![\"p2200104.JPG\"](\"http:\/\/sethandclaire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/p2200104.JPG\")
<\/a> The Swiss showing some pride after their first win.<\/p>\nI have also been seeing the inside of a climbing gym pretty regularly.\u00a0 Winterthur has one of the best publicly subsidized sports facilities I’ve ever seen.\u00a0 They have a pool (actually make that 3 pools: outdoor and indoor Olympic size pools and a 30deg C, adjustable depth, 25 m warm-up pool with a water slide), an indoor sand volleyball court, an indoor skate park, and of course, a climbing wall.\u00a0 All of this is accessible for less than $50\/mo and if you can commit to a 1 year membership it’s more like $30\/mo.\u00a0 Pretty sweet.<\/p>\n Climbing here was kind of funny at first.\u00a0 You go in and pay your fee, sign a release and they hand you a rope, and harness and say ‘viel Spass’!\u00a0 No instruction, no talk about edict, nothing.\u00a0 Then the real shock…this is a lead-climb only gym!\u00a0 There are no top ropes, so you just have to sack up and lead the climb if you want to do it.\u00a0 And it gets better, they provide all the gear, minus a belay device.\u00a0 So not only is it lead only, but you have to belay with a Munter hitch!\u00a0 These guys are hardcore.<\/p>\n As Claire pointed out to me the other day, doing things I like has lead to finding more friends.\u00a0 I met Daniel and Lucie by going skiing and then, in the same way, I met my friend Tim. I went with the Coop Ski Express to Davos, and as a telemarker was one of the first people back to the bus. The only other person at the bus was also a telemarker (go figure) and we shared some beers and got to talking. Tim has since become my weekly climbing and skiing partner.<\/p>\n As a group of fun people Daniel, Lucie, Tim and I had a pretty good time last weekend doing the Winterthur ethnic bar crawl, starting at the rasta bar and ending at the surprisingly authentic Thai karaoke bar<\/a> where the local Thai population gathers to sing love songs in their native language and drink Chang beer.<\/p>\n I think that the Vancouverites will know that the weather has been pretty screwy this year.\u00a0 In Winterthur we got basically the opposite of Vancouver.\u00a0 January was frigging freezing and even now it continues to be pretty cold.\u00a0 That said, last week was a glimpse of spring.\u00a0 The mercury hit 10deg C and with longer days it was making me ready for summer.\u00a0 However there was one last push at winter waiting for me this weekend…<\/p>\n Saturday was a total snow day here and thankfully I had gone out on a limb in the warm weather last week and planned on skiing.\u00a0 Good idea.\u00a0 Sunday was one of the best in-resort powder days I’ve had in years.\u00a0 Off-piste isn’t a European specialty and Daniel, Tim and I were able to rip up some sweet powder right off the lift!<\/p>\n I haven’t ever talked much about work because it isn’t really the point of this blog.\u00a0 However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun in its own way.\u00a0 The people that I work with are a good group. The tribology and polymers groups are6 full time engineers and 2 interns (including me).\u00a0 We sit on the 4th floor and generally have quite a bit of fun. Below are some photos.<\/p>\n<\/a> The party at the bottom of the ski run, the dome is the bar, and they set up a huge TV to watch the show.<\/p>\n<\/a> Hardcore food at the climbing wall.\u00a0 This Coke and…well…hot dog-dick can be yours for only CDN$ 8.50!<\/p>\n<\/a> Daniel in the pow.\u00a0 That is the lift at the top of the photo and this was at almost 10am…<\/p>\n<\/a> Me and Tim about to hit the sicknar.<\/p>\n<\/a> Tim, Daniel, me and Lucie at lunch.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 <\/a> Planning my 007 escape.<\/p>\n<\/a> Beers in the parking lot waiting for the bus.\u00a0 Now a regular event – and legal here.<\/p>\n<\/a> View from the bus on the way home.<\/p>\n<\/a> Zimmer ski day at Pizol.\u00a0 Daniel in the middle with my boss Thorsten on the right in the blue and red jacket.<\/p>\n<\/a> Look at that!\u00a0 Only 8,300 km home!<\/p>\n<\/a>My colleagues Eik and Christine on the way back down to Pizol. <\/span><\/p>\n