Anywhere in Ecuador?
Ecuador in South America is the best place to go mountain biking.

Darwin E. Zabala
zabalad@popular.ramt.com

Tucson, Arizona
I live in Tucson, Arizona and we are so lucky here to have some of the best mountain biking in the Southwest. I'm a ride leader for the Southern Arizona Mountain Biking Association (SAMBA), which is based out of Full Cycle on Speedway Blvd. If interested in Tucson mountain biking, you can call Full Cycle at (520) 327-3232 or e-mail me and I will do my best to help you out.

David A. McClutchy-Gale
daka@theriver.com

Good place for kids in Virginia
The Virginia Creeper Rail Trail is a wonderful and beautiful trail to bike with children. It is 17 miles downhill from Whitetop Mountain to Damascus, Virginia, with a second 17 mile flat leg from Damascus to Abbington, Virginia. I highly recommend it for all who love old railroads.

Jim Johnson
jrj4271@glaxowellcome.co

Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California offers an amazing range of riding, as well as an active and friendly local community and plenty of good shops. The only downside is increasingly restrictive laws on mountain biking. The upshot is hours of open, seemingly neverending, singletrack amid gorgeous mountains....

Dolan Halbrook
dolan@linguistics.ucl.ac.uk

Just outside of Moab, Utah
The coolest place to mountain bike is on the Slickrock -- just outside of Moab, Utah. It's totally brutal! The view from the trail makes the danger factor fade as you pump up the next hill....

See you on the Slickrock!

Dave Burkett
burkett@bigfoot.com

Advice for Tennessee?
My dad, brother, and I are planning a 4 to 5 day mountain-biking trip this summer, and my dad and I are amateur bikers. We need a place to go that's close to Tennessee and wouldn't be too hard on us greenies. If anyone can help us out, please e-mail me.

Becky Thompson
Scooby0134@aol.com

The Black Hills of South Dakota
As an avid mountain biker myself, I appreciate terrain that varies and is neither a long uphill or downhill for the entire trek. I've biked in the Canadian Rockies to the Black Hills of South Dakota. By far, I've been most impressed with the Black Hills.

Here you find terrain for abilities and the natural beauty of the Hills. It doesn't get too humid or hot. Most days of the summer are sunny and rain doesn't last too long.

To find a trail in the Hills is easy. The South Dakota Board of Tourism can provide them if asked for. The Hills have hundreds of trails, so nearby access to one is just about guaranteed.

James R. Blaszkowski
james.blaszkowski@pbi.ab.ca

Southwest Virginia
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in southwest Virginia offers some good singletrack and endless gated fire roads. The Ranger's office in Marion has trail maps and info on camping.

Enjoy,

Betty
bd22945@conrad.appstate.edu

Nevada City and Downieville, California
Nevada City and Downieville, California have some of the best singletrack trail in the world! Many ski resorts up in the Sierras allow mountain bikers in the off-season. North Star and Kirkwood are two that still do, I believe.

Moab is by far the best place I've ever been. The Porcupine Rim Trail was like my first sexual experience. I'll never forget it.

Darin Chester
chester@deepwell.com

Mo' Moab, Utah
I have been mountain biking for some time now and have been all over the country. But I think the best mountain biking I have every done is in the Moab, Utah area. There several bike shops there that rent bikes. I recommend going in the fall to early spring. In the summer, it is blazing hot.

Warner Lawrence
lawrence_jw@academ.wvwc.edu

Not telling
I'd love to help you out with the list of best places to mountain bike, but then they'd soon cease to be the best places.

My suggestion: Enjoy where you mountain bike now and take some risks by exploring new places on your own.

Paul Lloyd-Davies
tgoodale@gj.net

Within 45 minutes of downtown Vancouver
In beautiful British Columbia, the mountain biking is technical, challenging, and not for the faint at heart.

Within 45 minutes of downtown Vancouver, the options are far too numerous to count. For a leisurely ride, the UBC Endowment Lands offer a great ride right in town. On the North Shore, Cypress and Seymour offer some of the gnarliest singletrack around. Muddy, rocky, and lots of exposed roots on some very steep terrain. Beautiful.

Michael Dingle
Michael_Dingle%CMN@notesgw.compuserve.com

San Bernardino Mountains, Southern California
By far, the best place to mountain bike is in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California.

Trail riders can choose from popular locations such as Big Bear and Arrowhead, both which support the Summer Extreme Games. If this is too overbearing, just 30 minutes away are many other excellent popular and "secret" trails, that most SoCal riders enjoy.

So, my vote: Southern California

The Irieman
the_irieman@geocities.com

California: Ride up, bike down
A lot of ski resorts in California and around the country are trying to bring in some summer income by offering mountain bikers rides up the mountain on the ski lift. I know that in California Squaw Valley, Mammoth Mountain and Snow Summit at Big Bear Lake are among the resorts that offer this service. It costs about $20 a day for unlimited lift rides. It is a lot of fun for those cyclists who like to go downhill but hate to climb hills. Rental bikes are available but tend to be of relatively low quality, so bring your own bike if you can. And don't forget to always wear your helmet! For purists, there are also some excellent places to ride in the Lake Tahoe area for free; trail maps are available at local bike shops.

Robert Kronisch
kronisch@email.sjsu.edu

Maryland
I live in Maryland, but have been all over the country mountain biking. Since I live in Maryland, I can tell you that we have some great tech trails throughout the region. Schaffer Rd Trails is my favorite. That is in Germantown, Maryland. Patapsco State Park near Balto is a great trail. Sugarloaf Mt is also great, but you can only ride on weekdays April thru November. No weekends! Bummer!! Greenbrier State Park in Fredrick County, also Gambrill, is cool. There seem to be a lot of good places in Maryland, and, since the state is not that big, everywhere is easy to get to.

Warren Sims
wsims@mamsi.com

Costa Rica
I just got back from the Guanacasta region of Costa Rica and the mountain biking was incredible. One advantage is that many of the locals use bikes for primary transportation and as a result are very bike-friendly on the roads.

Jeff Stanley
jstanley@inca.net

South of Saratoga, California
Big Basin, south of Saratoga, California. There is a fair variety of fire trails and long, steep downhills to rip through. In addition, the trails are very wide and easy for a beginner to conquer. Bring lots of water since the trails are quite long.

Samuel Chao
chaotic@leland.stanford.edu