AK 77

Quote: Originally posted by Tohoku bum: AK: Agree with you that its a great place, but careful what you say on a forum like this. "no boundaries=anywhere OK" is a dangerous thing to say. If you go out of bounds, you better be knowledgable, prepared for the worst,and be with a parter who can save your @ss if the worst happens. There are signs all over the boundary of Hachimantai that say something like "ski at your own risk. If you don't have proper avi gear, do not go beyond this point." Words to live by, even if you can't read them. I was referring to the 'rules' of the resort - wh

Hi Rach, First qu - ski or snowboard? I know this sounds like a lame question, but Appi is alot more fun if you are a skier (moguls). It's still pretty fun if you are on a board, but there are better places. Geto is good - I only went there once, but it was definately fun (and had good powder when i went in early December - 99-2000 season). By far my favourite place was 'Hachimantai' (NOT 'Hachimantai Resort' - nearby, and rubbish) which only has 3 old lifts, but the best terrain and snow, and had a 'no boundaries' = anywhere ok, policy from the patrol. As a result it w

Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Havn't seen you around in a while AK Where have you been? Oh, you know the usual... splitting up / getting back together / splitting up with 12-year realationship girlfriend stuff. Apart from that, skating quite a lot - bombed a hill the other day, on the karasugawa river road (kanasugawa?) above Horigane/Hotaka - a few km of downhill - with those metal grill drainage grates every 500m, which were sketchy as fck! It wasn't super fast, but enough to get some scary speed-wobble and faster than I could run out at the end - resulting in a good superman sl

Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: yeah you sure push yourself dont ya AK? Pass out from drinking at ONLY 9:30pm - OHH, you are SO HARDCORE!! Have a few great pics of you with drool comin out your mouth from that party Ha ha! That's my best look. Never fails to charm. I don't push that hard, I should push a lot harder (that's what she said anyway, ho ho, sorry) - but my point was that age is no excuse for not pushing it, if that's what you DECIDE to do. Next season I'll be pushing hard to pass out earlier. perhaps while it's still light...

On getting older, fear and progressing in the park, or bc jumps.... Good points of view from all the above posters, but i have to throw my 2 penny's worth into the mix... FT, agree (If i understand correctly) that buying gear that is made for stuff you are not going to be doing any time soon is a total waste of coin (especially as you already have some decent park/switch skis EBC!), and there are loads of people out there for whom buying the kit becomes a substitute for actually doing stuff... nodody wants to be one of those! (too damn expensive for a start!). However... on the get

or wakes up and thinks, "aaarhh, a giant insect!" and starts slapping himself to kill it...

I think it must be a spring thing... all my students are crazy today, the teachers have been a bit funny too, and now the knock knock jokes... CB - i thought your joke was good, and makes perfect sense. I like the others too! anyway, back to 'snow in japan' (from my non-kanji writing dumb ass)... Is 47 definately opening tomorrow? I might head up for a last hurrah in the park... FT I also have to return your big backpack, and buy you copious amounts of beer, and obviously pick up whatever I (FFF) forgot last weekend (fleece, and bits and bobs in the little dakine pack).

Quote: Originally posted by Toque: 1 pillow A pillow?? Canadians must be going soft... sorry Toque, just re-read who had taken this...

referee! red card! or was it yellow...

Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: AK you need better and or more sunscreen dude that is killer bad for you. AK is the white dude FT I think Mr W was referring to Tetsuo! - if i look pink in this photo it is just the camera - i was wearing factor 45 cream (thanks Dizzy) at all times (and carried factor 30 with me to top up at all times) I came back only mildly less white than before!

school computer doesn't like my camera, so I'll have to send my pics to EBC or Dizzy to post. sorry. there are some summit and riding pics in there too. apart from all the boozing pics that represent most of what took up our time in camp!

you do: p87, 'Organically Weathered Face' - it's like other tans, just a lot more expensive! Actually the one-piece he is wearing is Patagonia. The poses are in reference to his skis - Seth Pistols, with their Anarchy in the UK bases (his suggestion). We had just speed-hiked up to the top of the face behind us (the 'gallery slope' infront of camp) for an afternoon run down at the same time. I gave him 100m head start, but these big-mountain guys on skins are a bit slow, y'know, so I politely waited at the top. ha ha!

