Birding the United States by bicycle: An 18,000-mile American Odyssey

Dorian Anderson
San Francisco: Thursday, September 20
6:30 p.m. refreshments, 7 p.m. program

On January 1st, 2014 Dorian Anderson departed a complexly frozen Massachusetts on his bicycle to undertake one of the most ambitious birding projects in history: the first North American bicycle Big Year. In the next 365 days, he cycled 18,000 miles through 28 states, raised $49,000 for bird conservation, and found 618 bird species, all without using a drop of petroleum. From New England to Florida, from Texas to the Pacific Northwest, and from Colorado to California, Dorian experienced the United States in the most memorable and unique manner imaginable. His story of birding, biking, adventure, and self-discovery should not be missed.

A lifelong birder, Dorian completed his B.S. in Molecular Biology at Stanford University and his Ph.D. in Developmental Genetics at New York University before accepting a postdoctoral position in Molecular Neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital, a positioned he resigned to undertake his bicycle Big Year project. He is an accomplished bird photographer and is currently working as a travel writer and bird guide while he finishes a book about his adventure. He and his wife, Sonia, live in San Mateo.