Maelstrom 

Not this year or anything specific but one that sticks out in you mind. I do a lot of riding (5 days a week minimum) but I have one ride my first year that has stuck with me through every ride.

A trail called foreplay. Only 6.5 km but on average take 4 hours to complete. 3.5 hours up and loop back for a killer 30 minute downhill. Now, at this point, I could probably handle it (although it would still be a hike-a-bike- but when I rode it FIRST I was 2 weeks into having a bike for my FIRST time. Going up was hell. Obstacles, cliff faces, total exposure on a freaking mountain, steep long climb (endless it seemed) and slickrock (I am from ontario...what the heck is slickrock....oooooooooo that stuff I slid into the crevace on ..ok)...4 hours up, no water (I now have a camleback) and I am sweating. My cotton shirt is soaked and I have falled 10 times. Keep in mind this is extremely technical. At the time I didn't realize but this is a double black diamond DH section (in bc blackdiamon is hard...double black is EXPERTS only)

We turn around. and come back. I am on my hardtail with an exr and ditchwitch rims...and the whole time I thought I would die. I had no energy and no skill. I am riding as much as I can, crawling others and just plain given'er as much as I can. I pass out near the end and eventually make it out. Fast switchbacks, vertical rocks, drops everything and I was just thrown in the mix.

To this day the best ride of my life, but at the same time that ride, broke my fork, both wheels and my bottom bracket. It showed me what riding really was and how much it hurt. Main lesson learned...bring water EVERY TIME.

BurlySurly

Sweet thread!

My favorite ride ever was my first Snow DH race. It was cold and balmy and I crashed in my race run and got beat by alot....but you know what.....that was the best day of riding I ever had.

Anydayrock.com

A ride at Boulder Park in Dallas.

This place rocks, Me and my riding buddie were going pretty fast through these trails ( we have been working our endurance up riding trails at least three times a week). alot of this trails are over grown and we were tearing down this rocky descent ( we had not ridden before). My buddy turns a corner up ahead and I hear him yell " holy crap" only to see him bail off his bike off a drop off and into a creek. needless to say I ended up bailing as well..
But that place rocks, if you get going fast enough there are several drop offs and logs you can jump over, tame i know, but cool for a newb like me. I will have pics soon.

Maelstrom 

Funny I forgot about one part of that same ride. My buddy was in rough shape too and he went to take a 7 foot drop instead of roll the face and his legs locked RIGHT up. All I hear about 100 metres in front of me (I couldn't see him) was "HOLY SH**" and I come biking up and he is holding both legs straight trying to work the cramps out. Funniest thing I ever saw and heard.

Maelstrom 

I really gotta try the snow dh. Might travel east as it isn't a big deal over here.

Anydayrock.com

snow dh... I'm a wimp... texas = nice and warm. You guys are insane

Maelstrom 

Eh...I am used to ontario where it can get as cold as -40...here I am a wimp..-10 and I am inside and have a fire going now...haha...

Snow would offer some unique handling skills, like riding wet skinnies. Just something new to hurt myself on.

Oh and you are no wimp...its HOT down there...I hate that kind of heat (the reason I left ontario was winter of -35 and summer of 40....thats too extreme)

Anydayrock.com

Hahaha wet skinnies!!! hello emergency room... I can barely ride dry skinnies... how bout rubber coated skinnies over a ball pit ( like a mcdonalds playground... ) thats more like it

khuon

Favourite regular (okay, semi-regular) ride around these parts for me is Kachess Ridge. It's an 18 mile loop that starts out with a fairly long climb (5 miles) on a tame fireroad. There is one steep climb You just shift in low and grind for a couple of miles. Then once you're at the top, there's an awesome view of the Cascades and the valley and lake below. Next you snake into about 7 miles of singletrack at the top of the ridge. Then you loop around to the backside and there's a long 7 mile downhill that really keeps you on your toes and your braking surfaces warm. Don't forget about the sharp lright at the bottom to take you back to the trailhead otherwise you get to go scrounging for the proper trails in the forest below to get you back.

My hardest ride in my area is the Mt. Muller Loop. It's about 15 miles long and starts out with a 3 mile long twisty singletrack climb that gains about 2500 feet in elevation. I had to stop many times and walk some of the sections until I could get to a level switchback and restart. But once you get to the top, it's worth it as you have a breath-taking view of the Olympics and you can even see Vancouver Island on a clear day. Once at the top there's still a bunch of rollers (some steep) and then a twisty switchback descent that takes you back down the other side.

a2psyklnut

My favorite ride is the one where my bikes working perfectly, I don't get injured and I'm exhausted by the end of the day. Then, I have the next day off of work and I can do it all over again!

Lately, they've all been kinda short. I need to roadtrip soon!

L8R