Shilo's Smoke Signals BBQ

04/03/2025

This journey of building a food truck out a bus has had its ups and downs. So many times wanting to throw in the towel. Mainly due to lack of money and events happening that were out of my control. This project has saved my life, I live to cook and cooked at many places, and I managed a few but I always wanted to do my own thing. This last week I feel was the worst. So drained emotionally. Physically, mentally, spiritually to the point I couldn't shake it. I stayed in for 2 days snowed in and did nothing and it felt good to let go off things. Now my bus has engine problem that's to much for me to fix. So I have a camper someone gave me. And this is going to be the new food truck. At least I'll have less maintenance which is killing me. This is why I haven't posted here. Cooking brings me peace and bbq,, the smell of wood and mainly the talks I have with my costumers. My costumers is what keeps me going. The talks, handshakes. Hugs and tears. So I'm not giving up, only till the good lord calls me home but until then I'm gonna keep building this little dream of mine. So with my entire soul I thank you for your support and love. I'll post a update here soon. Take care and thank you!

07/19/2024

06/04/2024

I haven't posted on here for a bit I'll explain a little. I love cooking/smoking food but I also cook & serve many other items. Bring a one man show. It's pretty tough, long hrs, tons of prep, getting bus ready and the cooking is the easy part. I just don't do BBQ all the time, Fry bread is a must tho. Many obstacles have come my way but I was able to adapt to them. The toughest one was losing my sister then family for speaking from my heart so I would pray & get in the bus & finish the construction of it. This bus has saved my life & I it may seem to a lot but when I'm out vending the talks, handshakes, hugs, tears, smiles I get from costumers takes away all the bad stuff. Doing what I love to do full time is probably the hardest thing I've done but it's all so worth it. I have to big events next month & excited for the opportunity I've been given. Feels good when other towns & states reach out to me for my food!! Who would think a 2 time felon, did federal time & state time, tons of county jail time. I was lost, hopeless until I stared building the bus. Now days I feel great & at peace. As of now money is the only thing holding me back BUT I refuse to give up. I did that to many times in the past. I'm hoping to be out more next month after them events. So unt then I'm preparing myself for something bigger. I thank you for liking or following this page. Smoke Signals BBQ started as a dream

03/06/2024

Haven't posted oñ here in awhile, what I do is pretty much a one man show so it's hard to post on this page. I've been doing some small sales & getting ready to do a couple graduations this year. The construction of the BBQ food bus is pretty much completed and it's one of the most challenging things I've EVER done. But when I take it out to do some sales all the obstacles go away. Talking, sharing, the hugs the hand shakes is all worth it to me. I know I need to make money from it but that's not it for me. I love to cook, I've cooked for hundreds to just one person and when I see the costumer smiling and giving good compliments from what I served them that's the pay off for me. Reason I was not a good person at time there. I grew up fatherless and was hurt/mad from it so I drank and raised hell. Went to federal prison and when I returned felt like it was worse. Drowning in booze until my best friend died yrs ago. Then I realized I'm going no where. My friend put the idea in my head so slowly I bought a bus and started making a kitchen inside it. With no money really to spare I used things people and restaurants were throwing away. I did tons of role playing and thinking how I could make this and that work. Then a yr ago my sister passed away to a OD and that killed me. That hurt so much because she was I felt one of my biggest supporters. When I felt I was being judged or like giving up she would say the right things to me. When I seen her laying there lifeless I wanted to kill her boyfriend so I left the scene and went home and went in my bus and crying for 7 hrs. I stayed in that bus. This bus has so many emotions in it but to me it's what saved my life. It's a symbol of hope when it felt the world was against me. So now I'm doing some small sales and hopefully it will get big to where I have my own restaurant one day. This is a little update of Smoke Signals BBQ and I truly thank you all who have and do support me!!! Dojsta

10/17/2023

Smoke Signals BBQ has 2 events on Saturday, 1st one at Sonshine Church Fall Festival & 2nd at this Halloween Bash. As a one man show it's tough physically but meeting people/talking is so worth it!!! Gotta get my costume ready for that night.

09/12/2023

Sorry haven't posted in a while. As some of you know I lost one of my biggest supporters,my baby sister Chloe this year. I didn't think it would hit me that hard. Yes it did and hit hard. This spring & summer involved more construction of the bus & I did some catering and few sales. I struggled to the point of just giving up. The bus took all my money for materials, and no employment cause I decided to give the bus 100% & then my sister's passing. I didn't drink the pain away like I used to, I guess I was just numb. I was asked to fill in for a cook at the Treatment center here for 4 days. Best thing I could of done. Besides cooking there I cried there, talked, listened. Felt like I was in treatment. I found out why I was hurting so much. I felt guilty of my sister's death. I went to federal prison for my 1st sister & now my other sister something happened & I didn't do anything. I knew what would happen again if I did something, right back to prison. Lose everything I worked so hard for. There would be no more Smoke Signals BBQ. So after having no luck finding employment someone said enroll in a program the Tribe has and I did. Best thing I could of done. They helped me with counseling, plus they put me to work where I'm needed, daily things that would help me daily & with my loss of her. I feel much better I know things may not go the way I want but I'm ok with that now, but I will keep moving forward thru the storm & sunny days. My busy season is ready to take off here yes fall & winter are really good. So I'm preparing for it. I want to say I thank all of you for your support, your likes, & comments. This is just the beginning.