2021 In Review

2021 was the year of the house. New kitchen, flooring, furniture and entire house painted. It continues into 2022 starting Friday.

2021 also marked the return of travel-all cycling vacations. (Why does a retired guy need a vacation?) Rode South Dakota, Utah, Nevada and Death Valley, CA. We’re starting 2022 with 3 weeks in Hawaii.

I think the only gear acquisition was an EQ pedal. It was however the year I switched to 9’s on all my guitars.
 
2021 also marked the return of travel-all cycling vacations. (Why does a retired guy need a vacation?) Rode South Dakota, Utah, Nevada and Death Valley, CA. We’re starting 2022 with 3 weeks in Hawaii.
My 2021 made me much more inclined to go on tours somebody else plans and looks after the logistics for. 3 weeks might be too much for me, but I just got hooked up for 2 in Alberta/BC. That gives me until June to find some climbing legs.
Probably warm up with some Natchez Trace and Texas Hill Country.
Toying with Iceland and Norway.
 
Non PRS:
- had to pay a huge unexpected tax bill, but that was because my wife sued her former employer and won big-time.
- had to fight to get a contractor off of our house repair and paid them $1400 to do nothing
- started my YT channel “AXE-FX III Tips & Tricks” in June
- oldest granddaughter had her choice of colleges to pick from, as she is one of the top baseball players in Indiana
- let my guard down once and got COVID. So of course my wife caught it as well. She’s slowly recovering; I felt like I had a head cold for a few days

PRS:
- got an SE Custom 24-08 in early November initially because the Eriza Verde color was fascinating.
- wife found a ZM that she ordered because she loves Trampas Green. Also in November.
- wife told me to order an SE HB II w/ Piezo in Peacock Blue NOW because inventory was dwindling. Also in November
- traded my ‘06 Les Paul R9 for a McCarty 594 HB II right before Christmas

Hope Mrs Doug B recovers safely and soon.

Congrats on the PRS stuff.

Not good to hear about waste of time contractor.

My 2021 made me much more inclined to go on tours somebody else plans and looks after the logistics for. 3 weeks might be too much for me, but I just got hooked up for 2 in Alberta/BC. That gives me until June to find some climbing legs.
Probably warm up with some Natchez Trace and Texas Hill Country.
Toying with Iceland and Norway.

Always an invite to Scotland if you make it south and west of Iceland/Norway. Accommodation as well, in a very pleasant town called Alyth.
 
My 2021 made me much more inclined to go on tours somebody else plans and looks after the logistics for. 3 weeks might be too much for me, but I just got hooked up for 2 in Alberta/BC. That gives me until June to find some climbing legs.
Probably warm up with some Natchez Trace and Texas Hill Country.
Toying with Iceland and Norway.

Iceland is high on my family's list for a trip. I've already found a touring company there where I can book a guided gravel bike day ride. It became a bucket list location for me after watching some of the videos on the GCN YouTube, along with learning about Lauf Cycling.


Always an invite to Scotland if you make it south and west of Iceland/Norway. Accommodation as well, in a very pleasant town called Alyth.

The family is planning a trip there for summer 2023. I definitely want to book a gravel ride out there, too. Also inspired by the beautiful vistas shown by GCN.
 
The family is planning a trip there for summer 2023. I definitely want to book a gravel ride out there, too. Also inspired by the beautiful vistas shown by GCN.

If you want to reach out before you travel, I may be able to be of some help.

Glen Clova is certainly worth visiting. Great Walking/Biking to be had there.

 
It was the year of the bicycle for me. I got back into the sport at the end of 2020, after a few years off. Then I got hit by a truck in March and had to take a few months to recover. The plus side is it pushed me to finally dive into gravel cycling and I'm having more fun on the bike than ever. I bought three bikes this year (still awaiting delivery on one).

Guitar-wise, this was my slowest year in a decade.

I built and bought a handful of pedals early in the year. I want to keep building more, but I spent all my spare time (and fun money) nerding out on bicycles.

I think I'm actually finally satisfied with my gear. I went on a bit of a bender in 2020 and now my GAS is gone, so I resolved to reduce my guitar pile a little bit. I parted out one of my Strats and have my S2 up for sale currently. Ironically, though, I haven't had much motivation to play for several months now.
 
It was the year of the bicycle for me. I got back into the sport at the end of 2020, after a few years off. Then I got hit by a truck in March and had to take a few months to recover. The plus side is it pushed me to finally dive into gravel cycling and I'm having more fun on the bike than ever. I bought three bikes this year (still awaiting delivery on one).

Guitar-wise, this was my slowest year in a decade.

I built and bought a handful of pedals early in the year. I want to keep building more, but I spent all my spare time (and fun money) nerding out on bicycles.

