Yesterday something special happened. Jared and Claire went on her longest bike ride yet, nearly 4 miles. It doesn’t sound like much, but the balance and muscle it takes to just sit is enough to exhaust Claire sometimes, it is hard work when your body fights against you. While that was a big deal, it wasn’t the only big deal yesterday. Jared and Claire joined up with 4 other riders that were headed down to Carmel (about 55 miles away). That’s not even the really big part, they weren’t just riding from Santa Cruz to Carmel. They were riding from Vancuver B.C. to the southern boarder of California and they were doing it to raise money and awareness for Rett Syndrome. These aren’t professional cyclists that ride long distances often. This was 4 guys from Spokane, WA that wanted to make a difference, and they are. I have had a hard time putting into words the encouragement I feel to the core of my being when I find out about people doing stuff like this. It reminds me that we aren’t alone in this. It reminds me that there is a fight to be had. The story of Rett Syndrome is still being written and with each day, with each research project, with each fundraiser we are getting closer. Closer to a day that Rett Syndrome is less of a problem. It was an honor to get to see Claire ride with these fine men that had taken our cause up. When I tried to thank them they shook it off like it was the least that they could do. These are my heroes, people who choose to stand with us. Not because they have to but because they can. I sit here on the edge of Rettland and I look out and I swear I can see it, on the horizon, that day when everyone knows about the medical intervention that is changing the lives of all of those affected by Rett Syndrome. If you would like to see the story of these heroes as they ride their bikes along much of the length of North America, their story is here. If you would like to donate to their effort you can go here.