Charlene Bower continues to lead the way for women to enter the off-road space
Our campfire chat was virtual, like most are at the present. No s’mores but plenty of warmth generated from a lengthy conversation with Charlene Bower about our passion for off-roading and, despite living in a very different time during the influence of COVID-19, we have each found helpful coping skills and have a vision for the short-term and the near-future.
Charlene Bower has become a household name in the off-roading community over the past five years. Some might think her career and successes as a four-wheel-drive competitor and specialist are recent, as she has more frequently been in the news for race wins; garnering awards; and as the host of hundreds of training and education programs across the country and in online forums. We talked about her path, her accomplishments and how she is proceeding now that the coronavirus has changed the landscape.
You could say Bower grew up in the dirt. “My four-wheel-drive experience started when my Mom was 8 months pregnant and my first ride on a dirt bike was when I was one-month old,” said Bower. With a Dad that competed and a Mom that “pitted” for her husband, she and her brother grew up in the back seat of a flat fender Jeep on the Rubicon Trail, other Northern California trails and exploring Moab. “As our legs got longer, our family turned back to dirt biking and we were completing 500-mile, off-road weekend trips by the time I graduated from high school.”
Bower’s first job out of high school was changing dirt bike tires, before she went on to be a multi-line parts and store manager at two different motorcycle shops over the next 15 years. She then moved into the media world, working for Sand Addiction magazine, SXS Action and Yamaha Rhino. In 2008, the energetic entrepreneur started Bower Motorsports Media, a PR and Marketing firm for off-road companies, racers and events and worked with some of the most influential business men and women in the industry. The following year, Bower started Racer Marketing School to help racers, companies and events.
As a competitor, Bower is known for her 1st place at the inaugural 10-day 2016 Rebelle Rally; a 2nd-place finish in the Pro Class at the 36 Hours of Uwharrie in 2016; a 2nd at Rally Venture in 2015; and she was the fastest female at the King of the Hammers Backdoor Challenge, in 2014 and 2015. Since, the amiable 4WD expert has been busy sharing her passion and knowledge with thousands of others and has also been tapped for two IMPACT Awards from the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. Also of note, Bower has been an Ambassador for BFGoodrich Tires for six years giving new drivers’ pointers and working as an educator at industry events and has also earned an International 4 Wheel Drive Training Association (I4WDTA) Certificate and a Wilderness First Aid Certificate.
Bower is a born leader and teacher. Her Ladies Offroad Network began in 2016; it now has over 700 dues’ paying members and has attracted thousands of enthusiastic followers. After putting on her second-annual Ladies Off Road Network Convention in 2018, she immediately took to the road for a 24-stop women’s off-road training program around the U.S. and then, in 2019, offered 75 off-road trail trainings around the country and in Canada, at 4 Wheel Parts stores, with five-hour, hands-on classes that provided over 80 tips, tricks, tools and techniques.
“With our recent world challenges keeping us inside instead of enjoying our great outdoor and in-person events, I have found the positive in the time that we have to work on our vehicles and ourselves. Our most immediate change was taking the networking events that historically have been happening at restaurants across the country and moving them to a virtual format that now hosts an Industry Guest, who educates the ladies with knowledge they wouldn’t have received previously. It is a great change and I think it will be staying. We have also added more casual Virtual Campfire Socials, too.”
“Recently, I replaced the face-to-face events with an online “How-To” series on Bower Academy and Ladies Offroad Network that explains the simple-to-more-complex Tools, Skills and Tips. I enjoy working with ladies with all the different levels of experience and supporting them in their dreams and adventures. Through Bower Academy, I am also impacting kids and men, giving them the opportunity to engage in the same how-to series, as they carry on the conversations after engaging with these events and the video series.
“Our first program “How to Work on Your 4×4” has over 20 How-To videos, written explanations, vocabulary and shopping lists to dive into. “Even if you never want to work on your vehicle, this is still a very important series so you can intelligently communicate with your mechanic. Currently we have over 200 ladies participating in this program!”
Bower Academy is now developing a series of classes for kids (5-95years of age!) featuring how to build an adventure, work in the garage and responsibly go off-road. There will be many more series including the popular “Racer Marketing School”.
“I am excited to be able to use this time to type and get the knowledge and education that Bower Media and Ladies Offroad Network provides into a better streamlined information center. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this time to LEARN so when it is time to head out to the trails and travel again, we are more prepared to have more fun than ever.”
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