An old pitmaster in Lockhart showed me why I was drying out brisket

Was down in Lockhart last spring eating at one of the old spots and ended up chatting with this guy who'd been running the pit for like 30 years. I told him my flats always came out dry no matter what I did with wrap timing. He just looked at me and said 'you're chasing the stall, not the feel.' Then he had me put my hand over the firebox vent and explained how he reads the heat off his skin before he even opens the door. Sounds crazy but I started paying attention to that radiant heat on my forearm instead of just the thermometer and my last 5 briskets have all come out way juicier. Anyone else got a weird sense trick they use from an old timer that beats the numbers?