CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joseph Greathouse II bounces from room to room at Cleveland’s Broadway Avenue Boys & Girls Club, motioning for five children to volunteer to participate a YouTube video. The Club serves as an after-school haven for about 140 kids in the Slavic Village neighborhood. As club director, he hand-selected these five kids weeks ago and has been looking forward to this day ever since.

These kids, ages 10-15, are about to receive a thrilling summer surprise. They’re about to be gifted a brand new bike and a bunch of goodies to go along with their two-wheelers -- thanks to generous sponsors backing one of the most grueling bike expeditions I could ever come up with.

My challenge: To complete a 100-mile bike ride from New Philadelphia to downtown Cleveland on Aug. 18. If I finished, I would win these kids a bunch of prizes. It took 15 hours -- amid two downpours, a wicked lightning storm and bats flying overhead well past sundown -- but I made it. And it feels exhilarating.

Back at the Broadway Avenue Boys & Girls Club, when RJ, Siaunda, Dre’Shawn, Kyla and De’Micheal arrive inside the gym they see a half dozen bikes and a few people with cameras.

Greathouse introduces me as a cleveland.com videographer who, along with Diana Hildebrand of Bike Cleveland, is creating a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club on YouTube. He explains that, as a cycling challenge, we attempted to ride 100 miles on camera. A smile comes to his face as he shares what happened at the end of our ride.

“John had so many unexpected things on his ride that he didn’t finish until after dark. He never looked at his bike computer to see his mileage. He was actually 0.3 miles short of 100!”

One of the kids laughs. I show them my odometer reading of 99.7 miles.

“But this video John is doing is to help people learn about the Club and about you guys. I want you all to grab a loaner bike and help him finish that 0.3 miles outside.”

We match each kid up with a bike and a helmet. Greathouse and I exchange glances, wondering if this will go according to plan. The youngsters join me in the big field behind the Club.

When I start talking with the kids about my attempt at 100 miles, the experience flashes through my mind all over again.

RJ, Siaunda, Dre’Shawn, Kyla and De’Micheal join cleveland.com video producer John Pana to finish a bike challenge.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

The morning of Aug. 18, I wheeled my bike out of a hotel lobby in New Philadelphia and climbed on. Hildebrand, the cycling expert, trained me for this ride and she was personally riding with me. Even though I got in shape, I’d never done anything like this. If only I had followed her original plan for us to start at 5:15 a.m. Instead, we loaded up on breakfast and rolled out at nearly 7 a.m. It was a mistake that would cost us for the rest of the day.

Chilly rain soaks us to the bone on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.John Pana, cleveland.com

The premise seemed simple enough: If I could ride my bike 100 miles in a day, attorney Ken Knabe would donate five bikes to kids at the Broadway Avenue Boys & Girls Club. It was a handshake deal we made while we were filming another video together earlier this year.

Hildebrand and I had two objectives. First, to reach the Historic Coast Guard Station in Cleveland’s Wendy Park before sundown. Second, I could earn additional prizes businesses had donated for the kids if I complete other physical challenges along the bike route.

It wasn’t long into our ride before we experienced our first detour, a closed bridge. We thought it might add 3-5 miles to our planned 100-mile route.

Hildebrand, who also leads the Cleveland chapter of Black Girls Do Bike, shared her wisdom with me from years of long bike treks. She said every ride has its planned and unplanned moments. We were about to experience plenty of both.

Lighting strikes ground less than a mile from our position on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.John Pana, cleveland.com

While riding through Akron, we began to hear thunder. We’d already gotten soaked from a downpour. Then a huge, cloud-to-ground lighting strike flashed straight ahead of us. Within three seconds, the thunderclap roared through. We took shelter under a bridge for a while. When we felt safe to ride again, we came out into our second downpour. Chilly rain soaked me from head to toe. Hildebrand had told me to bring a rain jacket, but I forgot it.

