Spontaneous Drives

Every time I go on a drive, I have a completely unique experience! Even while visiting spots I have been to dozens of times before. Yesterday, we were amazed as we drove to the Juniper hills, to see billowing storm clouds rising all around us. The storms here in east Idaho are not known for their power, however, these thunderstorms shocked us by how potent they were!

As a young boy, I grew up in west Texas with a dad who storm chased professionally in his younger years. Storm chasing became a fun family activity for us each time our corner of Texas had one of its monster storms! Yesterday was the first time I have seen Idaho come close to mimicking the power of the storms on the Great Plains. The rain came down in sheets, with massive drops and minor hail mixed in. Lightning struck all around us, and the thunder rumbled. It was remarkable! To top it all, the setting sun poured light into the sheets of rain, creating a bold rainbow against the dark stormy backdrop. The golden fields of grain and grass, contrasted by the dark storm clouds, and cut by a deep-red road, captivated our attention for over an hour! A simple drive turned into a dream as we were surrounded by remarkable beauty on all sides! The changing weather, and waning light revealed new and exciting mysteries at every turn. It is incredible how much our planet moves and changes every waking moment.

I am so grateful to live in a place of such diversity and beauty! Enjoy a few pictures from our adventure yesterday!

Half the photo credit (the wide shots, and shots of me) goes to my friend and roommate Matai, taken on his iPhone and iPad!