No let up then grannyWe had some pretty loud thunder the other day, could feel it through your feet
Not keen on it or lightening since we nearly got zapped one day. Was dashing to get the horses in and a bolt came down and hits a fence post! No more dashing we were running!!
I'm having trouble with back ends again
Years ago, before internet and instant weather forecasts, hubs and I attempted a backpacking trip into the Trinity Alps. It's beautiful rugged country in north northern California. We drove the 5+ hours and hiked in a ways to camp by a beautiful small lake. The next morning, went on a long hike up into the mountains, stopped to swim in another lake, and noticed a few clouds rolling in. Pretty soon we could hear thunder in the distance. Out of the lake we go and start hiking back to camp, while the blue sky disappears and rain starts, intermittently pelting us with huge drops. When the lightening strikes start coming down around us, we start running, luckily downhill, completely drenched, and me laughing a bit hysterically. I wasn't too worried because there were tall trees near that would attract the lightening away from us, but it was still pretty scary. At last we got down off the mountain, and had outrun the rain. We were getting closer to camp, and KAPOW! A lightening bolt hits a giant sequoia (I think it was) just down the trail, and the top of the tree bursts into flames. We were about 100 ft away and could feel the heat. Wasn't raining at that point, and as we got nearer the flaming tree, hubs (then BF) starts to slow down and look around. I ask what he is doing, and he says, don't you think we should put the fire out ??!?!?!? Ummmm, are you okay? Don't you think the rain that is coming will put it out? Besides, that tree is 150 feet tall!! How in the world world we put it out anyway? So we keep moving back to camp, picking up speed because the rain is overtaking us again, and me keeping an eye on him, because... well, wouldn't you? Get back to camp to find everything is drenched. Sleeping bags and all. Hubs is shaking, which is what happens to people with no fat on their bodies who get wet and cold and need something to eat. I'm all for packing up and heading back out, but he starts heating some soup, thinking it might be okay to stay another night. Rain is pouring now, wind is swirling, and we hear thunder getting nearer and nearer. Suddenly, a blinding bolt of light jumps out of the ground, just on the opposite side of the lake, and at the exact same time, a deafening cracking boom of thunder shakes the ground and hurt my ears. That was enough for us. We packed up, hiked out to the car, and that was the end of my big backpacking adventure.
Two morals to the story: Always check the weather forecast before hiking in the mountains. And you know you had a close call when you see the lightening and hear the thunder simultaneously.
