>2005>Hiking the Sierra High Route for my troop's annual 50 mile hike>Finally reach Lake Italy at 11200 feet and camp on the shores>As we're preparing dinner, lightning storm rolls in>We're freaking out because a couple weeks prior some scouts were struck by lightning and two died>http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jul/30/local/me-lightning30>Lightning closing in on us>Start trying to do the math and count seconds between lightning flash and hear the thunder>It's about half a second, which means it's probably about a quarter mile away>Strikes inside the lake basin, across the lake from us>All we can do is squat on our rubber soled boots and stay low>Old Scoutmaster is a legendary hardass, lied about his age to enlist in the military, Iwo Jima and Korea vet>His voice actually quivering, telling us to stay low and remain calm and we'll be fine>Even at 14, I know he's just telling us what we want to hear>We just keep squatting and eating our jambalaya>Eventually the storm passes us by>Get the fuck down to lower elevation first thing in the morningMost tense, exhilarating dinner ever.
