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E mily Miller is not one of those people who, when they reach significant milestones, are surprised by how they got there. e founder of the Rebelle Rally, the first off-road navigation competition for women in the United States, knew she wanted to establish something meaningful that would last. Now, as the tenth annual Rebelle Rally approaches later this year, she has done just that. "We knew that it was going to be different, something that you normally don't see here in the U.S.," says Miller. "We knew it would take time to build and meet this goal of creating a truly world-class car rally. So, it was always designed to be enduring." An experienced off-road racer, Miller was well aware of what she was getting into. She began racing in the early 2000s, training with Hall of Fame racer Rod Hall and competing in numerous races around the globe including in the U.S., Mexico, and Morocco, and established a driving and navigation school, Rebelle U. She knew what it took to create a rally competition because she'd participated in them — and won several. "When I was racing, there were not a lot of women driving at all, or in racing, and even [at Rebelle U], women weren't coming to classes," says Miller. "Even when they had the opportunity to and the classes were fully paid for by their company, they just didn't say 'yes.' And so, I really wanted to create an event that women would not be afraid to say 'yes' to." She envisioned and ultimately established what she calls an "international-style car rally" for women that didn't previously exist; one that winds over more than 1,500 miles of iconic California and Nevada desert. e competition isn't about time, but reaching various checkpoints in stock — not specialized — vehicles with only analog equipment to guide them, no GPS or technology allowed. "It's long, it's challenging, it's hot, it's cold, it's dusty, dirty — all those things," says Miller, but still, " ere's a comfort level that it's built for them and is very respectful to them and their skills." It's the combination of all those elements that brings women to sign up for the Rebelle rather than puts them off. "We find a lot of women who sign up are the type of woman who is more afraid to say no and miss the adventure than afraid to say yes," says Miller. How one pioneering Encinitas woman is helping women to blaze their own trail — literally BY DEANNA MURPHY | PHOTO BY REGINE TRIAS >> RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE JANUARY 2025 75 The Rebelle Rally winds over more than 1,500 miles of challenging desert terrain in California and Nevada