Imagine biking from Mexico to Canada and back again, with no support crew... just millions of monarchs to guide and encourage you.
Sara Dykman wanted to raise awareness of the endangered monarch migration by following them (she was on a bike) from the overwintering habitats on their round trip.
She then wrote her book. As Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE said, her 'extraordinary story seamlessly weaves together science, a real love of nature and the adventure and hazards of biking with butterflies from Mexico to Canada and back.'
Sara is multi-talented! She has founded beyondabook.org to foster lifelong learners, boundary pushers, explorers, and stewards. She is also an amphibian researcher and works as an outdoor educator, guiding young people into nature so they can "delight in its complicated brilliance".
In the Northern Hemisphere, in the fall (Autumn) monarchs to the east of the Rockies begin to fly south. Some of them - or their progeny - make it all the way to overwintering sites in Mexico.
Sara was in Mexico at the time of their arrival... December - January - February. Towards the end of February and into March the monarchs leave and begin flying north again. And so did Sara.
MBNZT members were lucky to have her present, viz Zoom, to our members and followers after our AGM in March 2022. We laughed to think of her falling off her bike when she saw milkweed.
Her courage has to be admired when she found it hard to find accommodation...
There was laughter when we heard about the amazing gift of an ice-cream she received in Mexico!
You can also enjoy what she had to say! Listen in HERE.