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o •• Spinning under a limitless sky, over dry hills of low-lying yucca and sage, it felt almost like the sea was nearby. But the gnarly earthen outcroppings are like nothing you'll ever see near water, and the buffalo, hawks and deer further dispel that illusion . Cold dark skies and thunder in the BADLANDS PATCH PLACE morning gave way to sunny days, and the prevailing cool breeze became hot and sti ll in the canyons-desertlike actually-an occasional oil rig the only oasis. My first day biking the Badlands, I was informed it was the start of bowhunting season, which made me a little nervous. But I figured there was no way I'd be mistaken for a doe-eyed deer in my Day-G loTM biking shirt and bright yel low helmet. If anything, I might just get a good ass-whopping for scaring off the prey. Luckily, all of the hunters were friendly and I didn't have to dodge a single feathered arrow during the 25-mile ride. Despite the va rious environmental hazards, the Badlands are a forgiving place to ride . The hills are never too long or too steep. Just when you're working the uphill hard enough to feel like you might pass out, you've reached the top and are rewarded with a section of roller coaster prairie or switchbacking downhill. Winding its way between the South and North Units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the 120-mile Maah Daah Hey was completed in July 2000. Maah Daah Hey is a Mandan name that means "grandfatherly" or "been here long time," and honors this Native American tribe that has lived in western North Dakota for more than 500 years. Originally planned for horseback riding and hiking in 1996, there are sections of the trail that go through the park- about 11 miles worth-where mountain bikes are forbidden. Countless singletracks and dirt roads intersect with and parallel the trail. But even a sense-of-d irection genius shouldn't attempt bikewacking (biking without a map) this area. If you're not packing a map or riding with a local, you might find yourself surrounded by vultures right quick. Ditto for rid ing solo- unless, you're extremely familiar with the terrain. Although the singletrack itself is consistently smooth, get off the tra il and you'll be dodging prickly pear cactus like the James Gang dodged bullets. The North Dakota Badlands is not the place to 28 EXTRA YOU R T IRE SIS N 'T A KITS AND TUBES, AND SLIMING ARE NOT THE TO FeR GET NORTH DAKOTA forget patch kits and extra tubes, and sliming your tires isn't a bad idea either. of narrow bits such as BAD IDEA EITHER." Devil 's Pass that have deadly drop-offs to either side. These are the most exhilarating parts of the ride, not for speed or physical output, but rather for the one-false-move-and-my-ass-is-grass fear they inspire. Robert Hunter's "Promontory Rider" was my theme song fo r the weekend-screaming down into ravines, and sweating up rugged outcroppings- I was the ultimate territory ranger. There's the occasional cattle guard, a sprin g-loaded deal that lifts so easi ly you don't, if you're good, have to get off your bike to open it. In a few of the uphill sections, loose sand made climbing impossible, even with robust legwork and butt digging. But what's a little hardship in the Badlands? The entire length of Maah Daah Hey (and alternate routes where necessary) can be done in three to five days, and campsites will be constructed along the trai l by late September, 2001. From south to north , the trail begins at Sully Creek State Park, and ends at the US Forest Service CCC campground in McKenzie County, which is located 20 miles south of Watford City, North Dakota, off Highway 85. The tra il is well marked at 400-yard intervals with wooden stakes that have litt le turtles-the Mandan symbol for determination and steadfastness- branded onto them. These traits aptly describe the Mandan, who in 1837 managed to survive in this region, despite smallpox and cholera, as well as attacks by the Sioux and Assiniboin . The nomadic Lakota Sioux, one of the many Native American tribes which traveled through th is region, called "Mako Sica," or "Land Bad," and the early French fur trappers referred to it as les mauvaises terres a traverser ("bad lands to travel across"). Driving the two hours from Bismarck (nearest commercial airport), the open skies and limitless rolling farmland don't give a hint of what's to come. Approaching the town of Medora, scattered eroded outcroppings-