Born in Flagstaff, AZ, Grace came home from the hospital in a Range Rover Classic. She started camping a few months later and now has traveled throughout the USA, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, and Belize. Grace, now 17, has been teaching at the Overland Expo since 2011 and directing our Kid’s Adventure program since 2013. Being surrounded by others who travel has had a huge impact on her.
Grace is a “lifetime” member of the Arizona Land Rover Owners Club (AZLRO) since her parents helped found it before she was born. She has been camping, running trails, and just having fun with this club since before she can remember. Recently, Grace became one of their youngest trail leaders. She survived trail leader training with Camel Trophy veteran Jim West and is Wilderness First Aid Certified. She has lead several trails around AZ for the club.
@roverdivagrace
Her most memorable trips include Palenque, Mexico City, climbing the temples of Tikal, Chaco Canyon, and the Four Corners area. Not so memorable are her visits to the highest peaks in the US, Mexico, Japan and Canada, because only one of them was not shrouded in clouds. Recently armed with her driver’s license, she drove her Mom to Alaska in a 2016 Nissan Versa, since their 1968 Land Rover Dormobile decided at the last minute it didn’t want to go. It seems to be a theme in Grace’s travels that plans change at the last minute due to government shutdowns, tents destroyed by wind, or broken Land Rovers. She has become adept at adapting to whatever is thrown her way. All this time spent outdoors has instilled a love for the environment, and she wants to study environmental science in college.
One notable accomplishment is when she snorkeled in the “ocean” in the middle of Arizona at the Biosphere 2 while assisting with a study of hermit crabs. When not attending high school or traveling, Grace actively participates in her school’s robotics team, CRUSH 1011. She has recently discovered a talent for various computer programs, such as Photoshop and Solidworks. She lives in Tucson with her parents and is resurrecting her very own 1994 Range Rover and learning the pains of owning an old Land Rover.
Grace keeps a blog in her spare time, and since she doesn’t have very much spare time, it isn’t updated very often. You can meet Grace at Overland Expo 2018 WEST in our Kid’s Adventure Area! Bring your kids and come say hi!
Photo © Grace Howard
