My Tripods in 2022

I’ve experimented with many tripods over the past 2 years. CRITICAL gear as I mostly travel solo and want to take photos and videos of myself while adventuring.

Weight and volume are super important. I can take them all on some bikepacking trips. But for hiking, I usually only take two of the smallest. All of these tripods can hold any of my 3 small cameras.

My favourite is the Miggo Splat. Super tough. Very reliable. BUT I did manage to break one.

Even better — but not as durable — is the Fotopro uFO 2.

Like the Splat, it can wrap around fence posts, tree branches, almost anything.

Least likely to make a hiking or bikepacking trip is my Neewer 56 inches/142 centimeters tripod. It’s good — but 2.73 pounds/1.24 kilograms is often too heavy.

I’m not much of a selfie stick guy, but the new-to-me 3m / 9ft Insta360 Extended Edition Selfie Stick has me intrigued. I MIGHT even end up getting one of their expensive Action Cameras.

I’ll often take it along despite the 365gm / 12.8oz load.

I bought the lightest JOBY GorillaPod I could. Only 325 Grams. But it’s pretty flimsy for anything more than a phone camera. I’ve never had much luck with JOBY. Those arms break easily.

So far I’m really liking my new DJI Mini SE drone. Until I crash it 🤔 … drone footage can replace tripod for long establishing shots.

Shooting video of yourself when alone can be tricky. Here’s how I’m doing it, so far.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

OVER the Handle Bars … 🚲

My Trek Checkpoint bike is still like new.

Today I flipped over the handlebars. First time ever, I believe.

I was wearing my helmet. But — happily — the Gymnastics training kicked in and I pulled off a shoulder safety roll with perfect technique. No damage. Helmet never hit the dirt.

What happened?

I was on level ground. Easy riding. INSTANT stop.

My fender somehow came loose and wedged behind the tire.

Weird. I’d never heard of this happening before.

It’s still on warranty so I’ll have the dealer fix it.

My bike dropper post with 🧐SUSPENSION

  • USD $199.00 Dropper Post (including shipping from California)
  • CAD $128.00 Wolf Tooth handlebar lever
  • CAD $102.90 Installation including cables

The only thing that worried me about my new Trek Checkpoint ALR 4 backpacking rig is lack of suspension. It’s supposed to have some suspension in the carbon fork — but I still find it a lot stiffer than my old hard tail Ghost.

One way to add suspension is with a special saddle. Makes sense.

When I first heard about this unique product — the PNW Coast Suspension Ext Dropper Post — I started research in earnest.

Dropper posts allow riders to quickly lift and lower their saddle without the need to dismount and loosen the quick-release seat clamp.

The PNW Coast Suspension External Dropper Post is the first suspension dropper post, combining ride smoothing suspension and the benefits of a dropper into one seatpost.

The post comes with 100mm or 120mm of drop travel. It is perfect for XC mountain biking, gravel riding, bikepacking, commuting, and much more.

So far I’m LOVING the ability to quickly and easily raise and lower the saddle, even while riding. I now have 3 different handbag placements and multiple seat positions.

But I still don’t have as much suspension as I’d like.

Click PLAY or see how it works on YouTube.

Click PLAY or see a review on YouTube.

Here’s a review from someone who rides in my own style. Gravel. Bikepacking.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

DJI Mini SE Drone Test #1

I tried and failed to fly a DJI Spark drone when it was released 2017. Did not once get it off the ground. It was a dead weight on my Patagonia trip that year.

In 2021 the (Mavic) Mini SE is their entry level model. CAD $349. … How long before I break it? 😀

I’ve either gotten a lot smarter — or their drones are much easier to operate now.

Click PLAY or watch the 1st flight on YouTube.

My Bike Helmet Mirror

I’d always been a skeptic of helmet mirrors: Easily breakable. And WHY would I be riding in traffic?

BUT so far I’m quite happy with the EVT Safe Zone Bicycle Helmet Mirror:

  • quickly removable
  • looks very durable
  • adjustable with one hand
  • more relaxed with assurance about what’s coming up behind
  • easier to decide when to cross the road
  • 100% made in the USA

The largish mirror makes it easier to see what’s coming. But it’s nowhere near as good as a car mirror.

AND it’s quite expensive. About CAD $90.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Lisbon, Portugal in November

I arrived Lisbon Nov. 2nd, 2021my birthday. During a pandemic.

My excuse was ESSENTIAL TRAVEL 😶 to get a dental implant done. Expen$ive — but excellent. And finished within 2 weeks. A dental holiday.

Click PLAY or watch highlights on YouTube. (3min)

I avoided museums and restaurant because PLAGUE — but ordered out from famed Time Out Market at least 6 times.

Tourists love Lisbon.

Fantastic street art for pretentious influencers. 😀

I stayed at Sunset Destination. Not the best hostel in town, but definitely the best located. On top of a train station transportation hub. AND they have a great rooftop patio.

I walked more than on a typical hiking day. There’s much to see. Many viewpoints to visit.

Belém Tower
Monument to the Discoveries
Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch

Santa Justa elevator
Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology (MAAT)

I really liked climbing the Christ statue at sunset.

Cristo Rei

I’ll be back in Lisbon next Spring to get my implant installed.

Cycling Portugal

I rode Portugal November 2021. November is considered off-season. There were very few tourists.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Cycling Alentejo and the Algarve is very popular, especially with German tourists.

For me Alentejo was much better. Very undeveloped. Low population density.

The Algarve is overdeveloped. And not in any way more scenic.

Weather was good. But I did have one BIG rainstorm.

I mostly followed the EuroVelo 1 Atlantic Coast Route using an app called Mapy.cz recommended to me by two Polish cyclists. Other cyclists recommended RideWithGPS. I’ll try that on my next trip.

It’s not much signed. Not clear. The EV1 in France — by comparison — is well signed and much better maintained.

I was quick to go off route if something looked interesting either left or right. Ended up getting lost and having to backtrack quite often.

With a week long touring bike rental from BikeIberia here’s what I ended up doing:

Lisbon > train to Setubal > ferry to Costa de Gale
Night 1 – Small room beside a small town bar in Comporta
Night 2 – Great hostel in Porto Covo
Night 3 – Tenting near Odeceixe
Night 4 – Great hostel in Sagres (huge rain storm)
Night 5 – Sagres
Night 6 – Hostel Portimao
Night 7 – Great hostel in Faro

Cost was about 30 EUR (US$33.85) / day for 7 days. Cost / day is less if you book for longer.

That included a good bike, well maintained. Helmet, handlebar bag, 2 waterproof panniers, toolkit, spare tube, pump and lock.

BEST of all — you can drop the bike anywhere you want in Portugal and Spain at no cost. The company picks it up on your last day. Brilliant.

Click PLAY or watch an EV1 promo video on YouTube.

I’m already considering riding one of the Camino de Santiago routes in future. Perhaps Lisbon to Santiago along the coast.

I slept most nights in a hostel, the best of which was MUTE in Porto Covo, where I had started my Fisherman’s Trail hike the week prior.

sunset from the MUTE hostel balcony

I would have slept in the tent more often, BUT nights are long in November. And it was colder than I expected.

In general, I took the scenic route closest to the Atlantic.

Beaches in November are deserted.

I ate one restaurant meal a day.

Free coffee at the hostels. Or on the trail.

I’d detour to tourist attractions.

I easily finished at Faro within my 7-day rental. Probably the least charming town en route.

Small coastal villages are best for me.

I’ll be back to Portugal / Spain to rent AGAIN from the same Lisbon based company. This is the easiest way in the world to do cycle touring.