The high desert, coupled with a little elevation or altitude, seems to be the trick for some weird stuff.
I was camping solo not too far (as such things are measured out West) from there, and heard a lightning strike a good ways away. About 15 or 20 seconds later maybe, this glowing ball of plasma, about the size of a volleyball maybe cam bouncing, sparking, and hissing right through my campsite and ultimately disappeared underneath my truck. I thought it was going to hit me, and always wondered what would have happened. Definitely made a sizzle swooshing sound as it careened around stuff. It was pretty cool.
That’s a Bucky Ball.
Wow. Isn’t that “St. Elmo’s Fire” or “ball lightning”? That must have something to see. It’s pretty rare, too.