Plattekill, NY:  Sick, Sick, Sick.  I haven't been anywhere that touches the downhills here.  Lots of travel, lots of body armour, lots of medical insurance.  If you are missing any of the three do not attempt this.  This place scares World Cup riders.  I know I was there the weekend before the 2000 WC race in Vermont, a number of the WC riders said they were going to come to Plattekill and race it.  Guess what, no shows on race day.  One look and they went back to the nice and fuzzy course back in Vermont.  You clean this, you have cred. Me, I don't have cred, yet.

  Whitetail, Pa:  It's not Plattekill, but if you are in Va or Md and don't want to drive nine hours to ride this is a good choice.  On the up side of racing, they send the lower classes down first so you can watch the pro/experts afterwards.  On the down side, a race entry does not get you the pre-ride the day before like Plattekill.  You won't get any cred for cleaning their courses either.  In practice I could clean the expert runs.  I just freeze up during races.  At Plattekill I couldn't clean the beginner courses ever.  But fun is fun, and I'm happy to ride here.

  Whitney State Forest, Warrenton, Va:  A nice system of trails on par with Perry Lake in Kansas, except, no rocky sections and no spiders, yet.  The skill-less yuppies haven't discovered it yet so the trails don't get widened around obstacles like most of the trails in Northern Va.  It's a fairly easy trail but it's a good place to practice your skills.  Enough stunts to keep you happy but they won't break your  bones if you biff on them.  Has some decent climbs as well.  A good all around workout.     

 Difficult Run, Fairfax Co, Va:  I kinda liked this cute little trail until I saw someone on Gearhead rate it as Moderate Difficulty.  GIVE ME A BREAK.  This trail is a cakewalk.  You can do it on a road bike when it's dry.  Northern Va is so full of skill-less dregs it's pathetic.  What makes it bad is some folks put an effort into making some nice obstacles and the lamers out there will either knock them down or widen the trail around them.  We aren't talking launches either.  We're talking two foot roll-overs, sloped on both sides.  People, if you can't ride this trail get back on your road bike and stick to the W&OD.  I suck and I find it laughable.