From the day we moved to this oasis in the high desert I knew that the day would come when I would stand in the middle of our infrequently traveled road and wait for a passing storm to deposit lightning on the mighty Huachuca mountains. Huachuca is the Native American word for thunder, and the name aptly describes the resonating roars that echo from its lush green forested and stone cliff amphitheater valleys when lightning strikes. Today's storm was my first opportunity to attempt the shot I envisioned. While the lighting did not hit my sweet zone between the Miller and Carr summits, it did provide a foreshadowing of the image I hope to capture ultimately.

As a New Yorker, I can say that Thunder Road has had profound meaning to me for over thirty years. A Springsteen fan from his first days, Thunder Road was an anthem to a youth filled with longing about escaping the confining valleys of steel and concrete, hopefully with my "Mary", where I lived. I spent my life dreaming of that escape. Last year, with my new bride (not a Mary but a Cindy) we escaped to the inescapable openness and grace that is southern Arizona. How ironic that our new home would be at the base of the Thunder Mountains. Each day I get to travel on a road that leads to the foothills of those mountains. It is my Thunder Road. It is my freedom.
Shoot Date: July 16, 2018
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Aperture priority ¹⁄₁₅ sec at f/11 1 EV
Lens: 15mm @ 15 mm
ISO: 50