AK 77

The vapor trail behind is sick. As is the DOF and the pattern of the bark on the trees. Should get that up in a nice frame for sure.

Originally Posted By: Fattwins The phantom! Cryptic... Your spray across behind you?

Originally Posted By: tsondaboy Originally Posted By: dwh Or are Japanese trees not worth worrying about ? Would you ride this without a helmet? Yes. But that is beside the point. This has discussed in previous threads many times... have a search and get everyone's experiences (hint - nobody is going to tell you to ride without a helmet!) of helmets / which helmets fit and work best. More to the point... you say you want a helmet due to 'the amount of off piste in Japan'... well, there is off piste everywhere (heaps more in USA/Canada/Europe) so as well as a

Originally Posted By: Stuntcok A bad type II took me 4 weeks until I could get on skis and about 8 until I could hit kickers etc. There was a psychological recovery that took months: everytime I landed an air, I would stomp but only with my healthy right foot. I did twice weekly physio for my recovery. A type III will have you gone for the season. Good luck I agree with this timescale, perhaps even a week or two more, from experience. I have sprained my ankles numerous times from skateboarding, so didn't think much of another Type I sprain last November 23rd - indeed it was such a

Very glad you are ok Ewok

Originally Posted By: al from scotland First of all, thanks everyone - some good suggestions there! AK - i am mates with some lecht regulars - Jamie Reiach for example, he has a 2090 tattoo which is pretty much as dedicated to the lecht as one could possibly get!! Gimme some names and ill let you know...Im not big into it on account of the lecht is shite, but i do try and go up as often as possible. Prefer glenshee - if they could lift the park from 2090 and chuck it at glenshee, i would be much happier. I know boys who work in Boarderline, one of my good mates Andy used to work there so

No overnight trips. Kit-kats are lovely with a cup of tea (there is even talk that you can bit both ends of a stick and suck tea up through the wafer in the middle), but i'm afraid snickers (or Marathons, as they should be called) kick their ass outside. Dave sleeps in the day. He is part cat. I was wearing (at rest): Helly Hanson, Microfleece, mesh body, synthetic packable hooded insulator jacket, shell jacket, down bodywarmer. No pink. But my boxers were light blue with silver mizutama all over. Heaven helps those who do some work instead of piddling around on the

Single's lines? How many Japanese resorts have them? They are a N.American thing, I think - hardly ever see them in Europe (but you can snake the ski-school gate if you are feeling naughty). I am over it. Queuing in France has it's own downsides too. It is a good example of the relativity of manners within a country - plenty of manners here are based on not inconveniencing others, yet that is exactly what people do when they so socially backward they can't get on a chairlift with other people. It doesn't go for everyone - I totally understand families want to go up together, and

ps. Are you mates with the local Aberdeen snowboard heads, that ride at the Lecht?

Hello 'al from scotland', Good list there already, add maybe.... go to a 'maid cafe' and watch the 'otaku' (nerds obsessed with manga / anime, etc) in Akehabara in Tokyo (no sexual aspect to those, despite amazing maid outfits - apart from in the imaginations of sad nerds who go there). ... go shopping for the cheapest random bit of techno-tat in the same district, at night. ...staying in a love hotel is also great - very kitch - especially the cheapest ones that haven't been renovated recently. Go and look at the monkeys in an onsen - if you are in Nagano. also: if

I learnt things I know and things I don't know. I learnt that Dave can sleep anywhere. I learnt that my red snow pants come off over my boots. I learnt that snickers are always good. Heaven helps those who help dig.

Ok, so if the checkout lady (or man) is waiting in the supermarket, and I am at the front of the queue, it's up to me whether I move forward and give her my shopping, or just chill for a minute or two, and she shouldn't ask me to come forward?

There was a big slide on Norikura, above Tsugaike, (presumably) on the morning of Monday 14th January. Click on Hakuba Daily Report for the info. It was not triggered by a human, and didn't hit anyone, as it probably went off first thing in the morning, but it was big - 200m wide at the top, and funnelled down through a quite narrow run-out for nearly a kilometer, all the way to the flat you exit over, near the hut. It's the slope you can see from the valley. Windslab on rain crust on lee slope, so be careful on South (and East and West) facing slopes in Hakuba for a while.

What's in your head is as important as what's in your pack. As is your ability to actually ride there. It's good to ask people things, but don't think you can get clued up enough from an internet forum after a few months snowboarding! (I.I.A.N.M.)

Originally Posted By: Ewok 2 wait, it might have been "Heaven helps those who help ___________." Heaven helps those who help with the negative advertising about Hell.

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy whats her level of English? that school means nothing to me. is it considered good? Their Eng dept looks mediocre at best judging from the 5 or 6 Q&As they had posted. can she hold a conversation in Eng mate? CB - It's a pretty good school, the second best in Matsumoto, but it also has an 'English Course' where they have more and higher level English classes (similar to some of your thematic classes, for example, on environment issues). This has a separate entrance interview with a Japanese part, and an English interview - about things like what th

Originally Posted By: muikabochi Actually if you look at this photo you can just about see the top of Iwappara gondola building top left. Is there access to hike that skyline ridge? That peak looks like it has some great lines off it. Anyone ski it?

Originally Posted By: Fattwins What questions do you guys ask at high school enterance tests BP and cb? Have to do an interview today with a student and would like some hints. she wants to go here http://www.avis.ne.jp/~agata/ Is she applying for the English course there? I did some mock interviews for that last year. They followed a set pattern, but I can't remember off the top of my head what they were (*wear a helmet, people*) but I think I can help you with this. I'll ask my colleagues.

Originally Posted By: thursday. Well this is not the fault of the lifties. I was in the singles line at King 3 hooded no less. I walked towards the chair and the couple in the queue did not want to get on. They did not like me. So I ended up going alone in a 3 seater hooded. Nice....... That is the fault of the lifties. In countries where they have singles lines, etc, the lifties CONTROL the queue, not just thank it for being there. It is the job of the liftie to tell people to get on, if they are hanging back and causing delays, just as it is their job to stop people trying to get

There was a Bindings Recommendations thread less than a month ago with loads of responses - have a search for it! Missions, are the best value for money - at about 10,000 for last year's on Yahoo auctions.

Or Damien Sanders!

For 'Extreme' athletes... (oh, how I loathe that word), it would have to be Danny Way in the DC Video - he's an amazing athlete and pushes what we think of as possible on skateboard, which would fit will with your lesson theme - plus he does it over 30 having broken everything already, including his back! Has Hawk even hit the mega-ramp?

Originally Posted By: Fattwins Great pics and even better lines - I love the shot of the long track, and a nice air over the bushes and rock. Can't wait to see Kuma's pics he's kept for himself too! That is a fun zone - and hit on a perfect day by the look of it. I was in 47 park that day, having a day riding with Oyuki.... it was fun, but somehow doesn't compare! Ha ha ha.

Zao, Hachimantai and Hakkoda would be 3 to visit, imho. But there are probably plenty of good spots at other hills too... if you can hook up with locals to show you... (hence this thread, duh.) Yes, he has a car.

Great pics Kuma - nice action in the gyrator shot, but the Dizzy shot is sweeeet! How natural does his body and arms look??? wtf? Nice comp too.