Instagram – Best of 2021

It has become routine – each year many Instagram users create a mosaic of their Top, or Best (i.e. Most ‘Liked’) images.

Ok – I followed that bandwagon and did it too. I really don’t cafe about the total number of likes for each images or how many followers I gained in 2021.

For me – it is more the curiosity of which images were selected. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Top Row (left to right)

“Staycation” in Ivvavik National Park. Beautiful landscape, great Parks Canada staff, wildlife (dall sheep, wolf – no bears 🙂 (June 30, 2021).

2) Inaugural use of the 23zero RTT on the FJ80. October 30, first night of really cold – snow and small lakes were frozen the next morning. Totally comfortable in the 23Zero Walkabout RTT. Next trip might install the winter liner and use the Propex heater. (Oct 30, 2021).

After a long day in my office – (read cubicle land), I grabbed beer and headed to my outdoor office. Caught the sunset too. And – yes, a horribly over processed photo. Unfortunately it does a great job showing all the dents and wrinkles on my old truck (and my face too). Such is life, an accumulation of dents and wrinkles, each with an interesting story.(March 16, 2021).

Middle Row (left to right)

-43C (-45F) sunrise. I probably won’t be spinning my wheels today – no plans to start a car or biking. Instead – hanging out near the woodstove with a glass or two of a fine drink and a good book. (Feb 6, 2021).

Same truck (2017 & 2021). 1974 Toyota FJ55 Landcruiser. Still running strong – except for the paint:-). Better patina some say. Thanks to @the_cruiser_cult for picture. (Nov 14, 2021).

Enjoying the-36 Celcius sunset on the ice road. (Jan 24, 2021).

 

Bottom Row (left to right)

Winter camping with a “23 Zero” rooftop tent at 23 below Zero (Celsius). Heated with a Propex HS2800 heater built into a recycled metal box. Brown box supports exhaust pipes. Version 2 will use a simple bench instead of the brown box. Set up takes less than 10 minutes.(Jan 9, 2021).

Thanks to Aaron for taking me off roading in the new to me 1973 FJ55 ‘Iron Pig’ and with the new to him (formerly mine) 1999 4runner that he has since added 1980’s style stripes. Photo credit- Aaron Perrott. (Aug 16, 2021).

This got delivered today. For those that don’t know what it is – 1981 BJ60 Toyota Landcruiser. Well – sort of. The back end was cut off and converted into this. It has a few rusty parts, a few broken parts. It was a daily driver. Yes, this 40 year old truck needs a bit of TLC. It will probably never go faster than 70 km/hr (45 mph), it won’t win any drag races, and it certainly won’t win any awards for comforts. It is what it is.
I was still in elementary school when this truck hit the road, and my kids are nearly finished high school. That’s cool.
Should I have bought a 2021 truck loaded with all the gadgets and gizmos ?.
(May 5, 2021).

 

Clearly, viewers ‘Like’ Toyota trucks; 3rd generation 4runners (x2), landcruisers (x5), including 1973 Fj55, 1982 chopped BJ60, 1991 FJ80.

Summer (x4), Winter (x4), Fall (x1)

People x1 (me)

The last one, People x1 (me) resonates. No images of other people, no images of canoe trips, no images dinner parties, or other social events. The sad truth is that there were very, very few social events during 2021. Blame it on the Covoid19 pandemic Has everyone become a social recluse ?. Does everyone keep to themselves ?. Have we become a population of introverts ?

Or – is there something else ?

As I write this, a friend is a no-show for a coffee catch up.  Another friend, we were going to get together while walking their dog – two days ago. A couple of reminders along the way – and nothing. I could include a couple more examples – It it makes you wonder – is it Covoid and a fear of getting sick from someone else ?, or people don’t know how to socialize,or is there something else ?.  Maybe that helps to put vehicle obsession into perspective – vehicles break but don’t bail.