Marbella Spata – Ladies Offroad Challenge Featured Entry
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Marbella Spata – Ladies Offroad Challenge Featured Entry

Marbella Spata
Marietta, GA
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Selected for 2017 Ladies Offroad Challenge Top 10
"Marbella has off-roaded in parks around GA, AL, SC, NC, & TN doing the difficult rock trails in her modified Jeep. She is a girl that loves getting dirty both in and out of her Jeep and am very competitive against herself and the boys. She is a mom to 2 wonderful adult kids and a wife to a very successful man. She is a personal trainer, athletic trainer, high level travel soccer coach, who loves kickboxing, playing soccer, snow skiing and participating in Jeep rides that help the unfortunate. She is a retired dirt track race car driver in the sportsman series."
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Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatTell us about yourself:

I am a personal trainer who loves working with people to help them reach their goals. I kickbox, play soccer, coach athletes and participate on charity Jeep trail rides. I am a girl who loves getting dirty both in and out of my Jeep! I am very competitive against myself and the boys I off-road with! I am more than just a girl.

 

 

How long have you been offroading? 

About 4 years; pretty much ever since I got my Jeep. When I was younger I used to race trucks on dirt tracks or through cornfields.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatHow did you get into offroading?

I love driving! About 5 years ago I started watching videos of off-roaders in Jeeps and I thought, ‘I want to do that.’ I bought my Jeep, joined a few Jeep clubs, and began bugging people to take me out on the trails. I really wanted to see what my Jeep can do . The more I did, the more stock parts broke. That’s when I started adding better mods to my rig.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatTell us about your vehicle:

It is a 2013 OscarMike JKU. His name is Snoopy, he even has a custom made Snoopy sticker on the side that waves to all the Jeepers. He has: Currie 1 ton front with 1"tube wall 5.38 gear ratio and 1 ton rear, Tom Woods custom driveshafts, 40s with Hutchison Beadlocks, Hublocks, Eaton e-Lockers front and rear, 5-inch EVO suspension long arm lift with King shock coilovers, Power stop brakes, Teraflex High steering, PCS Hydro steer asst., EVO Body armor, EVO tire rack,Ripp High tuck exhaust, EVO rock sliders, Currie Antirocks, skidplates, winch, red rock lights, Tred liner, ORV steel bumpers, Pioneer-Polk speakers, and a CB radio

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat has been your favorite offroad experience?

I have two favorites. This year, I was involved with the Georgia Jeep Alliance 1st Annual St. Jude’s Offroad Ride. Off-roaders had a weekend of wheeling at Chocolocco Mountain in Alabama. All donations went to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. We raised $12,000 for St Jude  Hospital. My second favorite would be participating in Cherokee County Jeepers Club first ever Homeless Boys Jeep Ride. These boys had the time of their lives. They got to have fun getting muddy in our Jeeps, talking over the CB radios, and just having a great off-road experience. They were all grinning from ear to ear with muddy faces. It was so rewarding seeing those boys laugh and have such a great time.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat was your most exciting offroad achievement?

Proving to the guys that I am not scared of anything and that I can do anything and everything they can do...and I can even do it better most times. I love seeing their jaws drop or hearing them try to come up with an excuse for why they struggled

 

What excites you about offroading?

Off-roading is peaceful. It gets me off my phone, most of the time I don’t get signal.... that's a bonus in my mind..lol. I get to be close and personal with mother nature and see everything she provides us in the woods away from the city. I enjoy the adrenaline rush that I get when I am offroading....great natural high that your body produces.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat do you think is the most challenging aspect of offroading?

Off-roading is a team/family activity. It requires trust. To find a group that you can trust with your life is probably the biggest challenge. However, once you do find that group, they end up becoming as close as family.

 

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

Much like life, off-roading is about overcoming challenges and obstacles. It is so rewarding when you are able to successfully overcome a new challenge, especially if it is one that others may have failed or that has taken you multiple attempts to complete.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat does prepping for an adventure look like in your world?

Preparing mentally, making sure that I the right shoes and clothing, packing food, making sure that the tool box has all the right tools (duct tape and zipties are a must), making sure the Jeep is tightened down (all bolts tightened, tires aired up, etc.), packing the air compressor, towels for cleaning up, and most importantly, making sure I have fun.

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat is on your offroading bucket list?

Moab, exploring Colorado, Arizona, making new friends in every state I visit (who will then become more of my extended wheeling family). I also want to actually race in an off-road event, that would be so cool to say that I tried my best and crossed the finish line.

 

Tell us about who you go offroading with:

I usually off-road with other 4x4-ers by myself in my jeep. Occasionally my 16-year-old son is my co-pilot. I let him drive too on the trails so that he can have a little fun and challenge those driving skills! He is a natural offroader. I am proud to say I taught him his offroad skills!

 

Marbella-Spata-LOC-FeatWhat is a piece of advice you have been given that you instill in your offroading adventures?

Never leave a 4x4 alone. Listen to instinct. If I don’t think that I can do it then I don’t attempt it. I am perfectly ok with that, but I will tackle it the next time.

 

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

I grew up playing sports with the boys; baseball, soccer, ski team, swim team, and track. I wasn’t into playing dolls, it was too boring. Getting dirty was much more fun, and it earned me a lot of respect among the guys. I wasn’t scared to do anything! I am still that way as an adult. I am more than just a girl or just a mom. I like to live my life to the fullest. Thank you for everything you guys have done for us!

 

 

 

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