DJ Wes has been climbing Japan's 100 famous mountains (Hyakumeizan) over the last five years. This is the final peak, Mt. Hijiri, Southern Alps, Elevation 3013 meters. Wes was accompanied by his wife Kanako and friends Yuuki and Fumito.

Video by Alex Brooke.

Posted by Rob.

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Posted by Rob.

Just like the flyer says, "Jerry Gordon plays small chords in a dark room," Friday, 31 October 2008 from 5:30 p.m. at Cypher Cafe in Morinomiya, Osaka.

Posted by Rob.

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[notes to be edited, please stand by]

Italians for life bans on doping.
La Gazzetta
L'Equipe
Lombary won by Cunego
Vino comeback? We don't think so!
Lance, Alberto (Lance for the 2009 Tour, or the Giro, or both?)
New 2009 Tour route announced.
Mont Ventoux stage the next-to-last stage.
Japan Cup.
The new Norvilleintro might sound familiar...


Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, O Irmão da Xuxa, Hans, El Gringo, Rob, cycling, cyclisme, ciclismo, radsport, bicycle, race, Auckland, New Zealand, Hagerstown, Maryland, Japan Cup

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Another little treat from Norville. When Andrew heard it, he blurted out, "(Norv) sounds like Tom Waits' and Leonard Cohen's love child."

Posted by Rob.

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Here's another vid from Auckland's Gabriel White.

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, Gabriel White, Aucklantis, DVD, exhibition, Kiwi, artist, videographer, camera, video, YouTube, Korea, Seoul, Tongdo, Fantasia, ASB, Queen Street, Wellesley, corner, Auckland, New Zealand

Another clever little flash animation by Sir Alex Brooke which you can find more of at Prapatang World.

Posted by Rob.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!! Or at least we were supposed to...

This one was recorded on a Thursday just before the Moon Festival weekend awhile back. Check your Asian calendars...

Requested by Coffeebot3000.

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, makikomo.com, Alex Brooke, Rob, el gringo, Hadron Collider

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Some will remember this podcast as the October surprise. Introducing Stone River!

Stone River of Learn Japanese Pod forum ilk has met up with us (um, me) on Skype and we recorded this podcast, which might get edited after Stone gives it a listen. Many groovy tag words will follow as soon as I can read the notes I've been taking while listening to this recording.

Photo: A pair of Maricks (Palin and http://norville.uber.com/greatest_hits">Parchment).

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, Stone River, Bicicleteiros, filter, Coffeebot3000, The Barge Inn, bar, pilots, flight attendant, air hostess, stewardess, Kagurazaka, Narita, Tokyo, Japan, Auckland, New Zealand, October surprise

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Posted by Rob.

p.s. I'll ask Alex to upload this in a higher quality .m4v format or something you can download on iTunes and/or play on your iPod/iPhone/whatever thing you may use.

This just in from the creators of Learn Japanese Pod. Ladies and gentlement, Ben and Alex!



Posted by Rob.

Video: Bicicleteiros archives - On safari in Nebraska, 3 July 2007.

Random notes (work in progress):

I watched Ewan McGregor in Deception this weekend. Speaking of deception, Frank Schleck has been suspended having sought gynecological treatment chez le docteur Fuentes. Ullrich likes Lance's chances. If Jan believes, then so do we! Meanwhile, Huey Lewis is back in the studios cutting a techno remix of the 80s classic "I Want a New Drug." Et pourquoi pas?

Hans cites a the doping related incident at the World Championships--The usual drug raid that goes down every time the veloboys are back on Italian soil. Something about Benoit Joachim's oxygen tent raising suspicions, um, the dude sleeps in an O₂ tent. Nothing suspicious here. Michael Jackson used to live in an amusement park and sleep with his pet monkey. Everyone move along, please. Nothing to see here...

Anyway, Ballan won World's, and we're cool with that. Some crybaby Russian or Ukrainian was on the wrong wheel in the finishing stretch and couldn't repeat his silver or bronze of last year, which had probably just been a fluke anyway. Where did I read that? I can't find the story now.

Last Saturday, I was romping around Rangitoto Island, hiking up the extinct volcano, taking videos of fantail (a species of bird) up around the crater, and later a stingray and a blue penguin in the waters at the foot of the volcano. Topped it off with tea and scones with fresh cream. A lovely day was had. Ferry boat info: http://www.cadabra.com/Services/SERDetail.aspx?SER_ID=7435

On Sunday, I did the coast to coast walk, connecting the dots between the Waitemata Harbour on the east side, and Manukau Harbour on the west. The walk itself follows a north to south trajectory from downtown Auckland through the Domain, up Mt Eden, down the other side, and up One Tree Hill (which gave U2 a song title) and then down again to Onehunga Park.

Attention! Attention all CSC and former CSC riders involved in Operación Puerto. It's time for a roll call: Ivan Basso, Tyler Hamilton, Frank Schleck and who else? Fabio Cancellara? All present and accounted for? Look, guys, if you're going to dope, we suggest you either ride for different teams, or don't all ride so damn well at the same time. Hans suggests that may be the reason why Sastre is choosing this occaision to cut and run from Riis & Co. Might be a little too late. Ever heard the story in the Bible of Lotz wife? (sic) Just don't look back!

Can you hear the Tui bird?

Rob is reading Major, as in Major Taylor now. If they had it back then, over 100 years ago, what makes you think they're not doping now, with 100x greater methods?

Top 8 finishers in the Volta a Portugal were riders implicated in Operación Puerto: Francisco Mancebo, Santiago Pérez, Eladio Jiménez, David Blanco, Isidro Nozal, Rubén Plaza, Koldo Gil, David Bernabeu...

Riccardo Riccò "was expecting more sympathy'' for his stupidity involving EPO positives and hanging out with pariah-for-life Carlito Santuccione. Henceforth, he will be referred to on Bicicleteiros as as Rico Suave.

The Learn Japanese Pod forum's beer thread blends brew and cycling.

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, Hans, El Gringo, O Irmão da Xuxa, Riccardo Riccò, Rico Suave, ciclismo, cyclisme, radsport, Hagerstown, Maryland, Auckland, New Zealand

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