On this “episode” of 67 Designs Customer Spotlights, where we share the stories of some of our customers, we get to know Tasha Gregory and James Sykes. The couple, from Los Angeles, work as a photographer and drone pilot, respectively. They are “nature lovers at heart” and attribute overlanding as “a big part of us being in love with each other.”
Proud owners of: a stingray 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (and an anvil with a black hardtop 2014 JK Rubicon).
Featured upgrades: Tasha and James’ 2020 Jeep is decked out with the following...
- Interior
- 67 Designs JL Rail Mount Dual Ball mounting system with 2 Universal cell phone holders
- Z Automotive JL TAZER MINI
- SPOD 4x4 BantamX
- Exterior
- Teraflex RT3 Alpine RT3 Short Arm Suspension System & Falcon SP2 3.3 Fast Adjust Shocks
- Falcon Nexus EF 2.2 Fast Adjust Steering Stabilizer – Stock Tie Rod
- Alpha HD Adjustable Spare Tire Mounting Kit – 5x5”
- KMC Wheels KM235 Grenade Crawl Series Wheel, 17x9 5x5 - Machined
- BFG K02 37”x12.50”x17” All Terrain Tires
- Baja Designs LP9 Pro’s (AMBER)
- Rhino Rack USA JL Backbone + pioneer platform
- Trail Rax JL Pak Rax with one 4 gallon fuel tank and two 2 gallon water tanks
- Advanced Shelter Systems Shiftpod2
Customer of 67 Designs since: December 2020.
Inspiration for buying Jeep Wrangler Rubicon: As artists, buying a Jeep was a no brainer for Tasha and James. The “most beautiful places to take photos are where others aren't.” They also wanted to make sure that they had a vehicle they felt safe in on and off road and that gave them the confidence they wouldn't get stuck—the Jeep was that vehicle.
First adventure with vehicle (together): November 2019. The couple took a trip to Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. In Montana, they were able to go to Bozeman, visit friends and camp. Tasha was also able to show her favorite place, Jackson, to James. The 17 hour drive to get out there was certainly long but they were able to cover 3,000 miles in the 1.5 weeks they were on the road. Of course, the trip included many photo ops for Tasha and James!
Most recent adventure/COVID-19 adventures: Due to the pandemic, much of the Bureau of Land Management land has been closed around the LA area. Tasha and James were able, though, to take a trip in May to Utah seeing the famous Bryce Canyon National Park. In Bryce Canyon, the couple were amazed by the sedimentary rock formations also known as “Hoodoos”. They then traveled down to Sand Hollow State Park and found camp in the nearby Warner Valley where they were surrounded by wild cows!
Most memorable adventure: May 2019. The couple went to Big Bear Lake, CA with a few friends. They were relaxing around a fire when one of them saw eyes off in the distance—3 full sized mountain lions were stalking the site. Luckily, the couple has a large air mattress for the Jeep, so they took shelter in their vehicle for the night.
Upcoming trips: Tasha and James are planning on going on a big trip this summer with their free time—back up to Montana to ride through Glacier National Park, Wyoming to see Grand Teton, Utah to see the Bonneville Salt Flats, Oregon, Texas and even Florida. They are not sure if they can conquer all of these at once but since the two are freelancers, they are trying to bring their work—“where we feel most at home and free”—on the road full time.
Dream trip: James’ dream trip would be through Iceland, having seen @expeditionearth.live (Instagram) go on a similar one. Tasha would love to take the journey from LA to Alaska.
Advice for those who are just beginning overlanding: James: “You don't have to have a ton of money and really expensive equipment;” “Don't be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone.” Tasha: “Be open minded to all possibilities.”
#1 place they have camped: Warner Valley (BLM Land).
Fun fact about Tasha: She is an astrophotographer! She mainly shoots the Milky Way core with her Canon—“seeing the stars makes me feel sane” (& according to James, her favorite song is “Fat Bottom Girls”).
Fun fact about James: James is a pilot! And has a passion for aerial cinematography/photography. He did the drone cinematography for Green Book!
Jeep club memberships: None, but they’ve got a large Instagram community.
Notes from the writer: Tasha and James are a dynamic duo that is centered around photography, videography and a love of the outdoors. For them, overlanding is the culmination of those three things. They even plan their trips around the new moon so there is no light in the sky for Tasha’s astrophotography. Soon enough, they will be on the road 24/7 living out their dream.
Check out their work here: You can look at Tasha’s Instagram account below as well as her photography website (I have also included more photos below!). You can also check out the company James works for—Aerial Pro Film. And be on the lookout for a YouTube...the two may make one soon!
© 67 Designs, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Spotlight by Kate Della Pietra.
