Experienced Bicyclist or not, it is a very irresponisble thing to do without having somene following along the way in a motor vehicle with extra water or having checkpoints every couple miles to meet someone. Experience on a bicycle has absolutely nothing to do with survival techiniques in Death Valley. I hope he's alright, but the outlook is bleak. Especially after the 11 year old boy died there just a couple weeks ago. And they had plenty of water.