyed how she touched on what it was like to ride solo as a woman, and how she was discouraged by many people from doing so because it was 'dangerous' yet most of the people and situations that she encountered were friendly. She didn't let fear-mongering get in her way. She was smart about risks and made good choices along the way. I found deeply touching the moments Dykman spent having personal connections with creatures encountered along the path. In those passages, I found the invitation to look into the mirror Dykman was holding up, to show us how we can find ourselves in every living creature and become motivated to take action.

As Dykman states, “humans keep taking, and wildlife keeps trying to make do.” Go ahead and read the book, then join your voice with the others. “Do it for the monarchs.” You don’t need to be a cyclist or a field biologist to enjoy reading Bicycling with Butterflies. All you need is the interest in learning about another human being, a humanist, and her hero-journey, for it is exactly that. Ms. Dykman’s quest to learn more about this very special butterfly is bound with her own very special search for self-knowledge and a desire to understand life, philosophically, interpersonally and ecologically. These intertwining perspectives enrich the narrative so much—and make her story so very special. I spotted a few butterflies floating around, though not a crowd. Last year, monarch and red admiral butterflies were sparse after ongoing drought and untimely freezes that diminished their food supplies.

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Thanks to NetGalley, Timber Press Inc., and the author, Sara Dykman, for the opportunity to read a digital copy in exchange for this review.

In Ohio, wildlife gardener Kylee Baumle–a friend I met online and in person over the years–hosted Sara in her home and set up talks with local schools. I enjoyed this book. I was drawn to it because I enjoy cycling, but I can’t fathom such a long bike tour. I wanted to see what that would be like. 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. The print book reveals new dimensions of Ms. Dykman’s story. That came as no surprise; from the audiobook I already knew her as an attention-to-detail person. The front matter dedication, “To the monarchs,” displays her own beautiful pen-and-ink drawing. There is a route map, an illustration of the monarch’s migration routes (yes, there are more than one), and an excellent index in the end matter. Each chapter opens with the number of days, dates and miles covered; she kept a journal and it shows.The author’s account is peppered with events and encounters both memorable and humorous. Her story comes alive through descriptions of details of life on the trail: ensuring her tent will not flood when rain is on the horizon—and dealing with it when it happens, setting up camp in places as unlikely as a commercial parking lot, finding her own brand of “sandwiches” (ingredients eaten one after the other instead of combined between two pieces of bread) less time consuming to prepare after a long, exhausting day, and doing laundry in a shower stall. PDF / EPUB File Name: Bicycling_with_Butterflies_-_Sara_Dykman.pdf, Bicycling_with_Butterflies_-_Sara_Dykman.epub