Re: Am I the only one ..
Nope. Not at all.
Personally, I'm thinking that if we ever *do* get below 4M down I'm guessing there's a combination of permafrost like layer and the stew that collects on the layer of sand underneath the topsoil in my back yard every spring after the thaw. It emits a rather distinct odour that tells me "Spring is here, just be ready for more snow anyway"
(and, yes, actually, I am working on reviving that layer. I've a friend who was shocked when she found that the brand new development she lived in had only 6" of topsoil, and that the developer had replaced the next 5 feet down with sand)