After some long days in the saddle, I took a rest day in Ridgecrest to recharge. I posted up next to the China Lake airbase, and I definitely needed the downtime. My legs were cooked, and I was running low on energy. It felt great to eat real meals, knock out a few chores, and catch up on life stuff before heading into one of the most remote sections of the ride. Day 11 was an incredible follow-up. I rolled out of Ridgecrest around 8 a.m., riding west along the airbase and slowly making my way toward Trona. It’s a small, desolate outpost dominated by massive mineral extraction facilities—a truly harsh place to live. I followed the remnants of a bike path out of town and into the open desert. From there, I headed north and climbed into a landscape that was straight out of another world. The desert was blooming—red and gold hills covered in wildflowers, dramatic rock formations, and wide, empty views in every direction. Every now and then, the quiet was broken by the roar of fighter jets flying low overhead. The contrast of silence and sonic booms made the whole ride feel surreal. The climb was solid and the descent on the other side was even better. I rolled into Panamint Springs that evening with a huge smile on my face. Found a simple campground with showers, grabbed a cold beer and some ice cream from the restaurant across the street, and fell asleep as soon as I hit the sleeping pad. We’ve officially passed the halfway point toward the fundraising goal, and I couldn’t be more thankful. The amount of support this ride has already received is incredible, and it’s a huge boost as I head into the tougher stretches ahead. Thank you to everyone who’s donated, shared, or followed along—it truly makes a difference. If you’d like to help spread the word, please share the fundraiser with your friends and family. Every share helps raise awareness and makes a difference. https://gofund.me/730f7a59 I also started posting more trip updates and photos on Instagram if you want to follow along there too: @briangreeson Thanks again for all the support. I’m really looking forward to sharing more of this ride with you and keeping everyone updated as the journey continues. And as always, keep on pedaling.