Blog

Some journeys are about more than miles traveled — they’re about courage,  resilience and reflection. Myron Yoder, ElliptiGO’s November 2024 Rider of the Month, embodies this spirit. A lifelong adventurer and dedicated husband and father, Myron’s story is one of perseverance and connection, both on and off the bike. His love for cycling and for his family has taken him across the country and up mountain peaks, but it’s his unwavering determination and the meaning he finds in each ride, even in the wake of tragedy, that are truly inspiring. This month, we celebrate a rider whose path reminds us that the journey is as important as the destination.  

Myron is a fifth-generation Hoosier, born and raised in rural northern Indiana. Farming was an important part of his heritage; the family farm raised peppermint, spearmint and popcorn. It’s even said that an accidental mix-up on their farm contributed to the creation of Doublemint gum! After receiving a graduate degree in linguistics from Indiana University, Myron spent the next 40 years developing, directing and teaching in four-year interpreter training programs. He also worked in private practice as an American Sign Language interpreter.

Myron’s love for bicycling began long before he discovered ElliptiGO. He crossed the United States twice on a traditional bike, in 1975 and 1980. Shortly after he and his wife, Sheila, got married, they rode 790 miles from Goshen, Indiana, to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, a journey they named “Goshen to Ocean.” 

Myron and Sheila had two children, Seth and Justin. Their life on the farm was busy. “While raising our sons, we had 6,000 ducks that laid 3,000 eggs daily. We also raised sheep, calves and a few pigs. There was very little time to ride a bike,” Myron recalls.

Justin was born with spina bifida and used a wheelchair — and he inherited Myron’s adventurous spirit. “Justin wanted to be like Seth, his athletic older brother,” Myron recalls. “I was always challenged to think of creative ways for Justin to do physical activities.” 

One of Justin’s first endeavors was soapbox racing. In 1996 at the age of 10, Justin challenged existing regulations that required a foot brake, advocating for the use of a hand brake for racers with disabilities. His efforts led to a groundbreaking change in the rules that allowed him to become the first child with a disability to compete in the All-American Soapbox Derby. Today, the hand brake is known as the “Justin Brake” in his honor. 

Justin’s story of determination and triumph was brought to life in the Disney film Miracle in Lane 2, starring Frankie Muniz. In an interview, Sheila said that in the film, “We felt the family was shown as an ordinary family, like most families with a person with disabilities. We want to do ordinary things and have an ordinary life even with extraordinary circumstances.”

When Justin got older, Myron discovered three-wheeled, arm-powered bikes, and he bought two — one for himself and one for Justin. This led to a new chapter in their lives: riding three-wheeled, arm-powered bikes together. Myron and Justin even spent three weeks riding the same 790-mile route from Indiana to Delaware that Myron and Sheila had ridden years before.

When Myron discovered ElliptiGO bikes in 2014, they opened a new avenue for his personal fitness. “It was time to develop new physical skills,” Myron says. “I thought an ElliptiGO would do just that, and I was correct.” While ElliptiGO riding was an activity Justin couldn’t join, Justin was supportive of his father’s new interest. They continued to ride together, Justin using his arm-powered bike and Myron on his ElliptiGO. They took on new adventures, such as riding down Pikes Peak in Colorado. 

Meanwhile, Myron also pursued his own cycling challenges. After riding his ElliptiGO bike in the 2016 RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), he was hooked on ElliptiGO cycling. Myron says, “I find myself in the same situation as many ElliptiGO owners: I am addicted. You can’t stop with just one.” Today Myron owns four ElliptiGOs: two 3Cs, one 8C and one 11R. “My favorite is the 11R because of its folding stem,” he adds.

Myron decided to put his stable of bikes to work by becoming an ElliptiGO Enthusiast. In that role, he answers questions and offers test rides in Indiana. Myron jokes, “I encourage others to purchase a bunch of ElliptiGOs, or start slowly with just one!”

In addition to assisting new ElliptiGO cyclists, Myron enjoys connecting with ElliptiGO riders who share his passion for fitness. He regularly rides with his 96-year-old friend, Carl Grove. Myron shares, “The ElliptiGO community, GERC [the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club] and everyone in the home office has had a HUGE positive influence on my life, physically and emotionally. They are always ready to answer questions and respond to emails. They take an interest in each individual ElliptiGO rider.”

“Just asking the question was enough to decide: I needed to try,” says Myron. 

And so, in 2021, at the age of 66, Myron qualified for, participated in and finished the race up Palomar Mountain. The annual World Championship race became a motivator for Myron. He has now qualified for it four years in a row.

Every year, he called Justin the morning of the race, and Justin wished him well. On the morning of the 2023 World Championships, Myron phoned Justin before the ride as usual. But that morning, for some reason Justin didn’t say, “Good luck, Dad.” That morning, Justin said “Dad, you be careful.” 

Myron notes, “He had never said that to me before.” The race started fine for Myron, but about halfway up the mountain, he felt light-headed and weak. Myron decided to heed Justin’s words. He carefully stepped off his ElliptiGO and withdrew from the race.

As soon as Myron was feeling better, he got back to riding. Once again, he qualified for the World Championships, and he began planning his trip to the 2024 event.

Then, in September 2024, Justin was rear-ended and killed by a drunk driver in a tragic auto accident. 

Heartbroken, Myron considered skipping the race, which was just weeks away. Then he saw one of the last photos taken of Justin. Justin was wearing a hat with the motto “Life Is Good.” Myron decided to ride up Palomar Mountain for Justin. He vowed that he would cross the finish line and take a picture of himself wearing Justin’s hat to honor his son. 

The morning of the 2024 World Championships, Myron began his ride up the mountain. After only a mile, something happened. He says, “A passing car came way too close for comfort, barely missing my elbow. All at once, my mind was flooded by the thought of being hit from behind, like my son. My body shut down.”

Myron stopped riding. He had never experienced a mental and physical reaction like that before. But then he remembered that he had Justin’s “Life Is Good” cap in his pocket. He says, “I had to keep going to take that picture at the finish line.”

He got back on his ElliptiGO and continued the slow climb up the mountain. “Those remaining 10 miles were an emotional struggle,” Myron shares. “Not a physical one, but an emotional one.” 

Three hours, thirteen minutes and 38 seconds after he began, “I made it to the finish line,” Myron says. “And I took the picture at the top of the mountain, wearing the cap my son had worn several weeks before. It was a personal, healing experience for me.”

As Myron continues to heal, he plans to keep riding his ElliptiGO in the coming year. He looks forward to riding with his friend Carl, meeting new people in the ElliptiGO community and setting new goals. And perhaps in 2025, he will once again climb Palomar Mountain.

At ElliptiGO HQ, we are honored to celebrate Myron Yoder as our November 2024 Rider of the Month. His story reminds us of the power of perseverance, the importance of community, and the enduring strength of family bonds. Myron’s journey up Palomar Mountain is a testament to the healing that can come from pushing forward, both on and off the bike. Thank you, Myron, for sharing your story and inspiring us all to embrace even the most difficult of life’s challenges with courage and purpose.

 

---

You can contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!