Our first detour came within the initial 10 miles of our 100-mile journey. John Pana, cleveland.com

Less than 30 miles into the ride, the gears on my bike started changing by themselves and the pedal was making a knocking sound. We were on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail heading toward Ernie’s Bike Shop in Massillon, but work on the levee meant a big portion of trail was still closed. We had to ride on the road for miles and even found ourselves at one point on a highway. After avoiding cars up the off-ramp, we got to safer streets and persevered to Ernie’s. They kindly tuned up my bike before my next 70 miles.

Since several businesses stepped up to donate extra prizes for youngsters at the Boys & Girls Club, Hildebrand and I wanted a fun way to incorporate them into the fundraiser video. She challenged me to do 15 pushups in 15 seconds at the Lake Avenue Trailhead outside Ernie’s Bike Shop. Ernie’s had donated five scooters for five additional youngsters at the Club.

I'm not enjoying pushups in the middle of the bike ride. John Pana, cleveland.com

Next, I was dared to hang in the pull-up position for 30 seconds on a playground apparatus at Ohio & Erie Canal Park in Akron. An anonymous donor had given $200 in gift cards to a major shoe store.

Holding the pull-up position for a challenge in the middle of the 100-mile ride. John Pana, cleveland.com

At Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I had to ride for five miles with Hildebrand’s heavy pack strapped to my back. It was brutal and might as well have been a sack of bricks. The challenge began at the Peninsula location of Century Cycles. The shop donated five bike helmets for the kids.

Bumps in the trail were especially painful while carrying Diana Hildebrand's heavy backpack.John Pana, cleveland.com

We arranged for Jayla Vanhorn, a 20-year-old student at Ohio State University, to join us and share her story of growing up in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood.

“The Boys & Girls Club has molded me into the woman I am today,” she told us. “I wouldn’t be here, and I’m not even exaggerating when I say that.”

Jayla Vanhorn, 20, is a student at Ohio State University.John Pana, cleveland.com

She credits the Club for connecting her to programs that allowed her to earn a full tuition scholarship to college. A lifelong Cleveland sports fan, she’s double majoring in journalism and sports industry with the goal of becoming a sports reporter. She hopes to create partnerships with professional sports leagues and youth organizations.

Jayla not only rode with us for 10 miles, but she took my place in one of the physical challenges. Hildebrand dared her to climb aboard a life-sized horse statue next to the trail. Jayla found a way, and Hildebrand pledged to give bike lessons to the five kids at the Club.

Jayla completes Diana's challenge.John Pana, cleveland.com

With the various setbacks and stops we made, it was clear by mile 80 we would not finish the ride before sundown. By mile 90, Hildebrand and I were riding in pitch black through Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. We each had a bike light, but she warned that if the light batteries went out, we were done.

It was creepy. We saw bats flying over our heads and we didn’t know what might jump out on the trail.

It was surreal to see the lit up Cleveland skyline come into view and even more special to arrive at Wendy Park Bridge. From there it was all downhill to the Historic Coast Guard Station. It was so dark, our cameras barely captured anything. Luckily for me, cleveland.com photographer David Petkiewicz had waited for us to arrive and even had a video light with him.

Finishing in the dark on the shores of Lake Erie at the Historic Coast Guard StationDavid Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Yes. Diana’s GPS app tracked her at 103 miles, but she had volunteered to go get water during the ride while I rested. The trip to Walgreens added three miles to her ride. If I had seen 99.7 miles on my odometer, I would have circled back a bit at the finish. But it was dark and I never thought about our different mileage totals.

100-mile bike ride challenge.John Pana, cleveland.com

Back at the big field behind the Boys & Girls Club on Sept. 1, I ride with RJ, Siaunda, Dre’Shawn, Kyla and De’Micheal. They’ve agreed to help me officially finish my 100-mile challenge. My bike odometer quickly hits 99.8. Blue Angels jets practice in the sky above us with a roar in preparation for this weekend’s Air Show.

