My uncle used an old camera lens on a tripod for years. He got way better shots of the Milky Way from his farm than I ever did with my newer stuff from the suburbs. Just a matter of getting away from all the streetlights.
Twenty two tries? I would have given up and assumed my telescope was broken after maybe five. That's some serious dedication right there. The Veil is no joke, even with decent gear. Makes finally seeing it that much sweeter, I guess.