There’s an old saying that you should never get into an aircraft without a motor. Well partner, out here in John Wayne country, folks don’t mind taking the occasional risk. Take hot air ballooning, for example. An unlikely vessel – a small basket hung from a large floating nylon orb – the hot air balloon is actually the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. And to celebrate this time-honored mode of aviation, Bluff, Utah’s, annual Bluff Balloon festival hosts a rally in what may be one of the most unique flight areas around, Valley of the Gods. Here’s a gander:

• 

  Amid specators and chase vehicles, a ballooner lifts off into the rarified January sky.

• 

  A pilot splits the gap between two sandstone monuments.

• 

  Bluff High senior, Micah Daniels, along with a few friends, fries up a local delicacy.

• 

  Not a bad sight for a sunny winter morning in the desert...

• 

  Early risers trickle into the Valley of the Gods for some perfect flying conditions.