Heather Norvold – Ladies Offroad Challenge Featured Entry

Heather Norvold
Eau Claire, WI

"Heather Eslinger Norvold, Eau Claire, WI – Heather’s slogan is ‘hard hat, steel toes and lip gloss’! By day she works for a water treatment co. that treats HVAC water. Her husband started Max-Bilt Off-road which has allowed them to participate in events all over the US. About 5 years ago, her husband built her a '97 TJ, which has given her the opportunity to gain confidence on the trails. She has welded a new floor panel in her '80 CJ-7, she has upgraded the gears in her '15 JKU and has done various other small jobs swapping out old battery cables, replacing filters, etc. She has learned that the single most important item to bring on more difficult wheeling trips is a good spotter!"

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Tell us about yourself:

I am a Jeep wife. My husband started Max-Bilt Off-road, and I have been by his side throughout it all. While never getting completely immersed in the offroad community, I have always been along for the ride. I work for an industrial water treatment co. that treats HVAC water. I spend most of my time in mechanical rooms working with maintenance. Hard hat, steel toes and lip gloss has sort of become my slogan. When free time allows, I enjoy getting out my circ. saw and repurposing old wood items. Not afraid to roll up my sleeves, I also like to help out in our shop if I can. About 5 years ago, my husband built me my very own '97 TJ, which has given me the opportunity to gain confidence on the trails. We love spending time outdoors camping and taking every opportunity to see the US. With him owning Max-Bilt Off-Road, we try and do as many off-road events that we can. Besides honing in my wheeling skills out on the trails, I have met a lot of people by participating

How long have you been offroading? 

Oh man. Well, I just had to dig out the ‘ol scrapbook. Here is a rough timeline: In 2005, my boyfriend Phil, (now husband) started a CJ-7 restoration project for his dad. Once completed, Phil quickly caught the Jeep bug and soon after purchased his own CJ-7. By 2007, I also caught the bug and bought my first Jeep, a 1980 CJ-7. We started off by playing around on private property, blazing trails and getting stuck in the mud. In 2008, my husband built a center console for his dad’s CJ-7 that included LED lights, a lockable lid, and cup holders. People loved it and so our company was formed. On a whim, we went loaded up and drove the 24hrs down to the Easter Jeep Safari to debut our only product at the vendor show. Moab, UT is where we quickly learned that offroading was more than just mud, and we instantly fell in love with the red rock. It was from that moment that our love and passion for offroading stemmed and grew. One of my favorite memories from that very first trip happened while we were working our booth. We kept seeing this dude in a bright yellow JP Magazine T-shirt wandering around and taking pictures. It wasn’t long until we figured out that it was (the late) Pete Trasborg from JP magazine, and just in time as he wandered up to our booth and started to chat with us. We were star-struck and HAD to get our picture with him. We then preceded to be blown away when he wanted to do a feature on our product in the magazine.

From there, our friendship began and only grew. Who would have thought he would be there for our engagement the following year and one of our best men in our wedding 2 years later? He was pivotal in our embracing of the offroad lifestyle because he was such a mainstay in the industry. He seemed to know everyone and was able to introduce us to numerous contacts in the industry who we still have friendships with. He was so knowledgeable about everything offroad and was an incredible source whenever we had questions. Although he lived across the county, traveling to a large offroad event meant that we would be able to reconnect with him and the other friends we have made along the way.

How did you get into offroading?

I guess I got ahead of myself in the last question. Let's just say that being in the industry, selling aftermarket parts means that you find yourself traveling a lot and meeting a lot of people. The events are not just vendor shows, they are often organized offroad events and that is where we have been able to build and grow numerous life-long relationships. These events are where we met Bob & Mary from TNT Customs. Being fellow Wisconsin “cheese loving” natives, we had an instant bond with them.

When I found out I was pregnant in 2010, my husband decided I needed to upgrade from my vintage CJ-7 to a vehicle that would be safer for his family. Together in collaboration with TNT, my 1997 TJ was the amazing result. My favorite part was the custom roll cage with extra protection over the back seat (car seat area) and the full TNT body armor. I still have that Jeep and it’s the family wheeling Jeep, even now that our kids are 7 & 4. We have continued to immerse ourselves in the offroad world because of the life-long friendships we have made along the way. Everyone we meet are always so friendly and supportive and they just want to have fun doing what they love. It’s all about surrounding yourself with good people and we have found there are a lot of good people in the offroad world.

Tell us about your vehicle:

THOR is a 2015 Anvil JKU (Daily Driver). He recently received some pretty sweet updates for his latest trip out to Moab, UT. He has the following specs: Max-Bilt Trail Tail LED taillights & adaptor, TNT Customs rock sliders and front and rear bumpers, Teraflex Falcon Shocks, 37” Milestar Tires, a WARN winch, American Trail Products grab handles, Flowmaster Exhaust, Revolution Gears, Redneck Ram Hydro Assist steering, Notch Customs fiberglass fenders, JCR Offroad Inner Fenders, Currie Ent 1-ton steering upgrade, 2 1/2” ReadyLift & Insane Jeep Audio Stereo.

