Kingofmyrrh

I must admit I am glad to hear that it was not just me getting bogged down at times... I felt like I wanted to add 10-15 degrees of slope to all my usual stepness preferences to get a nice smooth ride. Suddenly the whole snorkel thing doesn't seem like such a joke... bring on the next storm! (But this time with snow tyres).

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver Originally Posted By: NPM pics????????????? I am absolutely shattered though, even now!! Last year I was in pretty good condition at the start of the season, but this year I have done no ski-specific training. I used to think that squats were pretty good for the thighs, but having spent a considerable portion of my weekend time trying to drag thick skis up to the surface from the depths of the powder ocean I think I have found the new leg-burner. Stairs are not fun today!

Are you a US citizen samurai? You should check whether your country has a reciprocal agreement on pensions - I am from the UK, and any contributions I have made will be counted as contributions to the UK pension scheme if/when I go back. It's actually a pretty neat arrangement. I know that there are other countries that have it, but I couldn't tell you which ones off the top of my head.

Definitely thinking about Kagura as well. Have a mate I took up who skied for the first time ever and loved it, may come up with him. Still at the consideration stage though.

Originally Posted By: tsondaboy What time were you back at the lodge on Saturday kin? I left around 6 in the afternoon, too bad we didn't meet last weekend. Must have got in about half six... just missed each other!

Snow at Happo yesterday was almost too much for me... thanks to some city-boy incompetence (thanks Hiro!) our group only got up there at about midday yesterday, but my body was still in pain from digging myself out of the powder on Saturday and we arrived just in time for the sun, so actually it was great. Got lucky and didn't take any tumbles near flatter bits... wading through that stuff to the next steep section would have been torturous.

I bumped into him at his hotel on Saturday - we found out too late that it was a private party... sorry about that!

Tomorrow is going to be good!

Here are some older threads we might include. Anyone else have some? First BC! http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Main/5585/Number/98579#Post98579 Educational! http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Main/5707/Number/100997#Post100997 Samurai's good posture makes me jealous! http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Main/5821/Number/102913#Post102913

Last time I went it was 4,600 tolls each way and then about 4,000 fuel.

Adaptation with Nicholas Cage is a great film in my opinion!

Ah... we will drive up v early sat morning and leave sunday evening. Are you getting any runs in on Sat morning?

Originally Posted By: tsondaboy No I ll be in hakuba. How about next weekend TB? We will have to ask kin when is good for him also. I am staying at FT's place in Hakuba this weekend. Have some beginner friends with me that I will need to look after at some point, but we should catch a couple of runs sometime! I am always up for Kagura - when I'm not in Hakuba!

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver I've just noticed that snow is forecast for the end of this week, maybe I'll head back up that way again, but this time check out Tashiro. SJF, you don't know how much a taxi ride would be from Yuzawa eki do you? If I have to take the later train I'd rather not wait in the long bus line again I paid 2,800 from Mitsumata to Echigo Yuzawa station on Sunday evening - and in my tired but happy state it was worth every yen.

Yeah, I will crank up gradually... right now a prerelease is just a bit of an annoyance, whereas a non-release could be somewhat worse. I weigh about 70kg now, surfing this summer/autumn seems to have made me slightly less skinny... but still a lightweight.

On my first day this season I got a big surprise from a hump I didn't see. Managed not to stack it but in the process of landing gave myself a bit of a knee in the chin. Chin bar might have been useful then...

I kind of wish I had bought a full face as well actually. But for the time being a top lid is better than nought I guess.

Yeah... get on that train and fall asleep immediately. I've yet to find the Japanese conductor that dare wake the beast!

I'm pretty sure you can... I didn't get to the travel shop in time this weekend so I had to settle for the 10,700 return (no pass included) which is obviously not as good, but I am fairly sure that the deal is available.

On the 24th drove from Azabu in central Tokyo. 2.5 there in good conditions.... 4.75 coming back in hideous traffic. That was why I quite liked the shinkansen this week. You can sleep on the way home instead of being terrified of falling asleep at the wheel. But no early lift...

Yes, was weekend only. TB, do you mean Fujisawa as in Kanagawa? That must be quite a drive...

I shall have to have a chat with him!

Mount them up! You won't be sorry. I can't wait to test them out again this weekend at Hakuba. Hmmm... I think I have my DIN at either 7 or 7.5. You are taller and heavier than me, but even so maybe I need to ramp them up a little. One thing I have read on both TGR and Epic is that some people have had the following problem with Dukes: on the first time they set their DIN, they get pre-release. Going home, they reset, but still pre-release. After resetting them a third time (to the same setting as originally) they have absolutely no problem. Seems they can sometimes need a couple of goes to

As I used the skis for the first time yesterday, thought I might share some thoughts. I spent ages preparing them with base waxes etc, basically following the online Swix guide. It wasn't difficult at all, but it was a fairly laborious process... happily it shouldn't take so long to wax them again now that I've spent time prepping the base. When I first strapped them on they did feel a touch clumsy... I was a little concerned that I'd gone and spent a big wodge of cash on a couple of 2-by-4s. However as I got into them and started to make some turns with a little more speed (pretty tricky

Yes, without a doubt. The lucky bastards!!