Mountain Biking - What's ya favorite obstacles???

What do you dig thrashing/crashing/riding in/on??? Personally, I was partial to just good ole' mud, til a new local trail was cut thru some amazing rock gardens...Not to say there's anything wrong with hardpack, but there's always been something about having a bike slide out from under ya for no reason...

Around NC, it seems roots are ABUNDANTLY ABUNDANT...so I've grown fond of those...

Log piles are fun, but when they get too big/high, it feels like it's just abuse to the bike/chainrings to get over em...so although I can ride em'...I walk the ones that hit too hard...

Then there are the creeks...I know around here they're not as common but I dig em' when I see/ride/fall in em'...

G-outs or drop-ins or whoops...whatever you want to call the natural roller coasters that pop up...are usually fun...you got to be in the mood to play...maybe to take a break from some hardcore riding...but nonetheless, hanging ya ass off the rear on the way in...nailing the bottom and popping out the top...some can be done on the way along the trail, no breaks, just nail and ride...others are more fun to stop and watch ya buddy bomb/crash/sail through...

Not like riding/railing/nailing tight singletrack...One thing some of the local trails have really made great are the cool, twisting trails that tend to let you push the bike in hard and fast...you just know you're having a good day when you throw it into hairpin, kinda slide the rear, and then come out with the front wheel just bobbin' along the path...when the curves/turns are bermed from others slamming through...or it feels like ya just can't get fast enough...that's some killer riding...

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm not really into the whole freeriding/dirt jumping craze...I'm really into all just for the ride...Not that sailing off of stuff isn't fun, but I've become to enjoy climbing the monster hills more than going down em'...(maybe they just ain't long enuf)

That's why I've lumped the freeride stuff into one big cat, 'man-made stuff'...I'm not downplaying anybody's hobby...if you jump some of these ramps or land some of the drops I've seen posted/pictured/built, then you're a better freerider than me...There's one right now at a local trail that I could actually do if I'd slow down to try it...it's just not my gig...

Now I know I've forgot some stuff...and I'm sure I'll get told what I forgot...but if I figure out how to add it, I will...BUT if I don't...suck it up, man...or woman

I like it all! Everything you've described, including some jumping.

All in all, I would have to say hitting some really fast, tight, technical singletrack, where you hit some natural bermed trails and ride 3' up the berm nearly horizontally and then leaving the turn as fast as you went into it. I love dodging trees and throwing my bike from side to side down some hairy switchbacks, maybe even throwing in a nose-wheelie just to keep things real!

L8R

My favorite are skinnies. Not too high yet, but skinnies none the less. Teeter totters are my favorite actual stunt to conquer.

Dj's as well are becoming a favorite. Otherwise fast and flowing single tracks (tight single tracks)

If I was a better rider whoops would be awesome. I would love to be able to manual through it.

Other than that I like a little bit of everything. Luckil the terrain here is diverse enough to offer anyone a challenge (except maybe the really hardcore dh guys)

I love riding tight singletrack. There's nothing really like it I don't think. rock gardens are fun and streams just tend to make the rides seem better when it's warm.

singletrack like you said with roots ,rocks, mud, hills, curves, basically any type that causes me to use all my gears as often as needed and be thankful i have full suspension.some say that they are not happy averaging 12mph but ride with me and you will be happy to go that fast.the more climbs the better.going downhill real fast is cool but it requires less gear changing than going uphill on a nasty switch back with a couple trees thrown in to make me have to walk it then come here to ask how do ya do that type stuff.i am not a good rider but i really enjoy looking back at the end of a ride and seeing where i improved or where i can still get better.more muscle can only get me so far.i was able to climb a hill that until yesterday i was not able to balance correctly and i been trying for quite a while.being from va. is a lot like n.c. as far as terrain so i can relate to the type of riding you do and agree with all that its about being yourself,enjoying what you ride and just let it rip no matter where you doit or how just RIDEbaby RIDE

Skinnies, I like. Natural roller coasters, I like.

Mud. I don't mind it. However, I don't go 'looking' for it. I prefer dry stuff, over wet, in general. It just gets you, and your bike dirty. Because cleaning your bike is SOOO much fun :rolleyes:

I remember me and a few friends were making our way across some trails. We came to this creek. It was probably about 15-20 feet to cross, and about 9-12" in the middle, at the deepest. Anyways, me and this other guy got to the middle, got stuck, and had to make a dismount into the river, and walk out of the river. Needless to say, our shoes got soaked etc! Boy am I glad I brought a spare pair of socks that day! Another friend (who we wouldn't expect to make it).. actually made it the whole way through! Funny thing is.. he was wearing sandals (for some reason..) so he didn't care for "dismounting". (He even decided to give his bike a wash in the river on our way back.. see attached pic). Ahh.. great times.

I also like that flowy single track where you're dodging trees left and right. Combine that with some roller coasters in there.. MAN.. That's my favorite. There is a stretch of a trail that's about 3km like that at the Mosquito Coast trails (Stouffvile, ontario). Such a great section of the trails.