Ocean11

Who uses a helmet or other protective gear? One of my best purchases was my helmet. I have a Lavance full face racing helmet that I got for 8,000 yen, reduced from 12. It has a peak and an adjustable chin guard. I've wiped out violently, sometimes landing on my head after jumps, and haven't had any injuries. Last season, I used to come home from boarding with a cracking headache from smacking my head on the gelende, but this season, with the helmet (and better control), I haven't suffered at all. It's allowed me to ride much more as I want to, without fear of the consequences. While it lo

Yeah, and I can guess where Mogski gets his name from too. I'm sure he's not just a skier who's fond of cats.

Fujisan on acid.

Fujisan.

In Nagano prefecture's Alpen shops and Xebio they have those boots in 28 and 29 - if you pester them enough in Tokyo, you should be able to get them to send them to your nearest shop. I got Xebio to get hold of a 29 but it was too small. But service in Japan is nearly dead - these people won't sell to you unless you threaten them. They'll probably try the 'if we order them, you'll have to buy them' line. I always enjoy asking Taro Partimer the 'salesman' if_he_would buy snowboard boots on that system. Taro's brow furrows at this, and sometimes a little light appears to come on, but only b

Went to Nozawa in nothern Nagano today. It was busier than most weekends, with maybe five minute waits for some lifts, but nothing to spoil your day. We bitched about it being 'crowded' today, but then we were there before the season got started and there was nobody there. I wouldn't worry about anywhere being crowded.

Would that be Dassaitama? 'Laugh' (I've no idea what the deal is with Saitama, it sounds OK to me, but it's always fun to whip out a cliche, especially if someone asks for it!)

gorilla, I wouldn't know about that. I'm not_that_much of a fan despite appearances. But it may well be true - I have seen pictures of the two lovely tarts getting about in NY. Ayumi is the pits though isn't she? Her squawk seems to be getting worse while her 'penetration' becomes more invasive. I have Van Morrison, Oasis, Uncle Tupelo, Eminem, and Lauryn Hill lined up for my drive to Nozawa tomorrow. And some Puffy! Yeaaaah!!

Hey snapper, There are some off-piste places near the Skyline that are prone to avalanches - indeed, there are avalanche barriers around there. Just a word of caution... Off to Nozawa tomorrow, Allah akhbah.

The conventional wisdom has it that you should get a board that comes up to somewhere around your nose - so I'm 182 cm and my board is 169 cm - nearer my eyes than my nose, but great in the powder and at speed. I was riding a borrowed board in the 150s when I started and it was terrible - no stability at all. Actually board manufacturers say that it should be decided on weight rather than height, so to modify the conventional wisdom, if you're a fatty, get a board that you can't look over the top of. Also if you have really big feet, say over 34 or something, you may need to get a wide b

rob roy, is that 181 cm?? Are you some kind of huge mfker or what? I thought my Airwalk Champ 169 was about the biggest board conceivable on a Japanese hill but 181 trumps it comfortably. If I see you on the slopes, I'll be aiming to slice a piece off the back of your board...

I had a good dump last night - drank a skinful of Samuel Smiths, smoked a stogey, then sat on the bog for nearly 30 mins. Great stuff - there'd be plenty of red on the central areas of my toilet bowl if it had a precipitation map available. [This message has been edited by Ocean11 (edited 01 January 2002).]

cal, if I'm not much mistaken, you're something of a huge dump fantasist, sitting there in the City of No Snow. Actually, it's been snowing a fair bit up here recently, and all of it quite early, especially compared with last year. It might snow so much, you won't be able to make it up to the resorts. Now that would be a bummer, wouldn't it?

Nothin' better than getting down to the bottom of a nasty bumpy slope and discovering that as compensation, you decapitated or otherwise squished a coupla bumpa lumpas on the way down.

helen, you've got 'em, you're just looking in the wrong place...

ivo, is that the rockin' reggae version by Toots and the Maytals? Ain't no better...

"Getting to ARAI MOUNTAIN & SNOW PARK is easier than you might think. One of our shuttle bus services is linked with the Shinkansen arrivals at Nagano Station (please confirm with the posted timetable below). You only have to travel to Nagano Station, step off your train and onto our shuttle bus. An alternative is to catch a local train to Arai station on the Shinetsu Honsen line and step onto one of our waiting (please check the schedule) complimentary shuttle buses. "

I saw a fallen skier at Nozawa - it looked bad, the guy was totally immobile - and it took enough time for 3 rides on a lift and slope before the ski patrol arrived to help. Avoid hurting yourself...

Russian 'Hind' helicopters can be had very cheap these days although they use a lot of gas. I recommend buying one in a group and sharing costs and driving. They're also very good for strafing the ski-patrol huts.

That's one of the biggest drawbacks of snowboarding (that and having to skate on flat stretches. You generally have to sit down to do your back binding up after you've undone it to skate or ride the lift. Those with step-in bindings don't generally have to sit down unless they're inept at stepping in. Sometimes you can get away with standing up and adjusting the binding, but this tends to result in a slide down the hill (and a clash with the inevitable skier who is standing in the way not doing very much skiing.) Now what are those sticks that skiers use for again?

They may risten but will they be equipped to understando? I have me doots... It's good to see another gaijin on the slopes even if you don't speak - you can follow them to their fav powder hole and dive in. NoFakie, do you prefer cream or custard with your apple crumble?

Depending on your definition of 'naturally' of course...

yillow, isn't Kijimadaira the one with the mental steeps? What's it like? Are the lots of those things I don't like that begin with 'm'? I often look curiously at Kijimadaira as I go past towards Nozawa. Do tell.

Ryuo's a fav of mine too. But does it really count as 'underrated'? I wonder...

NoFakie, you put it so well. I wanted to mention the English skool ski-trip scene too, but had to run for my train instead. That was indeed a real turn-off. I think snowboarding and skiing are quite incompatible at some level. Skiing was originally a practical activity whereas snowboarding is pure sport. You wouldn't want to go hunting with a snowboard, whereas it's feasible with skis. You can actually get over pretty much the whole mountain with skis but not with a snowboard. You can enjoy moguls on skis (boink boink...sorry) but not on a snowboard. And you can stand around wherever you