Many have asked me about the status and the restart of the LHC since I am back at CERN.
So to wrap it up a little … the official CERN statement [press release] is still, that we foresee to have first beams in the LHC at the end of September this year, with collisions following in late October!
As far as ATLAS is concerned we will have most parts of the machine up and running already starting this month for commissioning and cosmic data taking …
Thanks to all who remembered …
Thanks for all the good wishes and such things …
Even though I am not in Berlin these days, there will of course be a party! Most likely I will make up for it in July, maybe August!
For those in and around Geneva, there might be one next weekend … details will follow.
Those who forgot, will have their chance to compensate by bringing large and expensive gifts ;)
Hiking in the snow
It’s been two nice days of hiking in the Jura and the Alpes … we almost made it to Reculet near Thoiry (Jura mountains) and all the way up to La Laitemaire (Alpes) … in both cases the snow was our biggest enemy. For the latter tour we couldn’t even find the track on the way down … and due to the loose hip-high snow we ended up sliding down snowfields, crossing avalanche fields and walking in ankle deep mud … hmm!
Nice experience and definitely a good test for our new shoes ;)
The picture is from the Reculet Thoiry hike (one of the nice parts without snow).
Home sweet home!
Looks like I found a place to stay for the rest of my three months at CERN today.
A place in Thoiry shared with the owner of the house.
And I can see the top of Europe, the Mt. Blanc, and the lake from my window … ahh!
Snowboooaaarding! [Update]
Aaahhhh … what a day … I finally managed to go snowboarding for the second time this season … hmm … beautiful place (Verbier) and beautiful weather … but now I am destroyed …
Great day that was almost not going to happen, since my board was caught in a basement where everyone that had a key to it was gone over the weekend … man … but luckily Esben was so nice to borrow me his board to save the day … thanks man!
[Update]
I just remembered to mention that I even jumped out of the lift to get the real off-piste experience … rock on!