Silas Sticks to Walls

We finally found the sport that Silas' just chews up. He may not be focused on skateboarding or surfing, like Jasper, but this boy can stick to walls. He had been asking to climb a couple times recently so after Jasper's indoor soccer game on Sunday we walked across the street to the SF indoor climbing gym called Mission Cliffs. We got him shoes and stuck him on the rope and he went up at least 10 times. He would ask to come down if he needed a break and then jumped up the same climb finishing it. He went up steep and overhanging walls too. He also wanted to try the bigger walls down stairs and made it 3/4 up a long one after two tries. And most of all, he has finesse and grace, he looks natural as he shifts his weight around, moves his feet up, and finds the best route. Last night when we wrestled before bedtime, he tried climbing moves on me. His mind piecing it all together SO quickly.

SILAS SAYS: I climbed walls 30 feet high. I tried a climb a bigger wall. I almost got to the top. Big Wheeling used to be my favorite sport, but then I went to the climbing gym and climbing was my favorite sport. I will go back to the climbing gym because my dad went on a date with Jasper to Tahoe and now I get a date with my dad and its gonna be at the climbing gym. And at my birthday I am going to the climbing gym.

Yodel in Adelboden

Finishing the second day of three in this alpine wonderland village called Adelboden in the Swiss Alps. Set in a small valley surrounded by snow covered peaks, this area is a playground for the Swiss and many others, sledding, hiking skiing, paragliding, ice hockey and more. Adelboden is more off the beaten track of alpine tourism, most go to Grindelwald to be near the Eiger, or to France for even bigger terrain and snobbery. My local business contacts recommended this town and even joined me for a couple days.

In the heart of the Hanenmoos-Silleren ski area.

The weather has been balmy with crystal clear blue skies. From the hotel it is a short stroll to the cable car down to the main cable car to get into the heart of the Hanenmoos-Silleren ski area. From there I snowboarded down to the side of the next valley near the town of Lenk. I enjoyed the first day of skiing with a friend of a friend from work who drove here overnight from the UK. An aussie, brit, and american, plenty of accents to go around and confuse the locals. Today I boarded alone and really found more ways to surf the mountain. One more work week after tomorrow with 4 cities: Munich, Dresden, Prague, and Paris, then home. My heart is starting to miss home.

View from the hotel room in Adelboden.

Say "cheese"

I am here in Bern Switzerland again for work. Staying at a nice hotel in the old downtown a block from the river. Wonderful cobblestone streets, great food, and of course cheese. The whole group took a 40 minute bus ride to the Emmental region to get our fill of cheese. This included hand making Emmental cheese (swiss cheese) over a wood-burning fire in a building built in 1742. The cheese will age for 4-6 months and then be shipped to our offices to enjoy this summer. Since we had not had enough cheese we went to a traditional fondue restaurant and enjoyed, more cheese, a meal of only bread and hot, melted cheese. Bread and cheese, that's it... and wine.

The curds become a round.

Andrew does fondue.

A sweet little poem

Just another board sport

JASPER SAYS: Snowboarding was fun because it's kind of like skateboarding and surfing, and I like to surf and skate. This was my first time snowboarding, I took an all day lesson with Elijah. I learned to turn pretty well. I am level 2.5, which means I can can turn but I can't link turns yet. Linking turns is when you connect toe turns and heel turns. I am never going to ski again, I am only going to snowboard.

DADA SAYS: last year when the big change happened and I upgraded my vehicle, I made the promise to myself, that Jasper and I would learn to snowboard this season. I am enjoying it immensly and now Jasper is hooked. I can't wait until we are carving the slopes together. While Japser and I were at Tahoe, Silas spent a special day with Gramma Ila.

Ari's UCSC Home Swim Meet

Got to spend some time today with Ariel and George at the UCSC Aquatics Center where Ari had her final home meet of her first year at Santa Cruz. She is a long distance swimmer and I got to see her in the 1000 and 500 yard freestyle. She broke her own personal records. I enjoyed an evening and morning surf at 26th avenue (big and fun) with the Gerlachs and then a freezing cold surf with Elijah, Joel, and Jasper in Pacifica. Tonight I get to see the Foo Fighters at the Oakland Coliseum. Another action packed weekend, and it is not even half over.