What is BBQ Tourism and what the heck is this site about?
It is simply the combination of tourism and eating (hopefully) great BBQ. Being a foodie, a natural born Texan, and an avid motorcycle junkie I’m riding the back roads of Texas and sampling the best and sometimes the worst of the BBQ genre.
In this blog we’ll cover the restaurants, the back stories behind some of them, review the food itself, and talk about some of the best roads and scenery Texas has to offer. You can use this as a guide whether or not you ride. Since I also enjoy bicycling I’ll identify some cycling routes nearby some of the destinations as well for those who choose to take in some BBQ after a ride.
As a motorcyclist my love affair began as a child where I got to ride some of the Cushman motorcycles my dad collected. I watched my older brother race motocross and I will always have the special memory of smelling castor oil in the morning. For those too young to remember bean oil, or castor oil, was the oil of choice to mix with gasoline in two-stroke engines back in the day. The use of castor oil due to advances in oil technology in the 80’s pushed it out of favor and the improvements in four stroke technology have even pushed two-stroke engines out of the spotlight since the 2000’s. That distinct smell instantly brings memories rushing back and a certain smile as I remember the thrills that only a two-stroke engine can provide. I would even mix a small amount into the fuel of my first race bike, a Yamaha RD350 when I starting racing in the mid 90’s.
I’ve owned dozens of motorcycle throughout my life. Owning as many as 10 at once I’ve also worked at a motorcycle shop and had a brief and tumultuous stint as co-owner. Mixing in 10 years of racing in regional series I’ve had quite a bit of experience on two wheels and feel that I can speak as at least somewhat of an expert on the topic of riding.
Foodies are much more than people who take pictures of their food and upload it to the current trending social media fad. They love food, experiencing new food, and journeying to food establishments. Whether it is eating at the restaurant that claims to have invented the hamburger or the two locations who claimed to have invented the Philly cheese steak, visiting the Big Texan which is home to the 72 oz steak challenge, taking in some fried bacon that was featured on TV or visiting other legendary eatery my whole family loves to make it an event.
My love of food, travel, BBQ, and motorcycling culminated in the launch of Texas BBQ Treasure Hunt. I hope you find the articles entertaining and provide feedback. I hope to not just visit the well known but also to discover some hidden gems.
- Bryan