I tend to think falling is part of the game with mountain biking. It's a rare single track ride that I don't crash - that's part of what made my last trip so great - no crashes!

I still freeze up on downhill switchbacks, I get to the apex and have to step off my bike. It's frustrating. The uphill ones aren't so bad.

I wouldn't drop back to the easy rides though - now that you have been out on this trail, you have an idea of what it's like. Keep riding it, so you can see your improvement.

For downhill, sometimes I just kind of let the bike go. Sometimes I go slowly and pick my way. It all depends on what is coming up next. If I can see the trail ahead for a bit, I'm more likely to let the bike just go. For the uphill, I've started staying in my middle ring more. It seems to keep me from spinning out.

Good luck!

V.