[at-l] Re: Q on lightning & hammocks......

[jestbill at yahoo.com (william fitzpatrick)]

Yah.  It'd probably ruin your cell phone, digital camera and GPS unit--and
scare your dog half to death.

The first responders should try to install Windows XP.

I think about lightning as a HUGE animal loose in the forest.  It likely won't
even see something as small as a tent pole or hiking stick and won't care the
least whether you are "grounded" or not.  If it happens to step near you,
you'll be lucky to live: if it misses, you'll have a great story to tell.

"Grounded," in the world of lightning should attract it. "Not grounded" (as in
insulated from the ground) probably doesn't mean much--the electricity jumped
the distance from a cloud (through air) to get to you so an inch or so of foam
or another couple of feet of air shouldn't cause it much trouble.  

If you live, you should have a plan for what to do about the flames rising
about your hammock.


--- PUDSCRAWLER@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 6/22/2005 9:15:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> ellen@clinic.net writes:
> 
> 
> > Grounded or no, I wouldn't have wanted to be strung in a hammock between 
> > those particular trees.
> > 
> > 
> 
> But, Weary, just think of how legendary you would have become.  From now into
> 
> eternity, outdoorspeople would have sat around campfires, telling about your 
> fiery demise.  Mothers would have used your story to convince their grown
> sons 
> and daughters that there is too much dangerous electricity out in the woods. 
> 
> Your electrifying experience would be written up in countless outdoorsman 
> books.
> 
> What price fame?
> 
> Kinnickinic
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> 


JestBill  Ga--->Me '03

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