I Declare!

I declare today to be the first day of summer! Wow! The morning was chilly but switched to blue skies and warm air in the afternoon. It must be those föhn winds. I went on a bike ride to Bodensee and the locals were out in full force. Today is also the beginning of Daylight Savings time which is one of my favourite days of the year. That extra hour of evening sunlight cheers me up. Now I can go cycling after work!

Yesterday I went hiking with Magnus and Mika just over the border in Austria (photos). It was a steep climb with single-track and lots of ice. Nearing the top of the climb we had deep snow and a great view over the Rheintal. Fantastic! We also discussed camping, biking, and hiking in Ticino over the Easter break. I'm looking forward to that weekend.

After the hike I went to Bischofszell to pick up my bike. The bike looked brand new and it was a pleasure to ride home. I bought a pair of Windstopper cycling pants for the cooler and wetter days on my upcoming tour. I still have a few more things to buy including camping gear, rain covers for my shoes, and a trailer.

Last week I received wonderful news from Cape Town: Erin Meyer, my niece, was born. Heartfelt congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law. They picked a wonderful name and I look forward to meeting her when I visit later this year.

I'm starting with panoramic photography after being inspired by the amazing photographs at arounder.com. I already have most of the required camera equipment, but I still need to get a panoramic tripod head and software. In a few weeks I should have a nifty panorama gallery of St. Gallen online. Stay tuned.