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6th May 2024: End-of-season message ×

danz

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Posts posted by danz

    Poll: Do you think the Coalition is lying?

    in General off-topic discussions

    Posted

    its not so cut and dry...

     

    Its all propoganda, bending of truths, selective statements...etc...

     

    but if I HAD to believe 1 side, it would definetly be the coalition...and NOT Iraq...

     

    as for the role of jouranlism and war, that is a whole different story...the history of journalism and war is pretty interesting though...just heard an interview on NPR with some british dude who wrote a big book on the subject...wish I could remember his name or the book...oh well...

     

    danz

    Obesity

    in General off-topic discussions

    Posted

    granted...US portions can be pretty large...

     

    but I was suprised when I first came to Nippon..

    I mean, a bowl of ramen is not exactly what I would call a small meal...throw in some rice and gyoza and I can't finish it, yet I see japanese scarfing that stuff down like its nothing...oomori here is huge, and lets not forget all the fried food here...

     

    I honestly believe that gram for gram the avg. japanese could out eat the avg. american...hands down no contest...

     

    danz

    Obesity

    in General off-topic discussions

    Posted

    aint it the truth...

     

    the state I am from is Wisconsin

    we are the fatest state in the union

    we are also the heaviest drinkers in the union

    we are also America's Dairyland...lots of cheese!

    we also have lots of germans/poles so lots of sausages and saurkraut (liberty cabbage \:D )...

     

    I was in complete shock when i was there to visit last year...absolute shock...

     

    danz

    Gear Review: Atomic Beta Ride 10.20 Titatnium

    in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry

    Posted

    Yo,

     

    So saw badmigrane's post on flow bindings, and though it might be interesting if other people posted some gear reviews now that the season is winding down...so I'll give it a go

     

    REVIEW

     

    Ski: ATOMIC BETA RIDE 10.20 TITANIUM (2001-2002 model)

     

    I bought last seasons model from some on-line site out of Aomori. The price couldn't be beat, so I jumped on it (30,000 for the skiis, 4.12 bindings, and shipping! word). 180 cm

     

    The 10.20 is a mid-fat all mountain ski. It is a beast! The first thing you notice with this ski is that it weighs a ton...I think it might even weigh more than the 10.26 Beta Ride gs skiis I own! However, suprisingly, you don't notice the weight while you are riding (except during hikes...it sucks). I used to know what atomic's numbering system meant...but forgot, so get the dimensions off the web...

     

    Terrain:

     

    1) Groomers: This ski really really smokes on groomers and ice...it is obvious that the weight really makes a difference...super fast and stable gs and super-g turns...you have to stay on top of the ski or else it will run away from you...if you ever raced, it feels like a gs ski, but with less work needed to initialize and finish turns...very responsive...it doesn't feel like a 180cm ski, unless you try straight-lining, and then you get some serious wobble...The hold incredibly well on ice...just like a good gs ski...Don't expect to be able to make slalom-esque turns though...its a lot of work, and not really what the skiis want to do...let 'em fly on the wide opens...

     

    2) POWDER!! I thought the weight of the ski might cause me problems in the pow, but not at all! The skiis float incredibly well and are very easy to control in the soft stuff...I have ridden them in boot-top all the way to chest deep and never struggled...the downside is they can't make large sweeping turns, as they will sink...not fat enough...so you are stuck with a shorter-radius turn, but lots of face shots with those type of turns! Suprisingly responsive too in the pow...I was amble to make very reactive moves in deep snow with these planks...all in all a great ride in the deeps! (although I have yet to try true fatty skies in the pow...)

     

    3) CRUD, CRUST, and all the other yucky stuff: Again, here is where the weight really helps out...I can cut through any type of terrain, and it has to be really nasty for me to feel it...the skiis will plow through anything, and I can carve beautiful arcs through very nasty looking conditions...

     

    4) MOGULS: boo...well...I suck in the bumps, and I am still on racing boots, which doesn't help...but these skiis still feel a bit heavy and clumsy in the bumps...the titanium gives them too much stiffness for what is needed to really bash the bumps...

     

    5) TREES, STEEPS: EXCELLENT! They are beasts in the tree...very responsive and turnable...I love em in there...and no problems in the steeps I found in japan, although I have yet to test them on something long-sustained-steep...will have to wait for when I head back to the us...

     

    6) PARK..I am not a park rider (but I want to learn...), and if I was I wouldn't use these...too too heavy...

     

    **************************

     

    Honestly, I believe just putting on these skiis improved my skill level...I was doing things this year I wouldn't have even tried last year...they feel so solid underfoot, and really push your limits...I highly reccomend this pair for the all mountain rider with a race-core...

     

    danz

    Double Black Diamonds

    in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry

    Posted

    yah...

     

    unfortunately, the US has a few huuuuge skiing companies (American Skiing Co. comes to mind) that have really jacked up prices over the years, because they own all the good resorts (especially in the east...)...you pay over $50 for a day-pass on the east coast, and these mtns. are like 80% man-made snow...responsibilities of patrol on the East coast are not nearly as intense as west coast...

     

    but passes can still be a bargain...and at least I know what I'm getting at most of these resorts...

     

    danz

    Entering my house

    in General off-topic discussions

    Posted

    oh my god...

    don't even get me started...

     

    went on a trip with my gf and stayed in a ryokan...

    they brought the dinner to our room, and told us to phone when we were done...

     

    well...things got a little "hot" and we never phoned...next thing we know this old lady comes barging in, pissed that we didn't call, and proceeds to clean our room...we were in shock, and despite our request for her to come back later, she kept cleaning and mumbling, while we were blushing under the covers...

     

    very strange...LOCK YOUR DOORS!

     

    danz

    The Danz beard

    in General off-topic discussions

    Posted

    I am sorry to bring sad news to all of you, my children...

     

    The world we live in is transient...nothing is permanent...just as the seasons change, so must my facial composition...years of experience has taught me that the blooming of the cherry blossums signals the start of the red-beard harvest...and so with a heavy heart, I will chop it off this weekend...and a new danz will emerge.

     

    But do not be sad my sheep...red-beard will be back...and with it an abundance of powder for all ye believers!

     

    Now go and do my bidding!

     

    danz

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