DMOS Returns as Rebelle Rally 2022 Sponsor - By Susan Pieper, DMOS Founder
For the first time in five years, DMOS will be sponsoring the Rebelle Rally and I will not be competing. It’s a nostalgic moment for me, as this event has brought me countless stories, memories, and lessons and made me who I am today. Here’s the story of our involvement with the rally and why it means so much to us.
In 2015 our brand got its start in action sports. For the first two years, we didn’t even realize that our shovels could be vastly utilized by another group, overlanders. We learned about a show called the “Overland Expo” from our amazing customers. So after hearing about it, we rapidly got everything together and attended our first show in 2018, exhibiting in the "Author Exhibitor" tent. At the show during the Expedition Overland Women’s Party hosted by Rachel Croft, the owner of Expedition Overland, I met someone who would change my life forever, Emily Miller.
When I first met Emily, she looked me in the eyes and said, “You should do the Rebelle Rally." Not thinking twice, I said YES, knowing this was the perfect opportunity to dive headfirst into the world of off road and motor sports.
After hearing that the Rebelle Rally is a yearly event with the course covering over 1600 Km of some of the most remote and beautiful California and Nevada terrain and where teams of two compete in the longest off-road endurance navigation style rally raid in the world, I was sold.
I arrived in Tahoe at the start in October of 2018. I competed in my first Rebelle Rally as a navigator in my friend’s Mercedes Benz 4x4 Squared and we came in almost, but not quite last. That week in the desert was full of revelations and firsts. I felt so included by the amazing community and realized that I really loved off-road and what the rally stood for.
In 2019 we made our triumphant return as Team DMOS and sponsored the Rebelle Rally for the first time. I drove my former built-out 4Runner (known as Rocky B 4Runner) which was sponsored by CBI Offroad Fab and outfitted with Total Chaos Suspension, and I had a lot of great memories in that rig. That year, I was a new driver and again, I made mistakes and left a lot on the table.
So, in 2020, I rallied, again as navigator, with a great rookie driver, Laura Moore. We drove a built 2021 Jeep Rubicon JL and we were a fantastic team. Deep in my heart, I knew that I was not a winning navigator as I literally have the worst eyesight and focus on the big picture, but that didn’t stop us! We wanted to make it into the top ten, and sadly fell just short but from that point, I knew that rallying was in my blood. We also were proud to be grandfathered in as sponsor that year. 
In 2021, I outfitted a red 2017 Jeep JK Wrangler Willys with the essentials, 35” tires, a hard top, and a manual sway-bar-disconnect. Keeping the gear to a minimum helped us focus on the race when I partnered with a terrific navigator named Holly Casey. For once the sands and maps were in our favor, finishing in the top ten, a result I had always dreamed about. 
After 4 great years, we couldn’t miss out this year! DMOS had to return to the Rebelle Rally but this time, as a sponsor. I want to give back to this event as it has been an extremely empowering experience. It led me to completely transform my outlook on life and my business. Additionally, the rally is such a terrific event that gives women the opportunity to lead and push themselves hard. Rebelles are just another breed. Adventure-loving, super capable women who are willing to make and admit mistakes then push right past them. 
DMOS Shovels and the rally go hand-in-hand in my opinion. We both help give the competitors the tools, mentally and physically, to get unstuck from any situation! While I’m sad that we are not physically attending, I'm still so excited to be partnering with the 7th running of Rebelle Rally this year. Best of luck to all the competitors! Trust yourself, be safe, and most importantly have fun!
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