New Watch – Casio Baby-G BGD-501-1JF

Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/30 sec, ISO500
“Baby-G” Cedar Park, 2021

For my birthday, I treated myself to a new watch: the Casio Baby-G BGD-501-1JF. I’ve always thought Baby-Gs (women’s version of the G-Shock) were really cool ever since Mariko had one back when I first met her in the late 90s, and lately I’ve seen the G-Shock black-out version which looks really cool. However, it’s a large watch for my 6.75-inch wrist (plus I have a couple other large watches already).

Enter the Baby-G version of the black-out watch. It’s pretty much the same design except in a slightly smaller package. I think it’s the perfect size for my wrist! And like the big brother G-Shocks, this particular Baby-G has 200-meter water resistance (most Baby-Gs have 100-meter). It also has the little wire guard that should offer more protection from scratches.

There are a couple of cons to the Baby-G, though. First, the display is a bit hard to read sometimes. That’s just a tradeoff for having a black-out style. Secondly, the light doesn’t stay on long enough. I think it should stay on for at least three seconds, but this Baby-G’s light stays on for only one. Not a huge deal, but still annoying.

All in all, I love my new watch. It’s definitely the most comfortable watch I own (even compared to my lighter Casio W800H-1AV). It sits so well on my wrist that I often forget I am wearing it and wake up to realize that I’ve worn it all night. That would never happen with my beloved Seiko SKX-007. 😁

To make room for the new watch, I have put an older Casio I have up for sale. No takers so far, but we’ll get it sold someday!

Dietz Lantern

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO800
“Dietz Lantern” Cedar Park, 2021

Behold! Our new lantern arrived! It’s an old-fashioned hurricane lantern that uses lamp oil as fuel. I have LED lanterns/lights, a propane lantern, but have never owned an oil lamp/lantern before. This particular model is a Dietz #30 “Little Wizard”, and I love it.

Oil lanterns work similarly to candles, with a wick (this lantern has a 5/8″ wide cloth wick) and fuel (wax for the candle, lamp oil for the lantern). The light output of the lantern is not nearly as bright as a propane or LED lantern but the light from the flame is much nicer and more soothing. It’s actually perfect for keeping on the picnic table since it adds so much ambience, can illuminate the table adequately, and is absolutely silent. In addition, if you use citronella oil, it can keep the mosquitos away.

There are plenty of videos out there describing the operation of oil lanterns, so check them out if you are curious. As for me, I’m hooked on these wonderful old lanterns and will definitely be bringing this “Little Wizard” on our next car camping trip to enhance the campsite.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 20.5mm, f/3.2, 1/70 sec, ISO3200
“Dietz Lantern” Cedar Park, 2021

Grill Mount for Hands-Free GoPro Footage

“Rossa” Cedar Park, 2021

This afternoon Rossa and I went out for a ride and I used the Pro Standard Grill Mount 2.0 which is something that a couple YouTubers I follow use. It’s basically a mount that you bite down on and the GoPro is situated in front of your chin. This allows you to control the viewing angle similar to a helmet mount – the frame of view matches the direction your face is pointing. The advantage over the helmet mount is that with the Grill Mount, you can quickly remove the mount and hand-hold the GoPro (the mount also acts as a nice handle). No need to unscrew the camera off of a standard mount, which can be a pain.

Of course there are a couple of cons. Firstly, since the camera is right next to your mouth, the GoPro’s built in microphone will pick up sounds of hard breathing. Secondly, I think it looks really strange. This is something I think I can just get used to, especially since on a bicycle, if someone does notice the GoPro, it’s only for a few seconds. No need for awkward eye-contact or conversation.

Do I think the Grill Mount is the ultimate solution? No, not for the videos I am making. But it’s definitely a nice addition to add some variety to the standard chest-mount view. And it’s already giving me more ideas and options to branch out on how I shoot my videos.

Please give today’s ride a watch below if you have a few minutes. Thanks!