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As you read this book, you realize this is not just a travel memoir based in science but also a model for persuasive outreach and education through personal connection and heartfelt storytelling. Sara’s Butterbikes is just one of her adventure-linked projects in Beyond a Book where she connects real-time adventures to classrooms. On her 2017 trip, she talked with over 9000 people, along with hundreds of interviews and thousands of roadside encounters.
During her trek, the author highlighted the monarchs’ plight, giving presentations at schools and explaining her mission to curious bystanders. Her book is a passionate celebration of the glory of the monarchs, with tips on what people can do to ensure their survival. She also writes about the challenges she faced – problems all too common for an experienced long-distance cyclist: bad weather, flat tires, questioning by authorities, and, in the case of this trip, one uncomfortable human encounter. This is a true story about a woman named Sara who was the first person to ride her bike more than 10,000 miles solo. She is a scientist who is very passionate about the monarch's. In this story we follow her journey of her riding her bicycle alongside the monarchs. The monarchs coming through Texas in March lay their eggs on milkweeds (their only host plant). Then they die. The eggs hatch into caterpillars that pupate into chrysalids and emerge as adults. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to review a digital arc of this book. From the start, I was in awe of the author and her story. Thirty two years old, with courage for days, no smartphone and only paper maps.Along the way, she trusted her instincts, relied on the kindness of others, and followed the science. Challenges occurred yet Dykman persisted with determination and a strong sense of purpose. Her journey is a cultural one, too, that stretches from horse-pulled vegetable garden furrows to urban high-rises, and from flattened habitat to nurturing wildflower growers (including Texas-based Native American Seed), school gardens, and home gardens big and small. 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. At the bottom of the hill, the thrill of flying was replaced by the realization that at the first intersection of the trip—literally, my first opportunity to go the wrong way—I had gone the wrong way. Confirmation of my error came with the passing of several miles, and the absence of a junction to mark the next turn. I knew where I wasn’t. I didn’t know where I was. I was officially lost. Lastly but definitely not least important, I'm SO glad Dykman linked the plight of the migrating monarchs to the pro-immigrant & refugee rights movements. It was a vitally important issue to connect, so much so that I don't think I would have enjoyed the book as much if she hadn't included it.
The quote below sums up some of what I find so important about learning more about the world around us .Dykman's story is very inspiring, and while reading this book I found myself researching which species of Milkweed was native to my area and how I can plant some in my garden. I also want to plan a trip to the Monarch reserves in Mexico as soon as I am able. Her descriptions about the monarchs and their cyclical life are magical and captivating. The point of this book was to spread awareness about Monarchs and to make people care more about their plight, and it definitely achieves that goal.
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