WantToSki
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Posts posted by WantToSki
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to wrap it up, i did get myself one of those "rust erasers" and it works like a miracle (well, assuming that the rust is NOT that deep).
thanks!!!
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i went over to the SAJ-affiliated ski school at Nozawa Onsen's Hikage area, and booked for a 2-hour private instruction (i can handle the nihongo) for about US$95 (i have a US$30 discount)...
so, i waited for the instructor to show up around 2:30PM...
we meet up, and for the first five or ten minutes went up the beginner lifts, and i show him what ive got... he mentions some mistakes in form, etc. etc. and continues to say that we go up to the top (via the gondola).
with those slow gondola and lifts, im at the top by around 3:15PM.
having been through a couple of private instructions in the past - i was expecting the drill to be:
1. instructor gives pointers
2. instructor demonstrates by skiing down some meters (say at least four turns)
3. when instructor gives the signal, i follow down, keeping in mind what the instructor said
4. when i stop in front of the instructor, he evaluates my skiing and offers checks, tips, etc.
5. either we continue the same way until we get down, or drills are done
UNFORTUNATELY, what happened then was that he just told me to follow him from beind down the "long course" (ie., until we reach the bottom) while keeping in mind my fore/aft balance.... so, basically, there were only a couple of times that we did stop to check my skiing. not much tutorial! not much instruction! and before, that, its 4:30PM and tutoring is over... *sigh*
i booked for a private instructor to check how im doing - and he just used that time to ski?
so, what do you guys think? am i in my right mind to get pissed at this?
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well, when i got back to tokyo a day later, i called up the school's "kocho-sensei" (ie., principal), and he was basically incredulous to what i was saying....
*bummer*
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i guess i didnt get it - need to increase my "prayer factor"...Quote:Originally posted by WantToSki:
i wonder who it would be... hhhmmm.... -
Bushpig, i already got that "thing," and would be trying out in the next couple of days...
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oh - now do i see the humor... *kinda slow, sorry*
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me, and some friends of mine are heading towards Happo-One through a bus tour from the 10th (departing shinjuku on the night of the 9th) until the 12th...
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i wonder who it would be... hhhmmm....
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i got myself another case through sort of a garage sale - "K2 Speed Ski Roller"
well, i searched through the internet and found out that this can hold "two pairs" of skis:
http://www.k2skis.com/accy/luggage/default.asp?ProductID=37
however, i was thinking of using this case to hold both my 170cm-long carving ski, and my boots (sole size of 324mm) as well (same as number9 above) - and im thinking how to do this...
samurai mentioned about laying the skis flat, and putting the boots in front of the bindings. unfortunately, i cant seem to exactly imagine how would this be?
also, since thursday seems to also have a K2 wheel bag - i was wondering if he (or anyone) can post a picture on how to setup your gear inside the bag?
thanks in advanced...!!!
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ok - got it...
thanks!!! ill try pass by Kanda by the end of today.
cheers!!
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hi Bushpig,
thanks for the reply...
is this "rust eraser thing" a ski accessory that i would need to get from a ski shop? or is this locally available in hardware shops?
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hi to all... just a couple of questions regarding ski maintenance, if youd allow...
i had my ski delivered back home via takkyubin, and since i usually come home really late during weekdays, it took about a week before i finally got it. well, when i took it out of the ski case, some parts of the edges/some parts of the base were blotted with "liquid rust."
what would be the best way to get rid of them? should i get one of those "edge scrapers/sharpeners"? if i were to get an edge sharpener, any recommendations?
also, when i was looking through the shops, these things have some specs, like "88/89," "89/90." at the moment, all im doing is "kisou-ski" (basic/fundamental skiing) - what would be the best type to get?
thanks!!!
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there was goog enought snow in Sugadaira two weeks back, and Shiga-Kogen over the previous weekend...
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same here...!!!
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i think that i need to pass by ueno tonight and get myself some throwing stars... some for myself, and some for my gf
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well, just to share my case - it happened when i was just learning to ski a year back...
i was doing long snowploughs in the beginners' barn in Naeba (in front of Bldg 2)... when this boarded just ram me from behind causing me to do a flip... my GF who was skiing from behind saw the whole thing...
the surprising thing is that he didnt stop, and went on to continue through the lift below...
what i did then was "crab walk" up and caught up with him at the top, and told him about it... do you know what he said? something like being my fault for doing turns!?!
i was thinking to myself - the only way i could have done a flip there was that he was moving too fast (in a beginners' barn), and that i definitely predictable since i was just doing snowploughs from the top, and that i didnt have eyes on the back of my head; and it was my fault!?!
since it was my second real day of skiing, i didnt know what to do...
but now, im more knowledgeable:
1. the first quick dial number in my cellphone is the number of the patrol of the resort im currently in
2. if you bump into anyone (or vice-versa), always get his/her full name and phone number
3. move to the side of the trail, and stay put until the patrol comes
4. make sure, if possible, to ski in pairs such that there are witnesses, etc.
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for me...
Appi Kogen - 2
Furano - 4
Sugadaira - 2
Shigakogen (from today) - 2
Happo (Feb 9) - 3
Nozawa (Feb 24) - 2
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10 days (as of today)
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is there enough snow in Happo?
