Though a bit sunburned, Iris Klein pedalled her way through Amarillo streets Saturday toward a crowd of about a dozen well-wishers.
When she entered Amarillo, Klein, 35, found herself thousands of miles away from her home in Colon, Germany.
But she wouldn't have it any other way.
She quit her day job as a marketing manager in Colon to raise awareness and money for breast cancer treatment and research after cancer claimed the life of a friend who lived in Chicago.
"I just really hope I can inspire one or two people," she said.
Wearing a black bike outfit along with pink socks, pink shoelaces and a pink water bottle, she's been bicycling across Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles since Sept. 13 in a movement she's named "Bike 4 the Cure."
"My legs, I didn't even know they could get that color," she said, showing off her burn line.
She's already gone through about five bottles of sunscreen. She usually bikes four to six hours each day and averages about 70 miles a day.
In all, she'll ride an estimated 2,500 miles in 44 days on her yellow bicycle to raise about $10,000 for "Ellen for the Cure," Ellen DeGen- eres' charity, which benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She hopes to arrive in Los Angeles on Oct. 26.
All money raised during her journey will help support breast cancer research and education.
"The first week was kind of tough because I had to get in the rhythm," she said.
She's also learned a lot about the habits of strangers. She usually "couch surfs," which means she spends her nights sleeping on whatever couch someone offers up.
"We met crazy people," she said. "One of those is me of course."
There was a man who clearly hadn't cleaned in quite a while.
"There's dirty and there's dirty," Klein said. "He was dirty."
She plans to spend today in Amarillo as well. From 2 to 4 p.m. today Klein plans to visit Gold's Gym, 3440 S. Bell St., and host an hourlong fitness medley class involving weights, dancing and martial arts. The gym has also planned several other events today in her honor.
The event is free and open to anyone who wants to meet her or come work out, said Sylvia Olivas, Gold's group fitness manager.
"We want the community to come out and support her," Olivas said.
By JANELLE STECKLEIN
