Used to think gravel stayed cooler than pavement. Then I stepped on a gravel parking lot in August, barefoot. Actually yelped. Felt like walking on hot coals. Totally get what you mean now.

How many times did I laugh at the "safety first" guys before my body called in the bet? I mean, I used to just dive right into fitting actions, all twisted up like a pretzel. Now my knee sounds like a popcorn machine. Maybe it's just me but learning that lesson the hard way really takes the fun out of being stubborn.

That point about movement between layers is so true... I had a laminate floor that squeaked like crazy over a concrete slab. The underpad had worn down in one high traffic spot and the boards were rubbing. A little powdered graphite in the joint fixed it right up.