I am making a scrapbook from our holiday at local mountain this summer where the guys did their extreme mountain biking thing.On one page, l have pictures of the various signs on the trails,I'd like to add a ''Do is & Don'ts list to the page.Can anyone give me suggesations?(l do not bike, & my teenaged boys who do are out for the night).

Rent a good helmet, some body armor, & a good bike. Downhill riding should be done on a bike with full suspension & hydraulic disc brakes. l highly suggest renting them at first so that u can get a feel for what each bike does. You might even get a bike used there if u like it enough.
The body armor will keep down any serious gashes & minimize chances of breaking things. A full face helmet will protect u more & be quieter due to less wind across the ears. The hydraulic disc brakes really make a difference in stopping power. Avoid the mechanical disc brakes as they do not have nearly the stopping power.
Start in the base area & get used to running into things, over modest obstacles, & get the general balance of the bike.
Most of all have fun!

gravity is not your friend =P

The best tip l can give is to stay loose and light on your bike. Do not panic even if the going gets tough. let your bike do the work your just there to direct the bike in the direction you want and hang on for the ride. Also be confident in your riding and skill level. l could keep going but these are some of the important tips that helped me over the years.

Hang on and do not shut your eyes.

Go to EBAY-Sporting Goods-under CYCLING- Mountain Bikes Videos/DVDs. There are sweet titles you can spot. Choose what DVDs will be cool and enjoy------

Best tip
Get stoned!

Then you wont care about big jumps.

Nah only kidding,
Just try and focus as much as possible
Eat plenty of energy foods for breaky and lunch. Maybe an energy drink for god measure