West Texas Storm, Gravel Road

I took this photo after being stuck on a gravel road in west Texas for an hour or so, trying to ride around the storm visible here. No matter what direction I rode (always tending east) I could not get away from or around the storm. It wasn't currently raining where I was, and I wanted to keep it that way.

Despite the fact that I took this ride during the heat wave of summer 2006, it rained on me every single day of the month-long ride save one: It didn't rain when I was in the Austin area, although people there told me they would welcome the rain.

Anyway, I didn't end up being able to avoid the rain. It got me, eventually. But before it did -- and I had to put away my cameras -- I was able to take many photos of the approaching storm. This one may look lucky, but I actually timed the lightning strike visible to the right. Had there been anyone other than a few silent birds, I'm sure I would have looked a proper ass standing there for five minutes, holding the camera to my eye. I certainly felt like an idiot. No one in their right mind would stand still, waiting for a storm to overtake them. But I never claimed to be in my right mind, now, did I?