Jen Tyler's Page

Friends, I write to you today from South Africa, my new home and placement as a United Methodist Missionary. Its been a while since I've visited here, but I wanted to share with you a story with a joyful about how I got here - which Ride:Well played an unexpected role in. I am here for 18months with two other young women from the US.

We had several struggles getting our long-term visas to South Africa, as many last-minute requests were made by the Consulate before granting them. While these cha… Continue

This summer, as it turns out, flew by.

I cannot begin to describe it. I have only begun to process it. There are a few things I know for sure, a lot of questions that remain heavy in the air, and even more things that I will surely continue to learn as I process over the next weeks, months, perhaps even years. This is a pattern I have been blessed with in my life. A pattern of incredible opportunities and experiences I have seized, to return from them a changed and more whole person, yet also b… Continue

Sometimes, its the "easy" days that are so incredibly difficult.

We've come nearly 1300 miles on our bikes over the last 3 weeks - that is, in 16 days of actual cycling (we've had a few days off). We've been through a lot in that time. Many of us have taken small falls, one even resulted in an ER visit and a few days off, but nothing too serious (in hindsight). We've had broken bikes, mysterious allergy problems, injuries, and sicknesses. We've been exhausted every day and grateful for those su… Continue

Wednesday we started sore, but I was still on a high from the previous day’s crazy adventure – though I have to admit it was a little discouraging when 15 miles in we hit a hill with a 10%grade and we’d been told it was going to be “all flat all day.” We knocked it out, though, and the rest of the day was pretty flat. Unfortunately, I paid for the previous day’s climbs, and my back wouldn’t forgive me for it. I made it through, but it was even harder than the previous day of mountains – bodies c… Continue

For the third day in a row, I woke up and had to ask what day it is today. They all run together – so much happens each day, its hard to believe it has only been one week since we began riding. Yet it is also hard to believe the first week is already over and we are already in Phoenix. So basically, I live in a constant state of confusion.

Countless firsts have occurred since I last wrote. We had our first team ride on Saturday.

Sunday we had our first official day on tour, and left from a bea… Continue