# Skyline with a skyline



## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

From Oxford English dictionary:

*Skyline*, _noun_ outline of hills, buildings etc against the sky; Japanese sports car that turns heads and intimidates other road users. 

*******************************

The weather out here at this time of year is superb...not too cold and pretty much every day is cloud free and sunny. Out for a Sunday afternoon and here are a couple of pics of my local scenery...

*Mt. Yatsugatake.*

I heard that legend has it Mt. Yatsugatake was once as big as Mt. Fuji, but long ago the two mountains had a falling out and the result was the Yatsugatake lost its head!




















*Minami Alps*

Breathtaking moutain range that lines the western side of the valley in which I live. Completely impassable by car.



















And a few more of my local area...




























Nowhere good as the stuff Dino takes!  But, I reckon I'm getting better at this photography lark even if I do say so myself! Any comments welcome!

Dave


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## magoo (Nov 7, 2005)

NICE


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## Circusmonkey (Jul 6, 2004)

Very nice.

The one on the brigde is extra nice.


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## The Red Racer (May 21, 2004)

I really do love the plain ole' R34 Gt-R (sans V-Spec, M-Spec, etc)

Great shots dude


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

Very nice shots Dave. That's where an R34 belongs....on the twisties, not stuck in traffic in central Tokyo!!


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## Mr R32 M (Jun 12, 2004)

OMG!!!!! I'm so envious

I have a question, are the mountain roads good for a blast around near you? looks quite good in the pics from what I can see.

and do the cops patrol them regularly?

top pics mate
mark


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## xsvoid (Sep 15, 2002)

simply breathtaking.. nice shots Dave 

Umar.


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Mr R32 M said:


> OMG!!!!! I'm so envious
> 
> I have a question, are the mountain roads good for a blast around near you? looks quite good in the pics from what I can see.
> 
> ...


No cops. No traffic signals. No stop signs. And if you know where to go, no traffic too.  

Really. It's great. 5 minutes from my place and I'm in the mountains, perfect for having fun in a GTR. There is no way I could live in the cities.


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## hipogtr (Feb 17, 2002)

Sweet pics, Dave. The scenery really makes the R34 stand out. I don't know where you live, but I've never seen such empty roads in Japan!  

Cya O!


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## PcT GTR Mad (Nov 5, 2005)

Very humourous the Oxford dictionnary "... turns heads and INTIMIDATE..."
If I remember well, the Skyline R32 is called Godzilla, and R34 son of Godzilla. 

Great pics, it remembered me immediatly GTR and some interesting scenery.... 
I love the one at the Minobu Temple entrance.


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## MADsteve (Nov 25, 2004)

Great pics of a beautiful car and amazing country,

I deperately want to go back to Japan, now!!!!!!

Cheers


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Thanks for all the kind comments so far. I feel lucky to live in such a cool place, and to have a nice car in which to explore it. 

Some more snaps to give you a better idea of what Yamanashi is like...

Skyline @ sunset




























a local reservoir










another shot of that bridge. It was so quiet I was able to leave the car sat there for a good 10 minutes and no one came by! 










another bridge, not 2 minutes drive from the previous one










small shrine










temple gates










Near Mt. Fuji










Another view of Fuji in the distance



















bit of autumn color (or colour!)










and where I live!










that's all folks (lest I run outa bandwith!)


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## Bean (Oct 12, 2001)

When I go to Yamanashi it's never that quiet - where am I going wrong Dave ?


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## PcT GTR Mad (Nov 5, 2005)

Arghhhhhh... Another heart attack for the day...

Great shots, love the "autumn" one  , and Bayside Blue, you definitively convinced me to choose that colour the day I will be able to order a Skyline  .
You know, in Europe, most of the cars are black, grey and white (circa 85-90% of them), it's so pleasant to see coloured cars, but that blue is not a colour, it's The Colour, look at the reflections, I'm wondering how entertaining it is to take photos with it, Dino could tell.

About your skills Dave, they are here, no doubt of it.


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## GTRalex (Jan 21, 2005)

great shots mate!

the first pic of the second lot i like alot


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## Pulse D (Mar 26, 2005)

Dave,

Absolutely awesome shots....

You are indeed a lucky man to live in such a beautiful area of such a beautiful looking country...

Not jealous, honest....


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Bean said:


> When I go to Yamanashi it's never that quiet - where am I going wrong Dave ?


