It's a fine line about being "preachy" but I agree about trenches. They look fine but if the dirt dries out, the weight of the damp stuff behinds it causes hundreds of pounds, even thoussands to fall off with the slightest provocation. I've read a dozen or so death reports on guys dying in trenches. Even with dozens of men trying to get them out immediately, the victims suffocate. No one can tell when or why they go and believe it, every single person that has ever been buried thinks the dirt is just fine. Our pool was dug out back. The darned stuff looked like concrete! During the middle of the night, we heard this deep "WHOMP". I went out back to investigate only to find out that a large section of the dig had caved in. Scared me to death!
About that direct burial. I apologize if you know already: Put it on sand and bury it with sand, then pea gravel, then waste ROLLS of red vinyl tape on top of that. Anytime a dig is in progress in the future, you'll pull that red tape up as a warning and it'll save the cable. The sand will keep sharp rocks from working their way through the insulation over time. No one can tell me it can't happen, I've seen it twice, once on cable, once on a pipe. That cable will have a subtle, seemingly harmless 60 cycle buzz to it, perfect for rubbing a hole. (same reason cables work out of their lugs)