Mom’s Blue JeepHJ is a  1997 Jeep TJ. This one is my wheeling Jeep & has the following: Max-Bilt Center Console, TNT Rocktech suspension, 3” Old Man Emu Lift Springs, Bilstein shocks, JK front & rear axles, JK wheels machined by Trailready Beadlocks, 37” Pitbull Rockers Tires, Custom 1-ton steering, TNT full body armor
package, Custom roll cage, Max-Bilt Center Console, and she rolls with a 318 using a Flex-A-Lite radiator and Advance Adaptors swap kit.

949 Willys Overlander: This Jeep has had a complete drivetrain upgrade and interior restoration. This one has actually been at SEMA twice and we took it on a week-long family overlanding trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last August. We headed out with a crew of 6 other Jeeps, took the Ferry across Lake Michigan and made our way up to Drummond Island, with a couple stops along the way to offroad.

AMOS FEDEROWSKI: 1951 Jeep Willys Truck. This is the Epic Willys Jeep that will be making the border-to-border trip in July.

What has been your favorite offroad experience?

My favorite experience would have to be down in Moab, UT for the 2009 Easter Jeep Safari. We were staying with friends Pete Trasborg and Missy Howard. Pete wanted to do a feature on my husband’s latest Jeep. We all loaded up and headed out to Baby Lion’s Back and everyone got set up for some shots of the Jeep as it climbed the red rock. Once on top of the hill, we turned the Jeep around to begin our descent, he stops the Jeep and says that we should get out. I thought he was checking something under the hood, instead, he dropped to one knee. Even though at that exact moment, we weren’t tackling some huge obstacle, my heart was pounding like we were. Without a doubt, Baby Lion’s Back will always mean something to me and my family. We have had our 7year old out to Moab twice and each time we visit the trail. That’s the awesome thing about offroading, you are able to get out and see so much of this awesome place we live and we are able to tie memories to the places we have been.

What was your most exciting offroad achievement?

Dominating obstacle after obstacle is what I love about offroading.

What excites you about offroading?

There is a bit of a rush that comes with offroading. As you approach a steep incline filled with rocky ledges or find yourself with your hood aimed at the sky, not sure which way the trail heads after you reach the top, it gets the blood pumping and takes your breath away. It’s exciting to use offroading as a platform to try new things and to push yourself past your comfort level. I didn’t start off-roading by hitting some extreme trails in Moab, I started in our backyard. We drove through the mud and hit trails with the biggest obstacle being a tree root. But with each offroad outing, I pushed myself to try something new. Of course, there were times when I would abandon my Jeep right where it sat and convince someone else to finish the obstacle. But then, after I saw my Jeep climb up no problem, I used that as fuel to push myself to make my rig perform and do what it was built to do. 

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of offroading

Trust is the most challenging aspect. You have to trust yourself, your spotter and your rig. You need the combination of all three in order to tackle your next obstacle. And of course, everything can seem so intimidating. The obstacle can seem three times bigger than it is. There are always people watching to see how you do and that pressure can sometimes be what holds you back. If you can take yourself out of the big picture (which is typically the opposite of most advice we are given) and focus completely on your spotter, how your rig is responding to your commands and on keeping yourself calm, nothing else matters at that moment.

Which aspect of offroading do you think is the most fun?

I love the offroading environment. The whole she-bang. From the camaraderie of the group to the cloud 9 feeling from overcoming obstacles, to seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes there are. I know there is a misconception about off-roading. A lot of people assume it’s a bunch of loud, big vehicles tearing around, ruining the environment. It’s so far from our world. We often take our 4 & 7 year olds with us and hit trails like the ones in Gilbert, MN, which are basically some trails that surround an old iron-ore quarry. We listen to music, have the Jeep top down and stop for a picnic lunch. The kids get out and play in the woods while the adults chat. There are portions of the park that have some huge rock piles that people can articulate over, so we will get out and everyone watches. That’s our world. That’s what I love about offroading.

What does prepping for an adventure look like in your world?

Prepping for an adventure completely depends on the adventure! So many factors have to be considered. Are we taking the kids? Are we camping or staying in a rental? Does this adventure include a vendor show? Is this an extreme wheeling trip, or a casual stroll through the woods?

Without a doubt, I am a planner. I look up the destination beforehand and find out anything I can about the area. I am a bit neurotic and will stalk the trip advisor forums for the best eateries in the area (extremely important if you ask me!). I google earth the area to find the best campsite at the campground, and I will search for hours to find the best vacation rental. However, for our next really big EPIC adventure, I’m going in blind. This trip will be like no other trip that I have ever had to prepare for before. I will be joining the crew that calls their trip the “Epic Willys Adventure”. This is a crew of 15 vintage Willys Jeeps traveling from Canada to Mexico along the continental divide. We are shipping our Jeeps out to MT, taking the train from WI to our Jeeps and driving up to the Canadian Border to officially begin our trip. The rules on this journey include no cell phones or GPS, paper maps only and sticking to 2-lane roads, which mean a lot of backroads. There will be a lot of Overland camping because, at 45mph and a handful of old Jeeps, there is no guarantee you will make it to your nightly destination, so there really are no destinations, with the exception of one. The only destination is the All-4- Fun Jeep Show in Silverton CO. I don’t know how many times I have jumped on the internet with the intention of forming some sort of game plan for lodging, but I end up just staring at a map of the US. This is definitely going to be an EPIC ADVENTURE! 

