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What. Is. That. Smell?! (Downtown) (self.Denver)

submitted ago* by [deleted]

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Every morning I take the lightrail into downtown and get off on 16th and California. This is probably the third time I get off the train at 5:45am and smell what can only be described as a week-old pile of dead cats. The smell is so strong and it runs all the way from 16/California to where I walk (17/Tremont)

It goes away by the afternoon but holy hell, the smell makes me feel queasy.

It's like hot garbage, mixed with dead cats, and made more pungent by the gusty winds

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[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]RocketRedRocket 16 points17 points ago

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i believe its referred to as "urban camper piss" now

[–]incidentalmusicLoDo 5 points6 points ago

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My first instinct was the smell from the dog food factory - but I don't think it carries as far as to reach downtown. It definitely was a regular occurrence living in River North though.

[–]Fuel13Suburbia 2 points3 points ago

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This was my first thought as well. I think it can make it downtown if the wind is right.

[–]SypticusLoDo 1 point2 points ago

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It is particularly bad today.

[–]alpha_helixPark Hill 1 point2 points ago

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Also, I don't think the dog food factory smells particularly bad. I have on more than occasion been reminded of how hungry I am as I drove by around lunch. Then I realized I was smelling cooking dog food.

[–]Phssthpok_Pak 2 points3 points ago

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I know when I used to live down there when the dumpsters behind the restaurants and bars were emptied by the garbage trucks it stirred up all the goodness in the bottom and it would reek until a nice breeze came up and cleared it out. Occasionally it left nice fetid streams in the alleys as well.

[–]Mr_Ected 2 points3 points ago

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My bad. I've gotta stop eating those burritos from that guy on 18th and Arapahoe.

[–]lankyplonker 1 point2 points ago

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oh no you dont. his burritos are so good

[–]10HSD 4 points5 points ago

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Wow...we rode the same train, walked to the same intersection, smelled the same stench...are you a ghost?

[–]mhopkins321University - Suspicious Availability 15 points16 points ago

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I bet there was only one set of footprints. I bet he's jesus

[–]10HSD 14 points15 points ago

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Single file...We were hiding our numbers

[–]biologeekFive Points 6 points7 points ago

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So Jesus is also a Jawa?

[–]Deftonez 9 points10 points ago

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No, Jesus is a Tusken Raider. You have to watch out though, 'cause Jesus is coming back...and in greater numbers.

[–]himmelkrieg 1 point2 points ago

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Relevant.

[–]biologeekFive Points 0 points1 point ago

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My bad. Mistaken geek reference. I need to be more careful in the future.

[–]jd303Denver 1 point2 points ago

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I don't know what your smell is, but last weekend I was riding bikes around and I could smell this "burnt plastic" smell in the air. It was only on warm wind gusts. I could smell it on Saturday and Sunday. It was very subtle, but noticably there every few minutes. I could smell it out on the east side of town near Glendale and also downtown.

Sorry, I was just hoping that you were referring to that smell. :(

[–]lol_whut 2 points3 points ago

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Yeah, I used to smell that all the time when I worked an overnight shift near commerce city. I think suncor does things they aren't supposed to be doing late at night and on weekends when the EPA guys aren't going to show up.

[–]jd303Denver 0 points1 point ago

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Cool - glad I'm not the only one that smelled it. I thought I was going crazy for a bit.

[–]luftyAurora 0 points1 point ago

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I've driven past their factories on weekends and week nights after 8 and they're definitely running something. There are huge clouds of smoke coming out.

[–]Asmodiar_Centennial 1 point2 points ago

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It's called a "Greely Wind"

Meat packing is a nasty business.

[–]logicallyinsaneHighland 1 point2 points ago

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I'm curious how you know what a pile of dead cats smells like?!?!

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Hey! Me too! Well, about 2 hours later than you but I guess I'm used to smell from working down here for the past 4 years.

So I've noticed different smells. There's the sewers when there's a quick change in weather. There is also the Purina factory when the winds are just right and blowing that in our direction. Some days factories are allowed to release their fumes when our air is "blue", and those days can produce a wretched stench.

I hate working downtown, but the pay is good.

[–]jontastic1 0 points1 point ago

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I don't know if this is true of Denver, but in Baltimore in the mornings the air is very cool. The air in the sewers is very hot, so it rises from manholes (you can sometimes see it when it's very cold). Sewer air smells like shit. When it warms up, the sewer air doesn't rise because it's not as hot in comparison.

[–]jizzquiz 0 points1 point ago

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Baltimore transplants!! (I was 16 years ago, however)

[–]supermulticoated 0 points1 point ago

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hot garbage

This could be your answer...

[–]tuba_manLoDo 0 points1 point ago

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I have yet to smell it, thankfully. I get off at 18th and Cali at 8:30ish, so it must dissipate before then.

[–]SawcyyArvada 0 points1 point ago

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They say its the sewer, i went to the DQ in 16th yesterday and the liquor store next to it had a sign up apology for the smell, its sewage apparently and they have no control over it :/

[–]pennywise53Aurora 0 points1 point ago

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4chan must be leaking again, that's why it smells like dead cats, the anti-Reddit smell.

[–]upvoteseternallyCommerce City -4 points-3 points ago

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sounds like a first world problem.

you can handle it, man. it sucks, yeh, but be cool, you can take that shit.

[–]siouxuGolden -3 points-2 points ago

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Urban living