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wouldnt people in snowploughs be more difficult than stationary trees...Quote:Originally posted by SirJibAlot:
The Japanese resorts on weekends tend to be very crowded, so it's best to find an area that is less crowded to practice picking your line and hitting it. If you are a rope ducker than you probably are more worried about hitting a tree than another person. If all else fails, find a good staircase with a few kinks in it and jib all day...
-SJA
*wink* -
not my kids, but...
there was a seminar that i attended that was presented by one of Japan's Olympic athletes (Daisuke Yoshioka) and one of Japan's Top Demo (Keisuke Iyama) - and according to them, they started skiing around 1.5, 2 years old, respectively...
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though i took about a dozen, here are only the pics that came out quite good (i think)...Quote:Originally posted by joshnii:
Sounds good. Any photos WantToSki?
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Me-ri Kurisumasu
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i just loved my weekend - skiing in Appi Kogen...
initially with only 30cm of snow, i was really worried - i had no choice but to go because of the christmas celebration package tour we took...
but lucky me - it really dumped saturday night, and by sunday morning, there was about 50cm of snow... and it just wont stop...
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hehehehe...Quote:Originally posted by ger:
Come on 'want to ski'! Where's your dedication??? 136 posts since January... that's a half days work for some.
ill try to do much better then... -
Quote:Originally posted by danc72:
You will find that when you hear pro's on dvd's talking about picking their line they are refering to riding backcountry or heli runs where there is no marked trail to follow so beforehand they have to 'pick their line' so they no where they are going and what obstacles are in their way.
If your a newbie riding resorts then your line has been picked for you in the form of a groomed marked trail.
So don't be confused, it is a term you don't need to worry about until you gain more experience and want to veer off the marked trails.thanks for the replies...Quote:Originally posted by SirJibAlot:
I usually choose the line that has the least people and will get me on the lift the fastest. At the lodge, I choose the line that has the curry and beer. And when fishing, I usually choose a strong line for catching Bass.
-SJA
actually, i initially assumed a "line" as what was noted in the first quote - but i wasnt really sure, so i posted the question [to the experts]...
however, i think i would relate more to SJA's comment... finding the route with the less crowd, less lift lines, with better snow (ie., not much bumps), etc.
it is just quite strange that i couldnt find much resource on the internet (ie., google) talking about "ski lines." a couple of books (those instructions on bumps, etc.) also delved on it but it was never clearly defined...
rant --> Nozawa Onsen Ski School Instructor literally skied with my money...
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
To all you guys, thanks for replying... Even my Japanese colleagues agree that it is within my right to complain, unfortunately, for the Japanese - it becomes the "shouganai" attitude and they just keep their mouth shut... Hehehehe... Us *gaijins*
keep complaining.
At a place like Nozawa where it's really big and takes a long time to get to the top, whats the policy on that time?
It must take 20+ minutes to get up there.....
Unlike in NZ, for example; here in Japan there are no "priority lines" for instructors/students - the time just to line up to a lift eats away at your lessons... *bummer*
I also have bad experience with one of their snowboard instructors.
My girlfriend, total beginner at the time hired a full day group lesson with them. She was complaining that she could not follow his instructions and although everyone else seemed to be doing well she kept on crashing bad. When I met her at the lunch brake and asked her to show me what she had learned, I got really pissed.
Apparently she was the only goofy rider in the group and the guy either didn’t notice or didn’t bother and since everyone else was regular was teaching her to turn switch!
I waited for him to come after lunch to continue the lesson and started “complaining”. My girlfriend said she almost felt sorry for him at the time...
On the other hand, this is not unusual in "group lessons" here in Japan. There are just too many students to handle in 2 hours that the instructor cannot look out for each and every individual. It happened to me twice (once in Naeba, and once in Happo-One), and that is why I opted for private instruction while at Nozawa.
maybe the instructor was holding back b/c he thought you wouldn't understand japanese.
if u say u can understand it. did u make that understood?
Also, if he was holding back, why would we go all the way UP to the TOP (expert/advanced runs)? If there was any indication that some communication problem would arise, wouldnt it be better to handle things in the beginner runs?
but, still, u paid 1 man yen for that? i would have ripped their head off for a full refund. f#&$ that s&'$. fts, that's a rip off. i would've asked for the kocho-sensei's boss and ripped his head off too. sounds like horrible service.
And if that Kocho-sensei (his name is noted above) does NOT get back to me tomorrow, time to call them again...
Hmmm. Did you not bring this up with him
that is poor. when you talk to the ski school, which you should soon, ask the qualifications of the instructor you had. a highly qualified instructor should know better than that. you may have gotten a rookie, used to leading little kids down the mountain, on his first private.
or you may have just gotten a prick. nonetheless that is poor quality.
yup you should definitely complain to the ski school. demand a refund, or at the very least a complimentary lesson, and ask for the ski school director to take you out.
Basically, when I booked for the lessons, it was already around 2:00PM, wherein most of the instructors are already out on the field (usual lessons begin at 1:00PM).... So, the problem may be is that HE was one of those left in the school with nothing else to do, and they just dumped him on me... *unfortunately*