My God, that's too close, way, way too close. Terrifying, I really can't imagine it.

I've been through two lightning storms where we were exposed and one could feel the static, see the strikes RIGHT THERE, smell the ozone and then got clobbered by hail. I never, ever want to go through another. It's like a mortar shelling where you don't know if this second is your last. The morning after the second storm the Forest Service sent up folks with body bags. I'm still surprised we were able to avoid serious problems.

And I've seen a lightning storm looking down on it from about 15,000 feet from a mountain. In Mexico, on Mt. Orizaba looking off toward the Gulf Coast. The clouds looked like a white quilt and the thunderheads seemed like chess pieces on it. The lightning was pink or white and shot through the clouds horizontally. Absolutely spectacular. The other two guys with me were sick from the altitude and all of my urging to come see just brought the foulest language and worst wishes you can imagine. (Made me wish I had a cup of warm grease to wave under their noses.)

Truly a sight of a lifetime.

Arf