If Darwin Ost Jr. appeared on “To Tell the Truth” on TV and claimed to be a long-distance biker, most would not believe it. Ost is built like a linebacker, not a cyclist. But that doesn’t stop this Buffalo Stamping Plant electrician and UAW safety representative from riding his 27.5-inch-wheel Specialized bike hundreds of miles at a time. For Ost, it’s impossible to be unhappy when riding a bicycle.

Hired in 1994 as a production worker, Ost, who is very competitive, likes to set big goals. In 2003, he accomplished a very important one, graduating as a journeyman electrician after completing the apprenticeship program at Buffalo Stamping Plant.

Growing up in Bennington, New York, population 3,300, where the closest neighbor was a quarter-mile away, Ost relied on his bike to get around, riding six miles to football and track practice at Attica high school. His first part-time job was eight miles, round trip. But once he earned his driver’s license, his bike went into retirement.

In 2015, Ost, whose weight was climbing, came to the realization that he needed to focus more on his health so he decided to take up bike riding again. He enjoyed it and felt it was something he was good at. He dragged out his old bike, a heavy hybrid model, and decided that the best way to get into shape was by riding to work every day. Ost lives in Cheektowaga, 12 miles from Buffalo Stamping Plant.

So that first day, he woke up early and rode to work. Immediately upon his arrival, he called his wife, Mary, and asked her to pick him up after his shift. It was a difficult ride, his legs were really sore, and he was discouraged.

But after months contemplating that challenging first ride, Ost decided to try again, this time taking a different approach. He started out slowly, pedaling around the neighborhood, increasing his distance each time he rode. Over time, he got stronger, and his love for cycling returned. So he took another shot at riding to work. This time, when he called Mary, it was to say he was safe and didn’t need a lift home. It was a great sense of accomplishment.

Last year, with the JDRF golf outing hosted by Buffalo Stamping Plant canceled due to the pandemic, Ost decided something needed to be done to make up for it. The event raises $20,000 each year, a big loss, so Ost came up with a new idea.

He thought he would ride to Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, and back, then his competitive nature kicked in. “This must be huge,” he thought. “It must be epic.” He considered all of the Ford facilities he could stop at along the way, at which point, his route went from one Ford facility to six. That’s when his Epic Ride for JDRF was born.

He sent an email to the company, thinking his idea wouldn’t be approved. But to his delight, the ride was not only approved, but encouraged. His first thought now was, “Boy, now I really have to do this!” He wasn’t surprised when Mary, his rock for 27 years, chimed in with, “What do we have to do to make it happen?”

On Aug. 2, Ost took off from Buffalo Stamping Plant, with a crowd of supporters cheering him on. Mary and their daughter Mercy followed behind in a Ford Ranger pickup, towing an RV with 2,400 miles ahead of them. Six hours and 12 minutes later, Ost made it to Pennsylvania, his first 99.1 miles behind him.

Along with Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Ost set out to visit Ohio Assembly, Louisville Assembly, Kansas City Assembly, Chicago Assembly and Oakville Assembly. He expected to encounter bad weather and hills, but unforeseen events would set him back. On day two, a leaf spring on the trailer broke, while a fallen tree on a one-lane gravel road blocked the path on day five. Some gravel paths felt like he was riding in quicksand, he said.

Week two took a toll on Ost and his equipment. With the entire country experiencing record high temperatures, the road was so hot that melting tar caused small stones to stick to his tires, and it marked the first time he did not reach his daily goal. On video capturing his ride, Ost apologized to his supporters, the pain on his face visible, but Mercy was there to cheer him on. “I would have stopped much earlier if it wasn’t for Mercy,” he said. “She rocks.” 

The next day, he was determined to shake it off, and his supporters following along on Facebook were relieved to see him smiling that afternoon. But more challenges were to come. Ost encountered a grass road that was more like an obstacle course filled with jaw-dropping speed bumps. Twice he was taken down by spills on railroad tracks, with his second fall resulting in him hitting his head. Thankfully, his helmet saved the day.

In Missouri, his GPS took him toward a road that did not exist. Frustrated and tired, Ost found himself in the middle of a jungle. While he can’t say exactly when he reached Iowa, it happened, he said, “somewhere in the jungle.”

Ost is thankful to both plant and UAW leadership at all the Ford facilities along the way who welcomed him with open arms. Two young girls with Type 1 diabetes at Ohio Assembly Plant gave him a monkey string that attaches to his bike in recognition of the many kids who suffer from the disease. When he returned home, a crowd at Buffalo Stamping Plant was there to celebrate his incredible accomplishment, comparable to riding to Orlando, Florida, and back over hot pavement, dirt, gravel, grass and railroad tracks and through junglelike conditions.

Ost said he is just a guy doing something he loves, using it to make the world a better place. He certainly accomplished that with this milestone ride for charity. Along the way, Ost raised $22,000 for JDRF, and he is hoping to add to that total by planning other local events.