Be aware of unintended consequences

On a recent evening outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico, I inexplicitly found myself writhing in pain on the dry, prickly ground of our campground’s dog park. A fiery ache engulfed my entire left foot.

This was the start of our expanded education in unintended consequences. Traveling through New Mexico and Arizona in our RV opened our eyes to the phenomena of: “Well, we sure didn’t expect that to happen.”

Just prior to that fateful moment, I was playing in the campground dog park with Iggy when I gave a running, full-force kick to a large yellow ball. To be clear, I didn’t bring the ball. It was there, in the dog park, supposedly for any canine or human to enjoy. I envisioned my mighty and powerful kick launching the ball clear across the park. But, when I made contact, the ball moved a few short inches, and I dropped straight to the ground. After my four-letter expletives abated, I scanned the area for witnesses and, seeing none, pulled myself up and examined the ball. It was made of some fiberglass. Clearly not intended to be kicked. And clearly not meant for a dog to use. Umm – why was this even in a dog park?

I limped around for the next several days, barely able to walk, let alone hike in the nearby national and state parks. I considered x-rays, taped toes together, used ice compresses and anti-inflammatories, and finally found relief with the CBD oil-infused lotion that my husband, Tom, talked me into trying.

Our first excursion after my toe began to mend was to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located in the New Mexican Chihuahuan Desert. The walk down into the caverns was easy, with the promise of an elevator ride back to the top. This a good thing because my big toe ached when trekking uphill. While touring this expansive, deep and highly decorated cavern and its unique formations, we learned that the toe-saving elevators also contributed to an unintended consequence within the cavern.

Some years after the Visitors Center was built, the elevator shafts were completed. The Visitor Center staff quickly discovered that when the elevator lobby doors in the caverns were left open, cool air rushed into the building. This was a win-win for the Visitor Center staff, until their colleagues in the caverns noticed a significant drop in the water level of the cavern’s pools. It turns out that the unintended consequence of opening the doors to cool the building caused water to evaporate and thus jeopardized the caverns’ delicate ecosystem.

At Saguaro National Park in Tuscan, Arizona, we learned that the mighty saguaro (the tall cactus with two or more outstretched arms resembling a hold-up victim) and other cacti species in the Sonoran Desert were nearly rendered extinct by free range cattle ranching during the turn of the 20th century. Cattle ate the undergrowth that provided shade for budding saguaros and other cacti, leaving only the larger, less healthy cacti standing. This, in turn, negatively impacted the lives of many birds, mammals, and other plant life by diminishing habitat – a devastating, unintended consequence. Today, the saguaro is a protected species and the forest at Saguaro National Park is well on the way to recovery.

While hiking east along the South Rim from the Grand Canyon Village Visitor Center, we came across a field that had been devastated by fire. Tom considered this a prime photo opportunity, as he has amassed hundreds, no, thousands, of pictures of dead trees. Why he takes pictures of dead trees is a mystery. It will remain a mystery because, sometimes in a marriage, you just don’t ask questions. A bit down the path was an educational plaque that described how a prescribed fire burned out of control when the winds unexpectedly shifted, causing the unintended consequence of the fire burning a much larger section of forest than planned.

The hiking, views, ecology, geography, history and wildlife at all three parks makes a visit well worthwhile. Some of our best minds have come together to preserve these natural treasures. You would think that they have factored in all potential outcomes prior to starting any new project. But, even these thoughtful professionals have been known to utter, “Well, we sure didn’t expect that to happen.”

These examples made me reflect on how my own actions have unintended consequences. Imagining Mr. Magoo, the goofy cartoon character from my youth who was oblivious to the mayhem he caused behind him, I wonder, what are the unexpected results of my own words or actions? Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised by the unintended positive consequences, but far too often I fail to anticipate negative consequences that can result from well-intentioned actions.

From all these national park-inspired experiences in unintended consequences, I can recommend three things: always try to anticipate the unintended consequences of your actions, use CBD oil-infused lotion to treat joint pain, and, most importantly, don’t kick an unfamiliar ball in a dog park, no matter how yellow and inviting it may appear.

“Dispatches from the RV” documents the traveling adventures of Daniel Island News Publisher Suzanne Detar and her husband, Tom Werner, who are currently exploring the country in a motorhome. Last fall, they hit the road to take in an inner loop of the USA, and this year they are focusing on an outer loop, including America’s national parks and all the concurrent and surprising sites along the way.

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