Thor, Donar, Taranis... and T1G

Well, that was a kickass drive...

For the most part, last night was fairly clear, but the last two hours were driving through some serious storms. I love that shit... although going through it in a car certainly is a little lacking. Being outside during it all leaves a feeling of "sharing it with the gods." Sitting inside is like, "ooooh.... pretty."

Those who were long before us, they worshipped many gods, lightning and/or thunder being one of them. Right or wrong, it doesn't matter. When you are out in the storm, you see just where they got their beliefs. And, as I told Eric the last time I was down there, you can see the gods themselves. Of course, that could be the absinthe...

When I was stationed in Lejeune, we occasionally made trips on long liberties that could have been considered "out of bounds..." we drove to a buddy's house in Texas. 21 hour trip, it was. One of my favorite parts of the drive was a stretch through Louisiana... it always seemed to storm when we went through, and we always went through at night. There were some spectacular light shows, especially when you were outside, riding in the back of the pickup, looking up. You never got wet, because of the speed of the truck forcing the rain over top of you.

There were times when you actually could see their faces up there, cheeks flushed as they bellowed in rage, long arms of lightning reaching down to destroy the little pissants who'd failed to give the proper respect. I'd watch as they took turns visiting their wrath upon the Earth. Occasionally, one would take another's turn, and the rage would temporarily be moved skyward. But being as gods can't die, they'd turn their attentions back to man. I did not envy the bastards who had so enraged them.

When I rode down to Eric's last year, I went through some very serious stuff. High winds, lightning to either side, and thunder with each flash... it was that close. After I had to stop in one area, because of a wreck, one of the EMT's told me that they had just had a tornado go through. Talk about sweet. Oh, and the best part... I was on the bike. Not the first time I've ridden like that, but probably the most memorable one... but it won't be the last, either.

And just last month, when I was on my tour of the south, I got to witness some seriously pissed off gods. Heheheh... at one point, I even caught myself muttering, "I haven't done anything. I'm glad they ain't pissed at me..." Coming out of Memphis and heading towards Birmingham did indeed look ugly. I'm thinking that Montgomery is where the action was at, but all along 78, there was evidence that they had recently been through there, as well. Signs bent and broken, all along the "future I - 22 corridor." The faces could again be seen...

Last night, when I got down here, I stood outside, on top of the hill, and watched... the lightning within arms' grasp. And as I watched, I remembered one of the dieties from the Louisiana skies, who had looked down at me lying in the bed of that truck, winked, and said, "Watch how it's done, boy," as he knocked the top off of one of the trees along the interstate. I think the bastard was here, too, taunting me... keeping the bolts just out of my reach.

I can't wait to get ahold of one o' dem... I'll show them how it's done.

Posted by That 1 Guy at April 2, 2006 02:57 PM