Stay out of the kofu valley is the best advice. While the traffic is nowhere near as bad as what you experience in Tokyo, Kofu is quite a big, sprawling place and it gets quite congested on weekends. The best places to explore, in terms of scenery, temples and driving enjoyment are the surround hills/mountains. I live on the very northern tip of the valley, so tend to spend a lot of time in that area. Have a look at the satelite image I downloaded and edited - it'll give you a better idea. The Fuji area is closest to you, and while there are loads and loads of great roads, it's also a very popular tourist desitination, and is always busy at weekends. If you want the deserted mountain roads, then the minobu area or anything north of Kofu is the place to be. There's also some great drives on the way to Saitama prefecture too...

Yatsugatake is also GREAT for driving, but can be busy during the summer vacation (lots of people out for bike cruises)










If you like to drive a GTR on the twisties, then IMHO there are few better places to do it (and still be within arms reach of Tokyo, Yokohama, Fuji etc)

Regards

Dave


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## Bean (Oct 12, 2001)

I'm usually stuck around the Isawa-Onsen area which is on the south side of Kofu I think ???

How about arranging a meet over your way sometime ?


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Ahh, Isawa-Osen, Yeah, it's to the south east of central Kofu, still very much in the built up area.

It would be very cool to have a meet here in Yamanashi!  

We can all arrange something at the Nismo Festival.


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

We really have to do this. Always looking for nice driving roads as I get bored quickly. Seems that for the Japanese press only 2 roads exist in Japan. Hakone Turnpike and Ashinoko Skyline!!


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## brooksie (Sep 24, 2003)

lovely shots Dave 

Dino where is the Ashinoko Skyline ? ..


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

It's where you filmed the GTRs for the NE DVD


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## nismo240sx90 (Nov 16, 2005)

beautiful car, beautiful pics!


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## Tom80 (Nov 29, 2005)

Hi everyone, I'm new here. If you guys go for a drive somewhere and don't vomit on Toyotas, I'd be there  
Have been a few times around Kofu and the minami Alps for weekend drives, but mostly stuck around Okutama/Chichibu (awfully crowded though).


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

Drove by there today. Super looking scenery around Kofu. Actually ended further down in Suwa (Nagano-ken) and got shown some of the most incredible touge roads ever!


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Ahh...Suwa city (pronounced "Sewer" ) Nothing like a sewer though...very picturesque 

Yep, we do have some good roads around here 

We'll definitely have to organise something in the not too distant future.

I've had to move some of the pics to a different host, if anyone wants to see them, just click here for the gallery.


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

The guy who took me out today said that in a few weeks the roads we were driving on (actually scratch that....travelling very sideways on!!) will be covered in lots of snow  Too bad as some were really wide and perfect for going a bit crazy on  But maybe you know of some around your area that will be clear.... Anything nice in the minami Alps area?


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Yeah, there are some good roads here, but as with the better ones to the north, they'll be covered in snow soon. As I write this, I can see the Alps out of my window and they've already got a light covering of snow on them...


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

Ah well...guess it'll have to be in spring then.


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## paul creed (Feb 18, 2003)

Demon Dave said:


> . As I write this, I can see the Alps out of my window and they've already got a light covering of snow on them...


 Thats it Dave, rub it in mate....


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## Tom80 (Nov 29, 2005)

Went to Yamanakako for the weekend...Saturday was great:smokin: but sunday...we got stuck in the snow going uphill without winter tires 
2 gaijins feeling stupid with 2 supras (sorry no GTRs ) stopped on the shoulder


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## Bean (Oct 12, 2001)

Hope you didn't get stuck up there for too long.
Weather was really bad on Sunday - and changed very quickly too, so I'm sure lots of people were caught out.


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## Tom80 (Nov 29, 2005)

Almost 2 hours  it was getting really dark...Then we got towed uphill by those big yellow Land Cruisers. Lots of cars got stuck as well, and a drift-tuned S15 ended up in a fence  But it was really beautiful with all this snow


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

Tom80 said:


> but sunday...we got stuck in the snow going uphill without winter tires


I know the feeling...I had fun a couple of years ago in my GTS trying to get up the slightest of inclines after a heavy snow fall....  

it's a bit worrying when no matter what you do, the car only wants to slide backwards.... 

and a bit embarrassing too, when you've got a dozen cars waiting behind you wondering what the hells the problem!  

   worn sports tyres, RWD and snow = big no no


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## Tom80 (Nov 29, 2005)

> worn sports tyres, RWD and snow = big no no


I definitely have to buy a GTR if they agree to raise my salary up 
How does it drive in the snow?? I've tried a few here in Japan, but never on twisty snowy roads.


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## Demon Dave (Sep 15, 2002)

never driven a GTR in the snow, but by all accounts it handles quite well...


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## DCD (Jun 28, 2001)

It's alright but with fat tyres all round it isn't exactly chuckable...lots of fun if you find an empty car park to play in


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