Saturday Cloud Thrasher

Was monitoring the radar for expected thunderstorms dos the morning, and knew that if I could just get the boy to sleep for a afternoon nap which comes about once a week if we want, I could run out and stretch my legs :) It took 50 minutes but I was successful by 1:10pm and was out the door before expected weather headed in. I don't mind rain at all, I quite like it in the desert, but lightning is something I will not mess with. I have come pretty close to issues the last year and was happy to have only been close. With the best opportunity looking North I went for Usery for a bit of usual and Pass Mountain. I decided that it was looking mighty angry behind me but in a confusing order. Reading radars and visual storm conditions has become quite fun for me. Feeling extremely fit as I was spinning I put the storm at my back confidently and up Bell Pass for the right amount of time and kept looking back thinking it's going to rain but my radar wasn't quite saying the same. I turned around since it was looking a bit funky and I was done reading my phone and went with my eyeballs. It began to sprinkle and man did it feel good! I knew the thunderstorms were still a bit off so for now this was completely wonderful as I descended back into Usery for a loop. I pushed the envelope as clouds arrived and found myself racing to the car, not worried about getting wet but nervous about lightning. I got about 1/2 mile from the car and it began to rumble above me, then a flash of lightning a mile or so from me and holy crap did I book it for the car. I beat the worst of it which was not much as it rolled thru fast. I was content with my hour and home happy I went.