Why???

[bandana4me]

I had a day off Wed this week and the weather was not the best so I took Marley (my dog) for a walk up to Garfield Pond (using the old trail). On my way back down at the river crossing, I saw what looked like a nice flat spot that might have a campsite up there.

OK here is the problem, when we went to check out this area, it was a campsite and there was a fire that was still smoldering. I had to dump 4 gallons of water on the fire before I felt secure enough it was out. It was raining/snowing that day. My major concern was no fire ring around the fire, it was starting to go under ground and spread. With all the leaves around the fire it had a chance of catching on and creating a large fire.

Now my question is:

Why was I compelled to check out this one spot? I saw other spots on the trail that looked good for campsites. Why did I only go to this site?

 

[Grumpy]

Don't question fate. Just be glad you were attracted to and did visit that particular spot. (I write that knowing from experience that sometimes a mysterious "sixth sense" urges us to investigate scenes we usually would pass up.)

BTW, if the fire was going underground, a rudimentary fire ring probably would not have contained it. Fires should be built on "mineral" soil only -- sand, gravel, clay -- and not on the fluffy organic forest duff soil.

G.

 

[BlackBuffalo]

I've run across this in a campground in Mass. on the last day of the year. Figured someone was in a hurry to leave. It was contained in a ring, but still a risk. A couple bottles from a nearby river did the trick.
Remember what Smokey says, "Only you can prevent forest fires."

We should all be on the watch.

DaveG.

 

[skiguy]

Now my question is:

Why was I compelled to check out this one spot? I saw other spots on the trail that looked good for campsites. Why did I only go to this site?

It's all good Karma

 

[Klutz]

WOW! Glad that you came across that! Imagine if you didn't? Then what would have happened. Yes, I do believe it was fate too, but doesn't that make you feel good that you did your good deed for the day? Some things happen for a reason.

 

[Maddy]

Why not?
Strong work getting that extinguished.

 

[erugs]

I've had similar experiences of listening (or not) to the inner voice.

An example of when I didn't: I received a MP3 player I had bought from eBay. I used scissors to open up the package and my inner voice said, "Watch out, you'll snip the headset wires." My reaction was, "How could I do that? It's going to be well packaged." So I snipped, and cut the headset wires in half. D'oh!

An example of when I did: I was leaving my condo driveway and "the voice" said, "Look down at the gutter." I thought "Why?" and the voice said, "Just do it." My reaction was "Eew, there's a dead, bloody cat." And the voice said, "Get out and look at it, touch it.!" My reaction: "No!" My response: I got out of my car, looked at the cat covered in blood, and touched it on the forehead. The "dead and bloody cat" looked up at me and meowed and got a quick ride to the vet for treatment.

On the other hand, more than once my grandmother "thought" she'd be having drop-in guests and make a big dinner, only to be disappointed most of the time. But she was a tease, so maybe it was a story she made up to encourage us to visit more often?

 

[Little Rickie]

I
Now my question is:

Why was I compelled to check out this one spot? I saw other spots on the trail that looked good for campsites. Why did I only go to this site?

Do you have many intuitive experiences?

 

[cbcbd]

Now my question is:

Why was I compelled to check out this one spot? I saw other spots on the trail that looked good for campsites. Why did I only go to this site?

No reason to question... just let it flow. When you start rationalizing these instincts is when you start making mistakes.

Not necessarily something as helpful as putting out fires or saving cats, but last winter I headed out at midnight for a solo climb on an ice route. Midway there with reservations I felt something telling me to look behind me. As soon as I did I saw a shooting star on the horizon. Coincidence, fate? Take it whichever way you may, but I took that as a good sign.

 

[dr_wu002]

Why was I compelled to check out this one spot? I saw other spots on the trail that looked good for campsites. Why did I only go to this site?

In clinical terms, it's called "Selection Bias" -- had you gone 1000 other times to various spots in the woods and found nothing but the one time you happened to go to a spot that had a smoldering fire there it seemed significant so you remember it.

Pretty cool though -- I put out a decent size fire on Mt. Tom (MA) earlier this year. I think this one was the result of unusually dry and sunny weather (relative humidity < 5%) but it took a while to get out. Funny thing is just 6 months later the forest has completely swallowed up any remnants of the fire. However, another part of Mt. Tom burned around the same time. This section is much shadier (lots of Hemlock) and there is still much evidence of the fire.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Little Rickie]

It seems then "Selection Bias" wouldn't allow for: intuitive events, the paranormal, psyche or extrasensory experiences?

 

[Stan]

Perhaps you were drawn to this particular site by the same attraction that drew the careless campers. Whatever the reason, I'd suggest reporting it to the Forest Service ... they can sometimes narrow down backcountry violators by parking fee administration, or failure to pay parking fee administration.

 

[WinterWarlock]

It's just karma - an opportunity was exposed, you found it, and the universe is a better place. Thanks!

 

[erugs]

Another explanation might be that there was a subtle scent of smoke in the air and your "primitive" side (survival instinct) was warned.

Have you ever noticed, say, that you are driving along and suddenly notice that your low fuel light comes on. This happens too often to me, and I find myself panicing, "How long has this light been on?" when most likely the subtle illumination drew it to my attention almost simultaneously?