I just wanted to post an update about what's happening with me and the bbq
business. I haven't been able to follow usenet much for the last three
weeks, and I don't think I'll have much time for it over the next few
months.

A few of you know that Jill and I sold our building (for a nice profit) due
to its poor location two years ago. We did so thinking that we had a great
location (a pizza restaurant needing to get out of its lease) lined up for
us to move right into at the sale's closing. Short story: five days prior to
us handing the keys over to the building's new owner, the pizza place owners
decided to keep the store open.

After searching for months trying to locate a favorable spot, I shifted
attention to opening a commercial kitchen so that I could produce bbq for
wholesale restaurant accounts. I found an available kitchen for lease in
Kittitas County, about 90 minutes away. I got the proper permits,
inspections, etc. I hired one full time guy, Roy, a semi-retired gent who
had a great bbq resume as a pit-master for a few bbq restaurants over a 32
year career.

As of last Wednesday, we are producing around 1600 or so pounds of meat per
week for 27 different accounts. I have 5 part time guys, plus Roy. I'm at
the kitchen only three days a week since Roy is such a great manager.
Wednesday was also the day that I sold the wholesale business to Roy. I
still keep the retail business name and incorporation for future use.

On September 3, I started a five month course at Bates Vocational Community
College in Tacoma to get my class 'A' commercial driver's license as a
commercial truck driver. I've been thinking on this for a while, and decided
to go forward with it during the recent two week road trip I took with my
son, Ethan. Another factor in my decision was the fact that my mom is likely
in her final weeks and months of life. While here in Tacoma, I can visit
with her for a while after classes are over.

One aspect of this program that I think is superb is that students can get
all of the endorsements that there are for commercial truckers (hazardous
materials, doubles, triples, tankers, etc) by the time the program is
completed. We also get fork-lift certification and training on dump trucks.
Students can also get their class 'B' for busses. I have my class 'B'
already, so I don't need to do that part of the program. The program at
Bates is comprehensive, and students leave with thousands of hours of
driving time. Since Bates is part of the community college program, the
State contracts with the school to do some of their freight hauling. This
means that each student leaves Bates with a ton of real world experience.
Trucking company recruiters spend a lot of time on campus trying to convince
soon-to-be-graduates to sign on with their companies. Since there are only
13 or 14 students per class, competition for graduates is pretty high.

I stay in Tacoma during the week for training, and am back in Wenatchee for
the weekends. I plan on spending the next few years working as a regional
trucker. The pay is actually pretty good. Heck, maybe I'll decide to do a
year of long-haul just so I can make my way across country and see the
sights. It'd be one way to see some of you now and then.

Quite frankly, I was weary of the food business and nowhere near a point
where I feel things have lined up for us to re-open the doors to a retail
store. I still feel like maybe sometime down the road we'll do something,
but not now.

I'll stop by when I can.


--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you,
and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan