Carrying Her With Me
written by A. Rickerson
Early in February, I called my best friend to lament about my yearly breast exam. My grandmother on my father’s side had breast cancer twice (she beat it both times) but because of this, I’m considered high risk. At 35, I had to start getting mammograms twice a year. Thankfully, I’m down to once a year now since everything continues to look good, but the process is still taxing and brings up a ton of anxiety. So I called her to vent.
We’re both in our early 40s, and she mentioned she had an appointment coming up in a month to do the same thing. We chatted, we laughed, and then we moved on. Just a normal part of life. She’s one of those great friends who lives far away but not too far… in sunny California, and I miss her all the time.
Last year around this time, a prospective Rebelle Rally competitor went in for her routine medical clearance exam (all of us are required to get one before competing). During that checkup, doctors found a lump. Instead of being on course with us, she began a very different journey.
This year, many of us privateer teams are driving in her honor, thanks to a scholarship created in her name. Kat Cerruto, a 2024 rally rookie, was a force of nature. She fought hard to make it to the Rebelle, only to discover during her required medical exam that she had cancer. She passed away in May 2025, just nine months after her diagnosis. Kat credited the rally not only for inspiring her, but also for the physical exam that detected her condition. Because of that, she encouraged everyone to get their checkups and screenings, not to wait. Her impact lives on through the Drive On Kat Fund, created by fellow Rebelles who know how transformative this competition can be. The fund supports women and minorities in motorsports, and any funds raised beyond the scholarship go toward the Drive On Rally Foundation to help even more dreams come true.
A few weeks after my exam this year, my results came in: all was well. Nothing changed. I could breathe again and keep living life as I know it. But not long after, I found out my friend’s results weren’t the same. She was called in to speak with her doctor, and that was the first sign something wasn’t right.
Today, she’s in the middle of chemo. And I’m off to the Rebelle Rally. It doesn’t seem fair that she has to go through this, but I’m carrying her with me every mile of the way. I can’t wait to tell her all about the experience.
I am eternally grateful she went in for her exam and that it was detected. Even though the process is uncomfortable and often dreaded, it absolutely saves lives. At my next appointment, I’ll walk in with a very different perspective, because now, I know exactly how important it is.
in the world of RALLY
Into the unknown…but not alone
Written by: A. Rickerson
The Rally Feels
I cried more than a few times during last year’s Rebelle Rally. Not out of sadness… but out of pure amazement at all the love and support from our partners. One of our friends (and sponsors) from Allied Motorsport joined us at the start line, and just having them there was so calming—it felt good knowing we had friends close by if we needed help.
The first tear shed (let’s be honest, it was an ugly cry) came when the Jessi Combs Foundation sent us both an incredible care package. It was packed with things to carry us through the rally: Harley Davidson headlamps, logo-blazed handkerchiefs, gaiters, patches, stickers, beanies… it was such a thoughtful and generous reminder that we would not be alone out there and reminded me there’s a bigger meaning behind this motorsport thing we do; that what we do out here is bigger than checkpoints, bigger than trophies. It’s about carrying forward a legacy of women daring greatly, together.
—Rally is wild, beautiful chaos—equal parts precision, endurance, and skill. On paper, it’s about vehicles and maps. In reality? It’s about trust.—
Out there, a driver and a navigator aren’t just teammates—they’re lifelines. One of us is behind the wheel wrestling with whatever terrain comes next, while the other has the impossible job of turning cryptic maps and navigation points into a route forward. It’s sweaty palms, quick thinking, and constant communication in landscapes that feel like another planet.
With minimal outside help, you quickly realize it’s not just a motorsport—it’s survival with style.
Taking on the Rebelle Rally
For me, that test came at the 2024 Rebelle Rally, the longest off-road navigational rally in the United States. Preparing for it wasn’t just about making sure the Jeep (Ronda Rhino) could survive 1,700 miles of abuse —to get through something like this, you need a support system (and lots of gear). We took all year to build our list of partners. Some of those were purely product sponsors, but man o’ man did we need that help!
VIPs were Fasthouse for all our apparel needs, Pelican for the hard cases we used inside and outside the vehicle, and Method Race Wheels for the brand new light weight machined 703s that graced our Pirelli Scorpion Tires. Speaking of tires, Pirelli came in HOT with the support giving us a donation toward our entrance fee and also being there on sight during the rally for support. K&N Filters was one of our flagship sponsors, providing us both with support for every vehicle we drive, partnering with us at events, and being there for technical help and advice. Front Runner Outfitters supplied nearly every product we used for the off-grid experience: refrigerator in the Jeep, roof rack, storage systems, tents, headlamps— you name it they hooked it up. Our team came together and made our rally experience a success.
Success does not come easy— hard work and perseverance began the minute we said YES. My teammate, Adriana Stovall, is a brilliant environmental scientist and the calm, steady navigator you want by your side when the desert tries to chew you up. Together, we set a simple goal for our first year: finish strong, keep the vehicle in one piece, and, if we were lucky, land somewhere in the middle of the pack. Winning? That was the dream. But the Rebelle is more about growth than podiums.
GETTING THERE
The Rebelle Rally is the longest off-road rally raid in the United States…
... and it just so happens to be for women. Over 8 days of competition, all female drivers and navigators traverse more than 2,500 km across California and Nevada using only a compass and a map in order to hand plot and navigate to hidden checkpoints. No chase teams. No pre-running. No communication with the outside world. Totally connected to the landscape. In a world filled with technology, these women are solely relying on their skills and grit in a way most can only dream of.
When it comes to our team—it isn’t just Adriana and I out there. It is the companies and communities who believe in us enough to get us to that start line.
Eight Days, 1,700 Miles: 2024 Rebelle Rally
The 2024 Rebelle spanned eight relentless days. We started in the high mountain air of Mammoth Lakes, California, then dropped into Nevada’s rugged backcountry. The landscapes were otherworldly—fast tracks across silty lake beds, brutal climbs through sharp rock, and long stretches that tested every ounce of focus.
From Death Valley to the shifting sands of Dumont Dunes, from the infamous Johnson Valley to the towering Glamis dunes (the tallest in North America), every mile demanded something new. Basecamps became our temporary homes, each one a reminder of how much we’d endured and how much further we had to go.
10th Anniversary Edition: The Rebelle Rally 2025
As soon as we got home from 2024, preparation for 2025 began. It took months just to process what had happened. I threw myself into learning more—asking other off-road drivers for advice, reaching out to co-drivers for their thoughts and insights. During one round-table discussion, an Off-Road Hall of Fame member shared about his own struggles with anxiety, especially the anticipation at the start line and those intrusive “what if everything goes wrong?” thoughts. He explained that a turning point in his career came when he reframed his thinking and instead asked himself, “what if it all goes right?” That shift in perspective turned his anxiety into excitement.
That’s the mantra I’ve chosen for this coming year. “What if it all goes right?”
2025 PARTNERS
BE LOUD
If you’re ready to chase your own version of the Rebelle—on or off the sand—check out Go Fast Girls. They’re more than a brand, they’re a movement.
What a lot of people don't talk about, is the amount of rejection one sifts through just to hear that one person say “yes”. Enter… Go Fast Girls!
From the very beginning, Bear and Kristen at Go Fast Girls have treated us like part of their family. Their support has never been about what we can do for them—it’s always been about how they can lift us up. In fact, when we asked what we could give back, their answer was simple and humbling: “nothing—we are here for you to support you and help you be successful.” That kind of selfless encouragement is rare, and it feels like having proud parents in our corner, cheering us on no matter what stage of life we’re in. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need—good old-fashioned love, belief, and unwavering support.
The feeling of togetherness is everything. I’m endlessly grateful for the companies that slap their name on the side of the rig, and then stand with us throughout the competition. Go Fast Girls is one of those. They’re more than a brand—they’re a community. Their whole mission is built around pushing women to chase their dreams, break boundaries, and live wide open. It feels like carrying a sisterhood with us across the desert. They embody the idea that women can show up in motorsports with fire in their bellies—and have each other’s backs when the dust settles. That’s a company I’m proud to call family.
Thank you for enthusiastically saying YES —Go Fast Girls—and we couldn’t be more stoked to have you on our team. If last year taught me anything, it’s that we’re not doing this alone. Every mile, every checkpoint, every tear shed has been held up by a network of people and partners who believe in women like us. That is what makes stepping back into the desert not just possible, but powerful.
Why Support Matters
When we finally roll across that finish line this year—dusty, tired, running on too little sleep—it will be a testament to all the women who have come before us. Rallying isn’t about proving yourself to anyone. It’s about proving to yourself that you belong, that you’re capable, and that you’re part of something bigger.
That’s the real win. Showing up matters… because… “What if everything goes right?”
