Imagine
yourself bicycling thousands of miles to follow the migration of monarch
butterflies. This may sound like an imaginary story, but it is not. Sara Dykman
made it a reality. She rode 10,201 miles on a simple bike, along with a tent and
all the necessary tools to survive and thrive.
Not only did she survive the experience,
but she also wrote a book about it: Bicycling
with Butterflies. In her travels, Sara came across the best and the worst
of humanity, and she deepened her knowledge about the plight of monarch butterflies.
Sara
Dykman is a scientist, an artist, an educator whose compassionate nature and
intelligence captivate the reader on every single page. Her flair for adventure
and her writing skills make it unique and original. I found myself re-reading
many of her sentences; the beauty of her style enlightens us and kindles hope
and creativity.
It is
rare to find a book that combines adventures with facts and inspiration. Bicycling with butterflies does just
that; it invites the mind to a journey of infinite possibilities.
It is
not easy to make a long-distance trip on a bike. The system is not designed to
support cyclists. However, her grace and resilience always shine amid the
darkest challenges.
Her charm, kindness and sensitivity inspire us
to make our world better in every way.
I will share a quote to simply introduce you
to the wonders of this book:
“In my
sleeping bag, in my tent, in the forest, in the darkness, with the heartbeat of
the planet reassuring me, I thought of the monarchs. They, too, persist, even
when we cannot see them. They, too, will come like spring floods, cavort like
rainbows in the mist, and leave with the cold for as long as we permit them their
home. Migrants, wanderers, travelers, nomads – the monarchs make their home for
better or for worse, wherever they find themselves. Yet they, like most
creatures (including humans), find themselves most at home when a welcome is
extended: the sweet nectar of a flower, the green of a leaf, the promise of
water. A smile, a wave, a garden.”
Sara Dykman is the founder of https://www.beyondabook.org/, which fosters lifelong learners, boundary pushers, explorers and stewards. She works in amphibian research and as an outdoor educator, guiding young people into nature so they can delight in its complicated brilliance.
