lightning strikes

Last night I was driving back from Hurricane and watched the most amazing sky I have ever seen. I kept thinking of reasons to stop even though I needed to get back. First, I stopped at a gas station to use the bathroom, then I decided it was a good time to check my oil (even though the wind was swirling around me like Kansas and almost blew my hood shut on my fingers), and then I stopped again at another gas station (this time, I figured I'd really fill up my tank). Then I drove by La Verkin overlook and decided I'd turn down that road and watch the night sky up on the ridge, but reality got ahold of me too fast and told me that was a stupid idea to sit up on a mountain ridge with lightning all around me. So I headed back to Zion. I felt like I was walking down the red carpet and camaras were all on me and flashing all around me. But instead, I was driving the curvy desert roads with a storm that seemed to stretch all of Utah.

Defeated, I drove back into the canyon, where the cool lightning was hidden behind the rock walls and I could only see the light sometimes. Couldn't stand it, so Jeff, one of my housemates, and I decided to go for a drive and find a good place for pictures. So we drove, and drove, and realized the only good place would be somewhere up high, where we'd be stupid to be. But we drove to none other than LaVerkin overlook and sat up on the mountain ridge, overlooking the city, with lightning in front of us, behind us, and above us. Another one of the stupider things I've ever done, but it seems the stupidest things are the most rewarding.

Jeff got some incredible pictures and I hope to steal some and put them on here. I'd never seen lightning like this. It was eerie and silent, but the clouds were on fire. I love the west.