What is on your offroading bucket list?

It may be sort of weird to say because I know bucket lists are a thing, but being a mom of two young kids, I really don’t have a bucket list. Instead, I take advantage of the opportunities in front of me and try to make them work. Things I know I likely won’t get the chance to do again, and things I don’t want to look back on and wish I did. The last thing that needs to plague my memories is regret, so I try to make it possible to try new things. I have been lucky in that, our lifestyle and constant traveling has offered me plenty of opportunities to try to new things. I think that if I had a bucket list, I would be worrying about not fulfilling items or working too hard to make something work out on the list that I would miss opportunities staring me in the face.

Tell us about who you go offroading with:

I almost always go with my husband, Phil. He has been there from the start of our wheeling adventures and has wheeled some pretty insane stuff. When I’m on a tricky obstacle, he's my go-to spotter and my support “rock”, especially when I hit the rocks. He keeps me calm and with our teamwork, I have been able to dominate some pretty rad trails.

I have also wheeled with our good family friend, Bob Levenhagen, from TNT Customs. Now there is a guy who can spot anyone through anything. Trust is huge when it comes to relying on your spotter and without him, I don’t think I would have been able to climb Behind the Hills in Moab, UT. I would have to say that has been one of my more challenging offroad accomplishments. Phil wasn’t there on that ride, I was solo in my Jeep doing a lot of self-talk as I negotiated up steep climbs, but I made it.

Throughout the years I have found some really amazing spotters, Bob included. Both the late (JP) Pete Trasborg and Landon List from American Trail Products have both been amazing spotters. Pete had been immersed in the offroad community for so long and really helped me learn the basics to offroading. Landon helped me walk my lifted daily driver up Kane Creek in Moab (without lockers!?!) after we all thought I was going to have to use my winch. By trusting his directions, I never needed to. Again, another huge accomplishment.

What is a piece of advice you have been given that you instill in your offroading adventures?

The #1 item that I will forever abide by is to never go offroading alone. There are too many unforeseeable issues that could arise, and it is so so so important to have that second vehicle there to help out. The second piece of advice is simply to have fun. Let go, relax and be in the moment.

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

I can say the alphabet backwards kind of fast. I would most definitely like to give a shout out to Phil Norvold. I consider myself so extremely lucky to have been by his side from the very moment Max-Bilt Offroad became a dream right up to the point that it became a reality. I watched him grow this company from the ground up, which is not an easy thing to do by yourself….let alone at the young age of 22. Throughout the years (it has been 11yrs for those keeping track) I have watched him juggle growing up in adulthood, expanding the business, starting a family and not losing himself or his priorities in the process. Every day I am in awe of how we still finds the time and motivation to put himself out there to try new things, to talk to new people and to grow new relationships. If anyone has taught me to put myself out there and try new things, it has been him. He is my rock and is the reason I felt that I had a strong enough base to put myself out there and see where Ladies Offroad Challenge could take me.

Charlene-Thank you for starting this event! I was in Moab the year you made the announcement. Mary (TNT) and I were going to go together, but then I went out on Kane Creek with the Readylift crew and we were stuck out behind a group of (I swear) 40 Jeeps! We were out there from 9a until 9p! We were all a very tired, hungry, thirsty and cranky group when we finally got out of there. I had to miss the announcement party. I remembered thinking about what a great opportunity it was, and how the women that would be entering must be confident and gutsy to want to be part of those events. Then last year at the Crawl-4- the-Cure Event in MN, I ran into Angela Hinkley. I had never met her but recognized her from the promoting that fellow friend Zeus Offroad did. I used the Challenge to introduce myself and strike up a conversation with her. I have run into her throughout the year and the friendship just continues to grow. Our shop recently had the Ladies Rock Off-Road Club ladies come over to work on some projects and the Challenge was discussed. I still thought that it was only for those women who excelled in the offroad world and had pages and pages of experience. In talking with the women (who highly recommended that I enter), I realized that it was an opportunity to add an experience to our own list, not necessarily only opportunities for those who have already done it all. After the ladies left, I deliberated about it for a couple days before I finally decided to enter. I want to do one more shout out to Angela and the ladies from Ladies Rock Off-Road Club for being so supportive! I’m amazed they would want me to enter when that just meant more competition for themselves, but they totally did not see it that way. Team players all the way!

Click here to see all the 2018 Ladies Offroad Challenge Entries.