Things You Can Smell From a Mile Away in Lubbock

Lubbock may not have oceans, mountains, or trees, but what we DO have is smells. Smells powerful enough to travel across multiple zip codes and right up your nostrils.

Honestly, think about it. Your nose can probably navigate the city better than GPS.

Here are just a few scents every Lubbock resident can instantly identify:

Rain on Dirt

Around here, nothing smells better.

The moment a tiny amount of rain makes contact with the West Texas dirt, the entire city suddenly smells like childhood memories and optimism. People will literally wander outside to sniff the air for a little emotional support and comfort.

Feedlots

It's very easy to tell exactly when the wind shifts in Lubbock.

There's always a moment when someone says, "You smell that?" and then everyone in the car immediately knows the answer is, unfortunately, yes.

Nothing humbles you faster than being crop-dusted by livestock atmosphere.

Somebody Grilling Nearby

This smell seems to activate something primal in West Texans.

It doesn't matter if it's burgers, brisket, fajitas, or some kind of mystery meat in an apartment parking lot. The scent travels directly through your soul. It makes you consider wandering into a stranger's backyard and pretending to be a long-lost cousin. You're like an old cartoon character floating toward a pie.

Impossible to resist.

Freshly Made Tortillas

I happen to live right next to a Mexican restaurant, and this one is a gift...and a curse...on my pants.

There is no scientific explanation for why fresh tortillas smell this powerful. (At least none that I was willing to do research for.) But, my god. If they've got tortillas cooking at the grocery store, you're probably going to overspend. Big time.

A Lubbock Alley in The Summer

Absolutely not.

No further questions.

Someone Burning Mesquite

I swear, this smell could heal the world.

Mesquite smoke drifting through a neighborhood automatically makes everyone assume something magical is happening. Or, it could just be a brush fire.

Oh no...

It IS a brush fire!

Call someone!

But...take deep breaths while you can.

The First Cold Front of Fall

This might be the greatest smell in all of Texas.

Suddenly, the air changes, and everyone decides it's time for hoodies, soup, and football. We fool ourselves into thinking 67 degrees is "freezing," and that's totally okay.

For about two weeks, Lubbock becomes the happiest place on earth.

That is, until the wind remembers where it lives...

Keep scrolling for more Lubbock fun in the galleries below...