Jocko
March 6th, 2008, 08:29 PM
JT Taylor was born in Florida and grew up near the town of Bradenton, just south of Tampa. Growing up, like most FLoridians, JT learned about mud at a young age.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833361_wyCr7-O.jpg
...Whether he was cruising on his go-kart or riding a three wheeler, he was getting muddy. He would often head out to the mud bogs with his uncle PJ. There he got his first taste of gas and gears.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833397_PD6rd-O.jpg
At the young age of seventeen, with his parent's consent, he enlisted in the Army. He would spend the next twenty-one years of his life dedicating his-self to his country as a Bradley Master Gunner.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833433_sRnHU-O.jpg
...A month after graduating high school, JT found himself on a plane headed to Germany. It was there that he found his passion for competitive motorsports. He spent the next four years racing VW Bugs on a quarter mile clay oval and competing in local "auto cross" competitions.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833470_HxGur-O.jpg
...JT would be the first to admit the crawling was nothing like it is here. It was just a way to get out and have fun with some of the other servicemen. At that time he had an S-10 on 31's with an open front and locked rear. His muddin' roots followed him to Germany where he and friends would often go out and play in the bogs of Germany.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833496_NiG99-O.jpg
....Lucky for us, when JT returned state side, he didn't lose his passion for off-roading. In the Army, JT traveled to more countries than he has states in the US. He has no regrets for serving his country and if asked to do it all over again, he would be the first in line. As a platoon seargent/master gunner in Iraq, he brought twenty eight guys over and twenty eight guys home. An accomplishment he is very proud of.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833529_wmUub-O.jpg
...His greatest memories in the service were form the Iraq people and how pleased they were to have them there. Something you don't see in the mainstream media. He was also awarded the Bronze Star.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833550_qncwb-O.jpg
...His worst memories were losing three friends and fellow soldiers. Two got shot down in a CH-47, in Faluja. One got killed in a rollover accident pulling a fellow soldier in, leaving himself vulnerable in the accident.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833588_eRWUt-O.jpg
JT got transfered to Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs, Co, where he was exposed to some of the best wheeling in the country. He would head to the mountains nearly every weekend withs friends. By this time he had began growing his stable of Toyotas, his rig of choice.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833613_BFDYR-O.jpg
...His first Yota was a 1968 Landcruiser. With 33's and a welded rear, what JT calls "cheap guy wheeling", this rig served as his wheeler and daily driver. While running a trail outside Colorado Springs, he experienced what it is like to roll nine times down a mountain. He has all the scars to remind him of that day. Turns out a brake line had busted, sending him in a free fall down the hill.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833647_VvwCE-O.jpg
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833361_wyCr7-O.jpg
...Whether he was cruising on his go-kart or riding a three wheeler, he was getting muddy. He would often head out to the mud bogs with his uncle PJ. There he got his first taste of gas and gears.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833397_PD6rd-O.jpg
At the young age of seventeen, with his parent's consent, he enlisted in the Army. He would spend the next twenty-one years of his life dedicating his-self to his country as a Bradley Master Gunner.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833433_sRnHU-O.jpg
...A month after graduating high school, JT found himself on a plane headed to Germany. It was there that he found his passion for competitive motorsports. He spent the next four years racing VW Bugs on a quarter mile clay oval and competing in local "auto cross" competitions.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833470_HxGur-O.jpg
...JT would be the first to admit the crawling was nothing like it is here. It was just a way to get out and have fun with some of the other servicemen. At that time he had an S-10 on 31's with an open front and locked rear. His muddin' roots followed him to Germany where he and friends would often go out and play in the bogs of Germany.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833496_NiG99-O.jpg
....Lucky for us, when JT returned state side, he didn't lose his passion for off-roading. In the Army, JT traveled to more countries than he has states in the US. He has no regrets for serving his country and if asked to do it all over again, he would be the first in line. As a platoon seargent/master gunner in Iraq, he brought twenty eight guys over and twenty eight guys home. An accomplishment he is very proud of.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833529_wmUub-O.jpg
...His greatest memories in the service were form the Iraq people and how pleased they were to have them there. Something you don't see in the mainstream media. He was also awarded the Bronze Star.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833550_qncwb-O.jpg
...His worst memories were losing three friends and fellow soldiers. Two got shot down in a CH-47, in Faluja. One got killed in a rollover accident pulling a fellow soldier in, leaving himself vulnerable in the accident.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833588_eRWUt-O.jpg
JT got transfered to Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs, Co, where he was exposed to some of the best wheeling in the country. He would head to the mountains nearly every weekend withs friends. By this time he had began growing his stable of Toyotas, his rig of choice.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833613_BFDYR-O.jpg
...His first Yota was a 1968 Landcruiser. With 33's and a welded rear, what JT calls "cheap guy wheeling", this rig served as his wheeler and daily driver. While running a trail outside Colorado Springs, he experienced what it is like to roll nine times down a mountain. He has all the scars to remind him of that day. Turns out a brake line had busted, sending him in a free fall down the hill.
http://chadjockphotography.smugmug.com/photos/262833647_VvwCE-O.jpg