Also, check out Adventure Rider . It's geared a bit more toward long-distance "adventure" touring on unimproved roads, but there is a ton of stuff about day rides on trails and stuff. Great pictures, too.

If you have an interest in riding to your trail destination on roads, you may want to consider a "dual purpose" bike, especially since you're not interested in jumping. The bike you can ride every day on roads, and is still a perfectly capable, if heavy, dirt bike is the Kawasaki KLR650. Might be overkill for you.

KTM makes fantastic dirt bikes, but they are a bit on the expensive side.

Jim