08-04-2026, 09:32 AM
Bleh. I hate riding through smoke like that. I just jinxed it, but in our immediate area, I haven't ridden through heavy smoke since the January '25 fires in the Palisades and Alta Dena. When fires are near, I keep a neck tube handy for smoke and ash.
But, there has been the most ungodly stench in the area east of Downtown L.A. A month ago (Not sure how far it spread in non-local news) we had a frozen food warehouse near the 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights that burned for a week. Apparently they haven't cleaned up the aftermath, as the recent heat spike caused the smell of the rotting food to permeate the area for miles around. It's the smell of dead rotting flesh and it's so bad that some local residents have received hotel vouchers to move out of the area. I've altered my riding pattern to avoid the area, my helmet doesn't have a recirculate button and I can't roll up the windows.
But, there has been the most ungodly stench in the area east of Downtown L.A. A month ago (Not sure how far it spread in non-local news) we had a frozen food warehouse near the 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights that burned for a week. Apparently they haven't cleaned up the aftermath, as the recent heat spike caused the smell of the rotting food to permeate the area for miles around. It's the smell of dead rotting flesh and it's so bad that some local residents have received hotel vouchers to move out of the area. I've altered my riding pattern to avoid the area, my helmet doesn't have a recirculate button and I can't roll up the windows.
You know what? I actually would like a pickle.