It was a dark and stormy night....

It was a dark and stormy night.
Isn't that how all the really good tales begin?

Actually it started as a beautiful morning...way too early for my taste...but still a beautiful morning.

Saturday, we left home and headed out for our adventure in the mountains. Bunny with the hubs in my car and me with Belle and Carlos in the little Hummer we bought to keep at the cabin.  Our little caravan drove 900 miles with no incident. 

Then, just a bit past the Colorado border, we stopped for gas and commented on the rain that had blown up. Texas has some great gully washer storms; Colorado has storms that are equally impressive. It looked like we would go through the worst of the rain before we hit the canyon road. Fine with me.

The rain was scattered, not too heavy,  but the lightning, Oh! the lightning. The lightning was impressive and everywhere.

Lots of pretty lightning like this.

I didn't take any pictures. I was way too rattled. 

But someone took this and I can't find the credit. Sorry.

Somewhere on I-25 about 30 minutes south of Pueblo, lightning struck.
The car.
With us in it. And me driving.
The hubs was in front of us and saw the strike in his rear view mirror. He said it appeared as if there was a cage of light around the car. 

The dashboard went blank except for the "check engine" light. We coasted to the highway shoulder. The car was crying as if in pain...eeeee, eeeee, eeeee. Even Onstar was silent. No concerned voice came on to see if we were okay.

But...we were okay, although VERY shaken. A traumatized Carlos would not come out from under my seat where he had lodged himself, a much too big dog in a much too small space. 

And after a few minutes, Onstar lit up and there was the concerned voice. They called me a tow truck and booked me a hotel room and I promise, I could do an Onstar commercial I was so happy. 

The little Hummer? Would not start back up and had that distinct burnt electrical smell when we tried. But no outward physical evidence of a lightning strike. Funny, isn't that?

Sunday morning was gorgeous and clear and after a quick trip to the car rental place, we were on our way again. Less than two hours later, safe and sound at the cabin.

Monday I deal with the car repair shop and the insurance company. (Don't you know State Farm will be happy to hear from me? I don't even have my real insurance card yet, just a temporary one. Haven't even had that car for two weeks.)  And I register the girls for school. 

I knew we would be headed for adventure. I just had no idea it would start so soon. 

And I wish this post was accompanied by lovely little photos  except I forgot to take any. The ones I could find would not load.  Little cabin in the mountains has very temperamental internet service. This may be a problem.

(An interesting side note. This was my third close encounter with lightning and the SECOND time I have been driving a car  struck by lightning. The first time I was sitting at a light marveling at how close the lightning was and WHOOSH! the brightest, whitest light came right down in front of me, shot out to both side mirrors and left me shaken and scared. But nothing happened to the car. Or so I thought. The next day I turned a corner and my tire went flat....both front tires had exit wounds. The lightning has to go somewhere. I have specifically requested that all four tires on the Hums be checked carefully.
Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket. Third time's the charm, right? )