On this “episode” of 67 Designs Customer Spotlights, where we share the stories of some of our customers, we get to know Mark Miller. Born in San Diego, CA, Mark was raised in Tijuana, Mexico but has since returned to southern California and once again calls San Diego home. He works in logistics for a government contractor and has a side hustle selling electronics and home goods on Amazon. When not working, he enjoys traveling with his girlfriend.
Proud owner of: 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4x4.
Featured upgrades: Mark’s Tacoma is outfitted out with the following gear...
- C4 Hybrid front bumper
- Factor 55 Flatlink
- Smittybilt 10,000 lb winch
- Baja designs 30” S8 light for bumper
- Baja Designs squadron sport and S1 for bumper
- Morimoto headlights
- Morimoto tail lights
- Fabzone Skid plates
- Fabzone rock sliders
- Dirt King lower control arms
- King Shocks 2.5 Lift
- Icon Dynamics tubular upper control arms
- Eibach 700 lb springs
- Total chaos spindle gusset
- Total chaos bed stiffener
- Duro bumps for front and rear
- Icon alloys rebound wheels
- Falken Wildpeak AT3 (33”)
- Revolution 5.29 re-gear
- MBP tune
- Baja Designs squadron sports ditch lights
- Dobinsons snorkel with sy-klone pre filter
- Martin off road short roof rack
- Baja Designs linkable XL
- Switch pros SP-9100
- Yotamafia KC rock light kit
- Maxtrax MKII boards
- Meso Customs interior black out trims
- Meso Customs dual color interior lighting
- 67 Designs TacoRail®
- Goosegear 60% seat delete
- Go Fast Camper V2
- Wilco offroad bed tire mount
- ARB dual compressor
- BAMF rear diff skid
- Old Man Emu medium weight leaf springs
- Aiden James Customs bed platform
- Mountain hatch tailgate insert
- Overland softgoods GFC fitted sheets with mattress topper
- Midland radio MXT275
- Rago fabrication shock guards
- Outgear solutions rear high clearance bumper
- Baja designs squadron S2 for rear bumper
- R4T high clearance exhaust
- Archive garage hammer hangers with cross bar
Inspiration for buying his Tacoma and getting into overlanding: Growing up, his parents always took Mark and his brother camping. Through those early experiences he learned to appreciate being out in nature and developed a love of exploration and travel. While his parents weren’t necessarily Toyota afficionados, for some reason Mark had always known he wanted a Tacoma. He’s taken it many miles to many different places, and it’s never let him down. Now Toyotas are all his family owns.
Early adventures: Mark’s explored much of Baja and even traveled to several places in Mexico, including Mexico City. He’s traveled internationally with stops in various European cities. He’s also taken his Tacoma to relatively local stops like Anza Borrego, Big Bear, and other popular off-roading destinations.
Recent (and most memorable) adventure: Last fall Mark and his girlfriend took the Tacoma from San Diego to Las Vegas, then on to Utah with a stop at Zion National Park, before a very memorable stop at the Grand Canyon. They literally took the road less traveled for this camping excursion. Using coordinates he’d found via a YouTube video, Mark wandered along a lonely stretch of road to a very remote location along the canyon rim. They were completely off the grid with no one else around. That camping experience, with the solitude and the vantage point of watching the sun rise over the canyon from their rooftop tent was a truly unforgettable experience. From there, they made stops at Horseshoe Bend and Scottsdale, AZ to see some family before heading home. While they’d also planned a stop in Sedona, AZ, flash flooding in the area forced them to move on.
Upcoming trips: Mark and his girlfriend were headed back to Baja as of this writing. They also have an impending trip to camp on the deserted beaches of Mulege’ further south in Baja. While they’ve camped on the beaches of Baja before, they are mostly crowded with other people. They’re craving the solitude of those deserted beaches to really connect with their surroundings.
Dream trip: Mark’s dream is to one day ship his Tacoma to Europe and explore there. Iceland in particular is a place he’d love to explore in his truck. While his job is not conducive to remote work, he’d love to be in a situation where he could work remotely while traveling. With that kind of flexibility, he’d go down to La Paz in Baja, then take the ferry over to Mazatlán, down to Guatemala and on to South America.
Fun fact about Mark: He once camped at a very cold, snow-covered Big Bear and decided he was not a fan of snow or camping in those extreme conditions.
Overlanding community involvement: When Mark is out and about in the community, he gets many inquiries about his Tacoma from people he meets. It’s a great way to develop relationships and a positive reflection of the overlanding community. He’s a member of Toyota Rigs of San Diego. In addition to holding a couple of meets per year, the organization also partners with local brands and dealerships to pass along group discounts for such things as parts, glass tints, aftermarket products and more. Mark’s ultimate goal is to have his truck featured at SEMA.
Notes from the writer: Mark has been very meticulous with modifications and upgrades to his beloved Tacoma. His goal was to be different. He ascribes to the ‘buy once, cry once’ philosophy and while he’s made some mistakes along the way, he’s learned from them. He values supporting local companies whenever he can. Whether it’s his rear bumper, his sliders, or any other locally purchased component, Mark knows he’s going to receive high quality customer service in exchange for his brand loyalty. One of those lessons he learned was in his camping setup. He’s recently moved from a RTT to an enclosed camper system. With the RTT, the bed was limited in its functionality and access. Now the bed has more usable workspace, and camping is safer and more comfortable while being protected from the elements. He has plans for a few more future modifications including Powerbrake’s 4x4 big brake kit, and a dual-battery setup so that he can better accommodate lighting for his camper.
Advice for aspiring overlanders: Use online resources such as Tacoma World to educate yourself. When it comes to modifications or upgrades, get the good stuff even if it means waiting a little longer. And most of all, don’t be scared to go out to unknown places. Take the risk. It’s usually worth the reward.
This Customer Spotlight by Tricia Soderstrom.
This series was envisioned and created by Kate Della Pietra in the summer of 2020 when she worked for 67 Designs as a marketing intern.