2016 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4×4Ram Truck will put its off-road pickup entry through the paces at the first Rebelle Rally in October, a new navigation and four-wheel-drive event crossing portions of the southwestern United States.
The company put its support behind Arizona businesswomen Nena Barlow of Barlow Adventures and Kande Jacobsen of Adventure Driven, providing the two women with a 2016 Ram Rebel truck for the two women to drive in this year’s inaugural all-women event.
“It might be expected that I would show up in one of my modified 4x4s, but I want to encourage people to get out and explore with whatever they have,” Barlow says. “I will be driving a totally stock Ram 1500, just like anyone can go out and buy today, not some expensive custom competition rig. The Ram Rebel comes ready to go.”
“We are all about adventure, dirt and getting out on the earth,” adds Jacobsen. “We want to inspire others to do the same.”
The Rebelle Rally is unique in the U.S. It’s not a race for speed, but rather a competition of precise navigation using only map and compass. It takes place over seven days and more than 1,000 miles on a highly secret route of back roads, across deserts and over mountains between Lake Tahoe, Nev., and San Diego, Calif. No GPS or any electronic navigation is permitted.
The event is being organized by veteran off-road racer and trainer Emily Miller. Miller was the first U.S. woman to compete in the long-running Gazelle Rally in Morocco.
Nena Barlow comes with more than 20 years of experience in the 4wd industry. As owner and operator of Barlow Adventures, a Jeep rental and 4WD training company, Barlow is currently the only woman in the world certified by the International 4WD Trainers Association.
Kande Jacobsen and her husband Seth own Adventure Driven, a professional photography and marketing company specializing in overlanding and the outdoor lifestyle. Jacobsen brings to the mix a background of all things outdoors: hiking, horseback riding, dirt biking, orienteering and four-wheeling.
Barlow and Jacobsen will be driving a stock 2016 Ram Rebel in the competition, exactly as the model rolls out of the factory. Barlow will fill the role of driver, while Jacobsen fills the right seat as navigator. Both women bring strong driving and navigating skills to the team, and can swap roles as needed.