One of the youngsters needs a seat adjustment, so the rest of us wait at the top of a hill. I ask the group about the Club and what it means to them. De’Michael, 15, talks about the adults on staff who spend so much time with him.

Dre'Shawn and De'Micheal talk about their experience at the Boys & Girls Club.John Pana, cleveland.com

“I’d say it’s the best decision I made,” he remarks. After a pause, he adds, “I do love them.”

As I listen to the other youngsters, I learn both Siaunda and RJ have birthdays the next day. I ask them what they want for their birthday. RJ, 11, says, “A bike. Mine broke.”

I hold back a smile and say, “I hope you get what you want.”

Five youth from the Boys & Girls Club learn they have received new bikes.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

In a minute we’re riding back down the little hill. The grass makes for hard riding, but I feel like I’m floating. Not because the odometer switches from 99.9 to 100, but because I realize I’ll always remember this day. I’m pretty sure these five young people will, too.

I thank each of them for helping me finish my journey as we head back inside the gym. Greathouse instructs them to take a seat on the bleachers.

I sit next to them and start recording on my camera.

“I fibbed a little bit,” Greathouse begins.

The kids look at each other. He points to Ken Knabe, who is standing by the bikes.

“Courtesy of the people behind me, these bikes are actually yours!”

Kyla and Siaunda put their hands over their mouths.

“We get to keep ‘em! We get to keep the bikes!” Siaunda exclaims as she shakes Kyla’s arm.

Dre’Shawn’s face bursts into a huge smile. RJ’s jaw drops. His birthday wish had come true.

Five young Clevelanders learn they have received new bikes.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Five youngsters learn they have received new bikes.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

Ken Knabe offered to donate five bikes the moment I told him about a 100-mile ride to benefit the Boys & Girls Club.

“This Boys and Girls Club is a safe haven for kids. What better way to help them get around the neighborhood and enjoy what I love most, which is riding a bike,” he said.

Ken is a cycling enthusiast and attorney. Knabe Law Firm represents injured cyclists and pedestrians. He’s written a book called “Cycling Rights” to help people understand bike laws in Ohio.

Ken Knabe watches as his donation of five bikes is received at the Boys & Girls Club.John Pana, cleveland.com

Diana Hildebrand’s enthusiasm is contagious. She’s the Education and Outreach Manager for Bike Cleveland. Diana also heads the Cleveland chapter of Black Girls Do Bike and helps people in need of bike training through her business Devah D Cycling.

Cycling expert Diana Hildebrand joins cleveland.com video producer John Pana for a 100-mile bike ride challenge.John Pana, cleveland.com

Century Cycles donated five Giant and Bell helmets.

cleveland.com provided $500 worth of gift cards and an anonymous donor kicked in an additional $200.

Another heartwarming moment came when five additional children at the Club -- Alayah, Kayniah, Aurie, Haromine and Symorah -- closed their eyes and followed Greathouse into the gym. When they opened their eyes, they saw their new pink scooters, donated by Ernie’s Bike Shop.

Joseph Greathouse II prepares youngsters for a surprise at the Boys & Girls Club. Each of them received a new scooter from Ernie's Bike Shop.John Pana, cleveland.com

Devah D Cycling pledged to give bike lessons to the recipients of the bikes.

Gear Up Velo offered to provide a free tuneup whenever the bikes start to show some wear and tear.

Each of the businesses provided items as donations and did not pay for sponsorship.

Video of the bike ride and moment surprising the kids is posted to cleveland.com’s YouTube channel as a fundraiser, meaning viewers can donate directly to Boys & Girls Clubs of America if they choose.

The Club has been a lifeline to some young friends of our family in recent years. I saw firsthand how the caring input of adults at the Club changed their lives. The nonprofit organization serves children across Northeast Ohio, many of whom live in poverty. Readers can also donate directly to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio through their website.

Five young people learn they have received new bikes.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

The final odometer reading!John Pana, cleveland.com

Five young people learn they have received new bikes.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

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