Wrapping Up Another Year...

I'm finding it a bit difficult to believe that's it's been six months since I've posted anything. It seems as though, as soon as I made that last entry, things went sideways and the schedule went into overdrive.

Looking back at 2021, the first thing I would say is that at least it was better than 2020. But there were still things we couldn't do. People were still worried about getting Covid. I understand all of that, but I'm not exactly a fan of giving in.

Of course travel was different. My daughter and I were supposed to go to Belgium last year but, of course, Europe was pretty much locked down, as was the rest of the world. So, we decided we'd go this year, but there were still too many travel restrictions for it to be feasible.

So we made do.

Without question, the highlight of this year was the six weeks I spent on the road in April and May. The journey from St. Augustine to Boston to Seattle was pretty epic. But then to turn around and drive from Newport, Oregon back to Boston, with my kid in the passenger seat, was a gift. Sure, we got on each other's nerves from time to time, but it's a trip neither of us would ever say we wish we hadn't made. Hell, I even let her do some driving.

After returning to Florida, it seemed like mere weeks before I was working again. The college shooting gig was a bit abbreviated, but thank goodness it was robust enough to keep me from having to get, dare I say it: a regular job. Also, the magazine gig picked back up. I had been writing articles (and including photos for free), but a revamped St. Augustine Social, with a new format, has me only doing photography (which I was originally hired for) and I'm making more money with it.

And then I blinked and it was the end of February.

I was able to attend Mecum again in January and, as is always the case, the automobiles on display and up for auction were nothing short of amazing. This was also the case at the recently held Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance. The level of automobile at "The Amelia" is, generally speaking, quite a bit elevated from an event like Mecum, though, such as this 1935 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton, which was expected to sell for around $500K:

1935 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton

Or, if you like a more modern ride, perhaps this 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo "S" Package, expected to fetch around $1,200,000, is more your style:

1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 911 "S" Package

 

Now, for me, the Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance signals the star of my photographic year (Mecum notwithstanding) and, given that, this year, it coincides with the opening of Daytona Beach Bike Week so, if my luck holds out, I'll be looking forward to a busy spring...