Fire in the Sky UTV Fun Run 2021

Hosted By UTV Offroad Adventures!

Photos and article by LeeAnn Nix and Jim Smith of Drone:30, Michelle Ramos Marks and Jamie Tomkins (November 2021)

Along the Mogollon Rim of Arizona, tucked away in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, lie two small quaint towns combined to be called Heber-Overgaard. Do not let these small towns fool you. There is plenty to do and see year-round! Fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, camping and of course our personal favorite activity...UTV off-roading (lots of it). With trails in every direction imaginable and a good bunch of people to go with, you cannot go wrong.

UTV Offroad Adventures put on a spectacular event in this beautiful location September 17-19, 2021. Thanks to AJ's Getaway RV Park and the amazing mid 70's temperatures this event was incredibly fun. Packed with vendors, cornhole, raffles, poker run, rides, and stunning views the fun just never stopped. So bring your RV and UTV, stay and play at AJ's Getaway and explore the spectacular Arizona Rim Country.

Travis Who?

Star Performance of Heber-Overgaard, a presenting sponsor for this event, surprised everyone by bringing a friend, Travis Walton. For those of you who do not know the name, watch the movie "Fire in the Sky".

We took the liberty of watching this just before attending the event. His incredible story will excite and thrill you to the bone. On November 5, 1975 Travis Walton and his fellow forestry crew were working deep in the woods of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. A light and floating unidentifiable object was witnessed by the crew in the late hours and poof, through a beam of light, Travis was gone.

Appearing 5 days later by the road in Heber, just as mysteriously as he left, he phoned home from a phone booth. The phone booth is still standing today and can be found between Alien Autoworx and Casa Ramos (an amazing restaurant by the way). Stop in, take a photo with little green men and imagine what his experience might have been like.

His alien abduction experience has been documented in his book The Walton Experience, and be sure to watch the movie "Fire in the Sky".

Travis was kind enough to give everyone a little bit of his time for Q&A. He is a kind, quiet person. Everyone truly enjoyed his presence and the ability to chat with him one on one. Happily he took the time to come out, shared some amazing stories and captured some Kodak moments with those that requested them.

UTV Offroad Adventures thanks you for your time and sharing your experiences with us all.

Wait, There's More?

Choose Your Adventure

With rides that are Alien-themed, you never know where you are going to end up. This year was a Space Invader Loop and the Galaxy Loop. Both rides were approximately 40+ miles of fun, sun, a slight sprinkle of rain, and a little wildlife to boot. One ride even takes you past Travis Walton's original home. You cannot miss it as it has a sign out front, "Alien House". Very well decorated and a superb sight to see.

Follow The Lights

The Alien Night Ride kicked off the Friday night festivities. A perfect Arizona sunset, a superb starry night coupled with a full moon, and just like that, you have the perfect UTV night ride. With whip lights all aglow and a dusty trail, you have the best ingredients for a fabulous time. An amazing experience to be had and fun for all ages. Just follow the lights in front of you and you are on the right trail for adventure.

Saturday Night Festivities

After we blew off all of the day's dust and adventure, it was time for us to all meet back at AJ's Getaway for campfires, cornhole, vendors, and raffle fun. With vendors and sponsors like Baja Racing Gear, Noco Whips, Star Performance, Nash Powersports, Demer's Glass, Country Financial, and others onsite or not, there are always plenty of options for you to doll up the UTV.

The cornhole tournaments always heat up the sunset hours. Many different teams and a lot of competition going on all at once. The hooting and hollering for this will get you even more pumped for the upcoming raffle.

The raffle items are EPIC! Whip lights, tires, shirts, hats, oil, slime light bars, radios and so much more. Now for a UTV enthusiast, there are some sweet items to be scored here.

AZ Kidz Experience was there accepting donations as well as selling tickets for their upcoming raffle. A 2021 Maverick X3 DS Turbo Can-Am UTV. All proceeds are to benefit the Phoenix Children's Hospital. For more information for that upcoming event visit and get your ticket for your chance to win a new machine, visit azkidzexperience.com. The raffle is not until November 20, 2021, and you do not need to be present to win!

Still Time for More Fun in 2021

UTV Offroad Adventures always has your back. If you are looking for more to experience please visit UTVoffroadadventures.com. There is one event left for this year, the Desert Dwellers UTV Fest on November 12-14, 2021 in Wenden, AZ. There is also already a jam-packed year of adventures planned that will take you off the beaten path and to places you never knew existed.

They have done an amazing job organizing all of these events. All entries include breakfast, dinner, an event shirt, a well-stuffed grab bag with UTV loot, and adventures for a lifetime.