I like gekkos and snakes too - gekkos rock, i wish i had them im my house, bit cold in Nagano though, i think. met them alot in Thai land though - their footsteps can be really noisy, it's funny they sound like something alot bigger.

Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: Quote: Originally posted by eskimobasecamp: AK has ski shots of me are there any face shots EBC? Referee!

Photos to come tomorrow, to cut down on the 'that dot is me' thing - inescapable with compact cameras is big mountains. it was far too much fun. recommend it to anyone thinking about it next year....

It was a really fun trip! Strange being up that high camping with so many other people around, and an onsen! Nice atmosphere around camp - some families with hardy children, lots of alpine club types, and the odd couple doing the romantic backcountry riding thing, or trying to when not being disturbed by urasai gaijin (me) "let's socialising". My favourite things, as i remember them now: * walking round after arriving, laughing at the excesive digging of walls around tents and elaborate snow architecture of other campers - then proceeding to do exactly the same ourselves. * The w

Right, before i forget to say it Have fckin great GW adventures everyone, whether you're heading to the sea or mountains, or wherever, have a good time. I'm leaving school. before i forget to do that, and get locked in till Monday. ta ra!

FFF? Fcking Forgetful Fck? sorry FT i thought EBC was able to get them herself.

Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: out on the sofa with drool coming out your mouth and Toque kicking you a few times Is that why you wanted to hit me in the head with a pillow? no, i think i'd forgotten about that - maybe it was subconscious repressed violence stemming from that though. haha. anyway, damn, why no winter clearance sale now. pah.

nothing like that there this time... been checking out prices online - to compare with back in UK (another expensive place!), the North Face blue kazzoo is about the same price here - 31,000 - and is rated down to -8 or -9, so i might have to bite the financial bullet and go for that one (although i suspect its packed size may be a bit bigger, cos its got some non-down bits that help it keep its shape and not get compressed). CB - are you going to tell me what nomikuzureta means?

yeah - an Alpen bag that is warm enough will have a gynormous pack size, but if it's cheap i can take the time to look on the web for what i really want. they didn't have much in the way of bargains...

yes, well, depending on the weather forcast... (what forcast do you trust most? is there a good online weather source for tateyama?) Also don't buy PuroMonte down sleeping bags from ICI sports - I did last night, and it had/got a big hole in it along a seam just taking it out of the stuff sac carefully. My fault for being cheap really - but it seemed to be a decent -5 rated bag for 19,800 - cheaper than any other down ones there by a long way. Now i know why! Will be returning it, and getting a cheap synth bag from Alpen after work today.

Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: backpack is bought. no glue that sucks crap, why would he do that? im not ff ak77 is now ff. cheers FF. Its not a small size is it? Thatd be a bit much We will have to give AK77 a different name like Otaku or nomikuzureta... FF is fine with me - it's a pretty accurate description... otaku - i might resent that! haha. nomikuzureta - er, something about drinking and passing out? translation? ...

Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: i have an extra big back pack at 60litres plus a bottle of red wine gets the pack and 2 bottles gets the bag and the 2 man tent. I think i'll take that deal (backpack) Now, did i see wine in the 100yen shop, hmmm... i think i did...

Hi Dizzy, Yeah, i think i'm in! Look forward to meeting you this weekend in Hakuba. let's planning! so far on my list: sleeping mat. me snowboard. one pair of board socks. i will improve in that this weekend - especially the socks, I'm not that anti-social! On the buying list: sleeping bag (long overdue purchase) camping eating stuff ziplock bags (they just sound organized!) plus various stuff to borrow... my backpacks are due to arrive by airmail on the 8th, so just too late. damn. other BC stuff is on a boat somewhere, and will arrive in June!