Why Big Stick?
Why would I want to open a food truck and why would I name it “Big Stick BBQ”? I’m asked both of these questions often.
The name has everything to do with my dog and the life lessons I learned from him when he was still with us, running, guarding, and chasing big sticks.
Bosco, an Australian Shepherd, with all the attributes that go along with his breed was most relaxed when everyone was comfortably seated in one place; he was most excited when the back of the Durango was open and he got to go for a ride and then a run. Whether it was up the mountain on a logging road or around the lake on the many trails here in Bellingham, he always needed a job to do.
I would often throw a nice stout stick up ahead Inevitably he would return with a log much like the one pictured on the side of our truck. I laughed out loud several times as I watched this silly dog work his way to the middle of a log and balance it in his mouth, with head held high he ran off down the trail or logging road. I also cursed him as he got behind me and proceeded to run up and take me out at the knees with his well balanced stick.
Bosco, at eight years old, about 7 years ago was about my age when I was turning 50.
He exemplified attributes I wanted at that age. I had become quite retrospective that summer, analyzing my life as many do leading up to a 50th birthday. Life hadn’t exactly turned out the way I thought it would. Don’t get me wrong, the big stuff was all good, marriage, children, grand children. Those other life things like career, looking at retirement, financial security…nothing looked quite like my expectations from my youth.
I began to ask myself, how can I, like Bosco, still run full steam ahead and grab the biggest stick I can find, figure out how to balance it and keep running? Run in such a way that I don’t care about the people BEHIND, laughing at me or caring too much about the people IN FRONT of me, who I know I will run into, as I move ahead in this thing called my 50’s. I began dreaming then of having my own food truck, something we could do to support ourselves, doing something we’ve always enjoyed, serving food and chatting with folks. The dream took hold of me to begin creating a style of BBQ that would not just be another BBQ joint, but a place I could be exactly who I am, doing exactly what I am great at, and serving up the best BBQ anyone’s ever eaten.
As Bellingham’s newest food truck owner, I’d like to invite you to our truck and welcome you with warm wholesome food that is cooked with a commitment to excellence that I know will knock your socks off!