AK 77

Well, to take it back to snowphotos, here is the result of my first day using photoshop: It was taken by a mate with a Minolta non-slr digital camera back in April 2003. Obviously it's in Les Arcs, France, and its a cab 270 backside tailslide.

How about stroking instead of slapping? If you get your hands on a d300 and change your mind, let me know!

Originally Posted By: thursday BP, as soon as it was announced, I wanted one. Yes I am. Kuma, will AK treat a D200 kindly? Yes, he certainly would... at the moment he nurses a 30 year old Pentax KX through his learning process in slide film, but he really needs to go digital.... PM me!

Originally Posted By: Fattwins AK you forgot your Pink socks! Don't worry, I've got several pairs.

Woah - amazing pic! Is that..... Toque???

Yes, it was that late but it was worth it met the boys and did some snowboarding

I know... I just can't face spending that much money twice! The UK costs about 180,000 to learn to drive anyway. There are just more important things i could spend 250,000 yen on now... It depends on if I stay continuously, leave and come back (in which i can get a licence for free) or what.... I might give the full japanese test a go in christmas vac, but Frank ryan in off topic thread seems to have bad enough luck with that!

Oh, yeah, sorry. FT had a girly purple jacket on too.

Ok, go on then... It's true... I used to ski.

see CB's TR thread... It's a very clean version though!

Friday 23rd TR. Got up at 6.30 leaving a warm bed and slightly hungover from a nice traditional Thanksgiving fajita dinner party the night before. Realised that due to making worlds best tzatziki before said party, I hadn't switched bindings onto rock board (Duotone quantum 154) so hastily did this, grabed my bags and board in hand, franticly cycled down to the station in the frigid morning air. Watched with a sinking heart as train pulled out as I entered the station parking at 7.40am. Cursed myself. Knew next train wasn't for an hour and 40, so cycled hard uphill home hoping tha

Nice TR MrCB! I'll add my version of that day after Kuma and Oyuki K. It should be in chronological order

Is Mr Wiggles the only one of you to pick up on this (rather flippant) parody?

I made half a turn on my first go and fell on my arse! Mind you that was line with the rest of my day... getting up the hill at 1pm, forgeting to bring my goggles. Good effort! It is fun - in a pure and simple way like sledging when you were a kid, and also pretty hard so to see Kuma and Oyuki linking turns was pretty impressive! I'll put some pics and the vid up later...

Satelite TV?

Is that the new shop near the station opposite Gravity Works? That would be a big bonus for Hakuba if they are stocking bigger stuff, boards and clothing.

Originally Posted By: static i dont think they'll cancel, This can be a dangerous mentality. I'm sure you'll keep a more flexible attitude when you're there....

Much more likely to be able to do that in Tokyo than Hakuba. Just a lot of footwork and a notebook needed when going in and out of so many shops.

They also made some of the best bindings i have ever seen a few years back, but they seem to have dissapeared (they had carbon highbacks, and were the first I saw with cushioning under the baseplate). They were black and yellow....

Nidecker is a good brand that has made some of the most innovative fs sticks out there... but there are also some 'made for rental' type models too... so please give a board model name! If it was 55,000 originally it will probably be fine.

Yay for snow! The weather forcast for ALL of next week is above freezing minimums, and highs of 12 to 15 degrees for Hakuba, as a warm front is following this cold one. It may well rain on Saturday this weekend too, unfortunately. As has been noted before, this is 'normal' for this time of year, so I'm planning to have some fun tomorrow, but it is just an unexpected bonus before the real winter hits, hopefully in a week or two.... But it will still count as day one, I hope...

Hakkoda is a great mountain, and being in Tohoku you will certainly 'see Japan' more than being in a city. Working in the lodge and making connections in that area sounds like a much better bet than applying for teaching postions, especially if you want to ride. Being there in person at the right time and meeting people will be more important than a degree (probably).

Sorry, I was only teasing... In my experience, I only know of people with a degree teaching English in Japan (not that having a degree realy makes them more qualified to teach here), and I thought that applied to everyone working for NOVA too... If making money to survive is not that big an issue, then there are some interesting volunteer things like working on an organic farm (people, what is that NGO called??). What is the mountain job? If that is close to you gf then that would be more fun than teaching English probably. Non-English teaching positions are not that many, mayb

So you wanted to come to Japan and started web-design/computer stuff at 12? You sound far too high flying for any help from me... Why do you to come to Japan? Primarily to ride? (as this is SJ forum) But wait a second... you say you are planning to convert to a spouse visa within a year? Is that why you want to come here?

wow... a question about a word I know(!)... although tripitaka has beaten me to it with the post above. 'shibui' when used about someone's appearance or clothes means 'cool' in a mature grown up way... like all understated natural tones and textures, not shiny and flashy - 'matt cool' (!?) CB I'm suprised at your rubbish answer! (for someone with japanese 10x better than me!)