I’m back in Fort Morgan, population ~11,000. Last time here the place smelled awful due to a couple of industrial stink manufacturing plants. As a byproduct they also produced sugar from beets and…whatever you get from a cattle rendering plant. The beets smelled worse. And before I came I read that the beet plant had been smelling really foul lately, to the point where some of the old timers even complained about the smell to the town council.

Needless to say I was not looking forward to this trip. Actually I was dreading it. This is the place I had dubbed “Stink Town USA.”

Beet processing season is apparently over now so there is only one affront to the sense of smell here now. And since that’s on the East side of town, the West is relatively safe.

The weather is getting warmer here – highs this week in the low 90s – but is still comfortable in anything but the bright sun at the height of the day. Nights are in the fifties and sixties.

I realized that this is actually kind if a nice town without the stink. And I’m enjoying myself despite my dire expectations. Granted, it’s a small place – only a few restaurants and no real nightlife to speak of – but it’s comfortable for a few days.

That goes to show the value of keeping an open mind when traveling. A place might not be what you expected and that might be a good thing. Make an effort to allow your expectations to be dispeoven and they often will. Whether you see that as good or bad is up to you but if you let yourself be wrong you can sure learn a lot.