I think I'm actually finally satisfied with my gear. I went on a bit of a bender in 2020 and now my GAS is gone, so I resolved to reduce my guitar pile a little bit. I parted out one of my Strats and have my S2 up for sale currently. Ironically, though, I haven't had much motivation to play for several months now.

Sucks about the accident, but way to make a positive spin on the situation.

These things are cyclical, before you know it you’ll be gassing and twanging again!
 
Deets on the Hiland, please!
Johnny Hilands are 24 fret bolt on maple neck/maple board guitars. Check out the YouTube demos. The neck pickup is a very nice single coil that becomes a humbucker when you pull up the tone knob. The bridge is only humbucker. The neck carve feels very close to a DGT to my hands. As you would expect, they’re very fine guitars that don’t exactly sound like any other PRSi. Mine loves amps with a lot of top end. Under gain, the sound is very smooth, even by PRS standards. You rarely see them come up for sale. Mine will never get sold. It stays with me to the end.
 
I didn't have 2021, and I'm not having 2022. I reject the whole concept of years. In fact, you might as well include decades and even centuries. In fact, to hell with the whole 'time' thing.

Time no longer exists for me.

There, I said it. I've turned on, tuned in, and dropped out of the time paradigm.

"Les, I hate to break it to you, but the earth revolves around the sun, and after it does that once, another year begins. There's nothing you can do about it."

"I don't have to think about it. So STFU."
 
I didn't have 2021, and I'm not having 2022. I reject the whole concept of years. In fact, you might as well include decades and even centuries. In fact, to hell with the whole 'time' thing.

Time no longer exists for me.

There, I said it. I've turned on, tuned in, and dropped out of the time paradigm.

"Les, I hate to break it to you, but the earth revolves around the sun, and after it does that once, another year begins. There's nothing you can do about it."

"I don't have to think about it. So STFU."

I like where your head's at my man!:D
 
2021….. Well, I bought a new wood library DGT from John Mann . Great guy and a great store. And such an amazing guitar….
. Sold my gold 90’s McCarty back in 2002.. only took 20 years to come back to PRS… I’m glad I did and am glad to have found this forum…..I used to belong to the original birds and moons forum but that turned into The Gear Page…. For better or worse…have a good 2022 everyone!
 
Hiya, yes, I have a Hiland, I meant details on yours, color, 10-top, etc.

Johnny Hilands are 24 fret bolt on maple neck/maple board guitars. Check out the YouTube demos. The neck pickup is a very nice single coil that becomes a humbucker when you pull up the tone knob. The bridge is only humbucker. The neck carve feels very close to a DGT to my hands. As you would expect, they’re very fine guitars that don’t exactly sound like any other PRSi. Mine loves amps with a lot of top end. Under gain, the sound is very smooth, even by PRS standards. You rarely see them come up for sale. Mine will never get sold. It stays with me to the end.
 
2021 highlights...hmmm let's see
1: made my decision to retire end of summer/fall 2022 (damn the torpedoes, I'm just doing it!)
2: 3rd track season in a row without crashing my race bike/getting busted up (happy wife, happy life)
3: decided to go ahead and order a new PRS (most everybody knows about that part) SE Hollowbody II Piezo
4: got a steal of a buy on a used electric bass (always wanted one anyway)
5: picked up a new (don't shoot me please) non-PRS/Yamaha electric acoustic to replace my Ibanez (never really did like that darn thing)
6: bought a new Katana 50 combo amp (rock/metal music players like loud right?) but still yearn for a bigger amp
7: cleaned out the basement hobby room in prep for making it my personal music room (misses wanted the spare bedroom available for when we might just have guests again)
8: made some plans back in October with a buddy (he does background mixes/tracks and recording) to lay down some vocal tracks, and hopefully some guitar licks
Nothing really ground breaking I know, but in light of the past two years, significant in my world.
 
2021 highlights...hmmm let's see
1: made my decision to retire end of summer/fall 2022 (damn the torpedoes, I'm just doing it!)
2: 3rd track season in a row without crashing my race bike/getting busted up (happy wife, happy life)
3: decided to go ahead and order a new PRS (most everybody knows about that part) SE Hollowbody II Piezo
4: got a steal of a buy on a used electric bass (always wanted one anyway)
5: picked up a new (don't shoot me please) non-PRS/Yamaha electric acoustic to replace my Ibanez (never really did like that darn thing)
6: bought a new Katana 50 combo amp (rock/metal music players like loud right?) but still yearn for a bigger amp
7: cleaned out the basement hobby room in prep for making it my personal music room (misses wanted the spare bedroom available for when we might just have guests again)
8: made some plans back in October with a buddy (he does background mixes/tracks and recording) to lay down some vocal tracks, and hopefully some guitar licks
Nothing really ground breaking I know, but in light of the past two years, significant in my world.
I think those are all great 2021 items, thanks for sharing! Congrats on all and best of luck with the tracks!! Retirement will treat you well!!!
 
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