This is a near-miss... Or I'd not be writing you today.

Midway through a four day music festival a gentle rain broke out. Thinking nothing of it, our group of 8 or more huddle under our 9 foot tall, steel framed "not so easy-up," as we called it.

The drizzle turned to strong rain, then .5 inch diameter hail.

This is when the thunder starts. Then we notice lightning strike several times within a half a mile of our shelter... So we decide to settle in and stay dry, though a couple do decide to use a small air-mattress as a sled and turn the hill into a water-slide. (As we were at the top of said hill)

Did I mention that this festival is to promote the legalization of marijuana?

At this point some of us are standing ankle deep in puddles, the others are keeping their feet dry by sitting in camp chairs (with metal frames leaning on the "not so easy-up" frame)

Real bright bunch, we were.

The kicker to this whole thing (I know, how can it get better, right?) is that we witnessed a lightning strike in the field a few hundred yards away, and didn't flinch. Then the powerlines got sruck, and we felt it.

We all launched sevaral feet. Most of us saw blue arching electricity between our toes.

We all escaped with nothing more than bruised ego's and buzzing heads.

Feel free to re-write this for a better read.

Submitted on 09/03/2008

Submitted by: DanL
Reference: http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=29509

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
I'm glad to hear nobody was seriously injured. After reading the referenced writeup I'm amazed more people didn't end up hospitalized. As soon as the hail started & lightning was spotted any sane, sober, person would have likely made a run for cover (and NOT under a steel framed shelter at the top of a hill). Thanks for demonstrating what NOT to do during a thunder storm.

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
LOL!!! I agree with Bruce! What WERE you guys thinking!?!

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