Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc View Post
When I first started mountain biking (in my mid-40s), I tried doing some more technical stuff (which was still very easy by experienced MTBer standards), but to me the roots, rocks, and twisty switchbacks were just too much. I fell enough that I ultimately decided "enough". I know I could have gotten better with practice and clinics, but I decided I much more enjoyed the less technical stuff than singletrack, unless it's very easy singletrack. So now I pretty much stick to unpaved rail-trails and very easy trails, and when something starts getting a bit sketchy, I don't hesitate to get off and walk a bit. I also enjoy riding my MTB for urban rides on crappy, cracked, potholed paved roads -- it's just more comfortable with the wider tires and suspension. We've been riding our MTBs a lot more than our roadies here in the Kansas City area (plus the Katy Trail and our recent trip to New Mexico).

I have had both a hardtail and two full-suspension MTBs and prefer the full-suspension. Much more comfy, but then again, I'm not doing anything technical.
I feel pretty much the same way...this summer I took a mountain biking lesson, to try it out (it was free, with a Meetup group that I am part of), and it was too scary to be fun. The trails weren't even that hard, by MTB standards, but the tight turns and steep downhill sections were nerve racking, particularly in a group and with somebody yelling instructions while one is trying to concentrate. When I almost did an endo going down a short steep section, I decided it was not my cup of tea! Rail trails, fire roads and the like are fun to ride; singletrack is best appreciated on foot as far as I am concerned.