Welll, I'm moving along
This is starting out as my third summer hitting the local trails regularly (I also did it a few times back in February, but not often and I ended up doing a lot of walking). My skills are getting better, but I'm still very much a beginner -- physically fit, but not enough nerve to go very fast.
I think I'm starting to nail down the exact areas that need work. I ride with a solid frame (Surly Krampus), and I've become quite good at loosening up over rough terrain, standing up and letting the bike bounce up and down while I stay smooth. I also handle rock gardens and fallen logs well -- this is where you have to time your pedal stroke to avoid hitting something with your foot.
That leaves two problem areas: The big one is sharp turns. It sounds silly when I say it, but I have some trouble shifting my weight left/right, leaning into a turn when I need to. In the split second of a turn, I can see that my wheel needs to go to the right to stay on track, and I also know that if I turn as sharp as I need, I'll pitch left and fall. It should be simple to just throw my weight harder to the right, but doing it doesn't seem to be so easy.
The other problem area is those tiny gaps between trees. I hate those places. Usually I get through without snagging a handlebar -- I guess I just need to be less of a chicken and get moving.