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Rebelle Rally Day 5 and 6

Rebelle Rally Field Update: Day 5
Wagon Wheel to Cougar Buttes

October 16, 2019

As the Rebelle Rally reached Day 5, some teams are finding their stride while fatigue is taking its toll on others.  “This event wouldn’t have the impact on the competitors if it was only three or four days long,” Rebelle founder Emily Miller explained.  “It isn’t until Day 5 that you really start to feel the weight of the event.  Even something as simple as setting up your tent can seem like a monumental task when you are completely exhausted.  It is in these moments that we learn what we are truly capable of.”
On Day 5 teams left the line on a longer, more complex Rebelle Enduro Challenge than they had seen previously.  Timing controls started in the Spangler Open OHV Area and ended on a dry lakebed northwest of Barstow, California. They then went into the incredibly rough and rocky Stoddard Valley Open OHV, the fourth new open OHV area visited during the 2019 Rebelle.  Speeds slowed to a crawl and proper plotting and compass use was key for those looking to move ahead in the standings. Others played follow-the-leader only to find they weren’t at the right CPs and arrived at base camp as the sun was setting for the day.
In the Crossover Class, Team Jeeves - #200 extended their lead over the rest of the field.  Emme Hall and Rebecca Donaghe will have to be careful in their Rolls Royce Cullinan though, after puncturing two tires they risk being penalized for outside assistance if they need to source another tire.  Team Record The Journey - #207 placed second for the day in their Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, putting them in third in the overall standings.
Team Escape The Paved - #176 posted the best score in the 4x4 Class on Day 5, only missing two black CPs out of seventeen total CPs for the day.  This moved Lindsey Hunter and Sarah Homer into fourth place overall, with Team Xelles - #190 finishing fourth on the day and retaining a 24 point lead over Team Clearwater Designs - #100.  Longtime Rebelle Rally fans will recall that the French Canadian team of Michelle Laframboise and Elise Racette were 40 points behind when entering the dunes last year, only to come back and tie for the overall victory.  Never count out Team Clearwater Designs in the sand dunes.
Day 6 will cover a lot of ground, starting two at a time with Team Front Range Rebelles - #130 and Team Roads Less Travelled - #154 off the line together at 7 AM.  The route starts by crossing Johnson Valley, the largest OHV area in the United States at 96,000 acres. Elevations range from 4,600 feet at Hartwell Hills to 2,300 feet at Melville Dry Lake with numerous mountain ranges and rocky canyons.  All of this is fertile ground for Course Director Jimmy Lewis to place CPs in the most creative of locations. Teams will depart the massive boulders of Cougar Buttes and head to Soggy Dry Lake. After departing Johnson Valley, the next section is on roadbook through Joshua Tree National Park to the Salton Sea with the opportunity for teams to relax before entering the infamous Imperial Sand Dunes (aka Glamis), where the winners of the 2019 Rebelle Rally will be decided.
Daily Tech Tip - What Is The Bone Stock Designation?
The Bone Stock Award is presented to the team that places highest in a vehicle that is exactly as delivered from the factory.  The only allowable change is different tires, but even that is limited to the factory sizing. The Rebelle Rally has become a proving ground for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) who recognize that surviving a week of punishment off-road is a badge of honor.  Team Xelles - #190 are currently leading the seven-vehicle field in Bone Stock, as well as the overall standings, demonstrating that a capable vehicle and a heavily modified vehicle are not necessarily synonymous. 
Additional Bone Stock participants include:
Sponsor Highlight- Corkcicle

Corkcicle is a fan favorite amongst Rebelles and staff. Since 2017, we’ve counted on the triple-insulated canteens to do everything from keeping our coffee hot in the mountains, to keeping our water cold in the dunes. They also help us minimize trash on the rally, keeping plastic out of our oceans and landfills.  Rebelles have also found some creative ways to make use of the sleek, easy grip design that does it all — including a make-shift radiator replenisher and a source of hot water quickly on the go. We interviewed Corkcicle Founder Stephen Bruner last year to find out how he got started, and how his knack for innovation is bringing the refined to our rough at the Rebelle. Check out our throwback interview here.

Rebelle Rally Field Update: Day 6
Cougar Buttes to Imperial Sand Dunes

October 17, 2019

Rebelles awoke to a beautiful fall morning at Cougar Buttes with perfect temperatures and an absolutely stunning sunrise.  The beauty quickly gave way to whooped out paths and rocky trails as the teams criss-crossed Johnson OHV Valley looking for green, blue, and black checkpoints while trying to refrain from damaging their vehicles or puncturing any tires. Leaving Johnson Valley, the road book led competitors through the gorgeous Joshua Tree National Park and then around the Salton Sea past Mecca and Bombay Beach en route to Imperial Sand Dunes (aka Glamis). Reaching green CPs before their closing times was an issue for all teams on Day 6, with distance, traffic, fueling, and road conditions all eating up valuable time. The format of the Rebelle Rally requires teams to manage their time efficiently, as there are set windows of time in which to reach blue and black CPs before traveling to the next green CP.  Miss the time cutoff for a green CP and your day of competition is over; literally.
The Crossover Class is larger in 2019 than it is has ever been, and Team Jeeves - #200 has retained their overall lead by besting Karah Behrend and Rachael Ridenour of Team Record The Journey - #207 for one point on the day.  Johnson Valley lived up to its reputation for the Crossover Class, claiming several tires and forcing Team Challenging Spirit - #203 and Team Naviguessers - #210 to retire due to dehydration and a burnt up clutch, respectively.
Last year’s 4x4 Class champions, Team ClearWater Designs - #100, posted the top score on Day 6, hitting all the CPs for the day save for one blue checkpoint.  This puts them just 13 points behind Team Xelles - #190 in the overall standings coming into the final day of the event.  Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley of Team Xelles have been leading the rally all week, but last year Team Blondetourage led much of the rally only to see victory snatched away on the final day by Team ClearWater Designs.  After six days of fierce competition, there is less than a 10% difference in points amongst the top eight teams.  This is still very much anyone’s game.
The final stage of the 2019 Rebelle Rally will push the competitors deeper into the dunes of Glamis in search of elusive CPs.  Past editions of the rally have revealed that nothing is certain when dunes are part of the equation.  Teams have gotten broken, stuck, and ran out of fuel at Glamis, plunging their position in the standings.  Other teams have taken all the skills that they have learned over the past week and applied it on course to upset significantly more experienced rivals.  Anything can happen at the Rebelle Rally, and on Day 7 we expect it will.  Follow us closely on social media throughout the day, as Creative Director Katy Kunkel performs live updates from Glamis.
Daily Tech Tip - What Is The Team Spirit Award?
It is not always about your score, but how you compete that matters most. The Rebelle Rally Team Spirit Award is designed to promote and encourage a positive spirit in the midst of focused competition. It is searching for solutions, proving encouragement and treating others with respect and enthusiasm, which ultimately results in fostering a spirited competitive climate.  The Team Spirit Award winner, as voted on by staff and competitors, receives a $5,000 donation in their name to the charity of the team’s choosing.
Sponsor Highlight- Tepui Tent

Ever arrive in camp after dark?  Or can’t find a clear, level spot to set up a tent?  These issues are a thing of the past with the addition of a Tepui roof top tent.  Tepui makes premium rooftop tents, including a new hard-shell model, and specialized outdoor equipment for a more secure and comfortable way to get the most out of every adventure. Every Tepui tent is purpose-built, made with the highest quality materials, and designed to withstand the roughest weather and toughest conditions. When it comes to adventure travel and pre-running the course, we choose Tepui.

Jasmain Waddell

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