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Although they only live 40 minutes away, Mandy and Alex found themselves together more out west than they did out East when they first met. Both searching for adventures in a more beautiful, drier climate, they both appreciate the beauty of the west and use every excuse they can to get out there. Living so close they supported each other throughout the 2022 Rally then had the opportunity to partner up in 2023! The 2023 Rally was a huge success for the team, where they became the first privateer team to compete in an EV, which also happened to be Mandy’s R1S Orion. This year they’re coming back together in Alex’s Jeep Gladiator. Coming off a stellar Rally in 2023, they’re excited to team up together again for the 2024 Rebelle.
Blue Ridge Overland Gear
Castleberry Welsh Cobs
Mandy is an Army Veteran residing in Maryland who spends most of her time managing and coaching at her CrossFit gym, Blue Crab CrossFit in Jessup, MD. She does a small number of hours each week supporting the Department of Defense with data governance. In the last few years, she’s embraced her coaching background and brought it to teaching offroading with Barlow Adventures. Teaching people and helping them realize what they are capable of has become such a rewarding part of her life! She is always in search of a challenge that brings her together with like-minded people - if she can do that while traveling, that’s a bonus! When she’s not traveling or searching for a challenge, you can usually find her at her gym or out with her horse and dogs, Donner (horse), Roady, and Scarlett.
Full time CrossFit Gym Owner/Manager/Coach; part time Data Governance Subject Matter Expert for the Department of Defense, part time offroad instructor and guide
Jessup, MD
“The greatest pleasure you’ll ever have is doing what others tell you you couldn’t.” – Walter Bagehot
I’ve been in a different vehicle every year of the Rally - but 4 out of 5 of them have been trucks!
Ever since my first Rebelle Rally in 2020, I’ve been hooked. There is nothing like the Rally and the environment and the group of people that it brings together. Being in a place full of hard working, determined women is so inspiring and getting to do so across out beautiful public lands is an added bonus! The Rally gets harder every year, and as soon as you cross the finish line, you find yourself saying, “next year I’m going to do x, y, z,” so you’re already planning for the next one! With me stepping away from my full time job to run our CrossFit gym, the finances have been tough this year but it’s making me work even harder to get to the start line, because the Rally means so much to me. I hope that I can continue to inspire others to make it happen if it’s on their wishlist - it’s worth the hard work to get here! This year I’m so excited to be returning with Alex! We had a blast last year teaming up for the first time and had the added challenge of an EV last year. This year we’ll be in her Gladiator, so not only will I be returning with the same teammate for the first time, I’ll also be competing in a Gladiator again, so things will be even more familiar going into the Rally! We’ve worked hard at preparing this year and helping others prepare as well, so we’re excited to see how this year goes and where Emily will take us!
Small business owners. Being one myself for the past year I have so much more respect for anyone who has taken the risk to start/run their own small business. It’s HARD and you get a lot of rejections in many areas, so those who have persisted and gone on to run a successful small business are a huge inspiration for me and have made me go out of my way even more now to support small businesses.
Podcast: Smartless, Book: Unreasonable Hospitality, Show: Ted Lasso
Although not a purposeful adventure, being deployed to Afghanistan for a year as an 18 year old was quite the adventure. I learned so much and it really shaped me to who I am today. I was fortunate to be there early on in Operation Enduring Freedom, when we were able to more freely travel the country, so I had many incredible opportunities to explore the northern and central parts of Afghanistan. The country is beautiful and the people are so generous. That experience has helped me continue to travel to seek out experiences and to learn about other people and their cultures.
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Pirelli Tire Challenge 2nd Place Team (2024)
Originally from New York City, Alex grew up in rural Virginia and is a blend of the two worlds she’s always trusted for an honest, sometimes brutally honest, opinion. She doesn’t take herself too seriously - life is more fun when you can look back at yourself and laugh.
Project Manager
Alexandria, VA
Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks and I’ve learned much from both of their styles” – Jimmy Buffet
My parents planned to sail around the world. I spent a good portion of my childhood on a sailboat. Fell overboard once in harbor after my dad forgot to close the railing.
Back for my third Rebelle! Over the past few years I found happiness for myself in off-roading. The Rebelle is an invaluable part of that journey. The community that surrounds and embodies the Rally is like none other that I've been a part of. The rally becomes addicting. Every year I learn something new. My rookie year I mostly drove. Year 2, I spent more time in the navigation seat and learned a lot of lessons that I want to come back to implement. I’m looking forward to coming back to the 2024 Rally with my 2023 teammate Mandy and a Jeep! It was a huge accomplishment being part of the first privateer EV team to compete in the Rally. We learned a lot about efficiency last year that we can apply to driving the Jeep. I’m looking forward to applying all the those lessons and tricks to be a stronger team in 2024.
Travel and time spent in nature. We take a little bit away from everyone we meet and everywhere we go. I cherish those moments.
The Dirtbag Diaries, The Great Blue Dream, Out Cold
Backpacking in the Peruvian Andes
2022, 2023
Maxtrax Team Spirit (2022), Pirelli Tire Challenge 2nd Place Team (2024)