Cruisin’ Crystal and I decided to hit up the Butterfly Pavilion in Bloomfield, CO Little did we know what was in store for us. Not only was the staff very welcoming and eager to show us around, the pavilion itself was home to thousands of insects, big and small.

Let me preface this by saying that I hate spiders. I wouldn’t go as far as a saying that I’m arachnophobic but they definitely give me the creeps. Now, the feelings just expressed can’t compare to what I was feeling when I approached a staff member to see her handling a big tarantula is if it were a hamster. I’m sorry, this is just not normal.

It was only after much encouragement from Cruisin’ Crystal and a little nudging that I worked up the guts to have Rosie crawl across my hand. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad: just a little prickling here and there.

Overall, we had a great time learning about all the insects and trying to get butterflies to land on us in the pavilion. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area.

Cruisin' Crystal discovering what it's like to hold a tarantula.

We had the privilege to attend an event hosted by the LAPD called “Feed the kids.” They basically set up a huge carnival for Christmas at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and bus in hundreds of inter-city youth.

Needless to say, Cruisin’ Crystal and I were a little overwhelmed when the buses showed up and 1,500 kids crowded into the auditorium. However, gathering out wits, we quickly jumped into a Wiener arobic frenzy and awarded a whistle to whoever cared to join us.

The kids enjoyed it so much, they came back for more and literally tired us out till we couldn’t walk anymore. It was totally worth it though just to see the kids walk away with bags full of toys and candy and of course, their very own whistle.

Getting the Christmas carnival ready for all the kids to arrive!

Hanging out with Santa!

If any of you are like me, you rarely think of the state of New Mexico and if you do, you think it is a desert-ridden place. I learned how wrong I was today!

Cruisin’ Crystal and I finally made it to New Mexico, bringing our total state count for the southwest region up to six. Now, I know this isn’t a big number but please understand that our states are HUGE! Nevertheless, we were excited to explore a new part of the country.

It is through the Bandelier National Monument that we were able to fully grasp how beautiful New Mexico really is.

After driving up the mountain, parking the Wienermobile between some trees and making sure our cameras were fully charged, we set out across the plain.

We ended up running into homes that were built around 1,100 A.D. The only things left are the foundations that they diligently dug and filled with stones as well as the kavis. Kavis are ritual and ceremonial rooms dedicated to rites and education.

It was while taking in the beautiful landscape and the weight of history, that I fully understood just how much I’ve come to enjoy New Mexico. Please accept my apologies and find me a changed man.

The ruins of the pueblo.

How can you not be in love with this landscape?

Wanting to make a difference in the Phoenix community, Cruisin’ Crystal and I decided to help out a local food bank: St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance.

It started off with us raising awareness about the new location for their emergency food boxes (3131 W. Thomas Rd.). We parked the Wienermobile out front to bring a smile to those waiting in line and collected canned good donations to the food bank from local residents.

Bringing smiles to patient customers at the food bank.

We didn’t stop there though, we took our seat behind a desk for a few hours and did deferrals, while passing out Wienermobile stickers to any kid within our site. There’s no better way to spend the day than at the food bank!

Everyone should be able to see the Wienermobile from their desk!

The next day, we took part in the food bank’s B.R.E.A.D. program (Bridges Reaching Elderly And Disabled). We loaded up the Wienermobile with 27 food boxes and plugged the address into our GPS, ready to make a difference in someone’s life. We pulled up to the Maryvale Independent Senior Living Community, our vehicle full of food and our pockets overflowing with whistles to hand out to the residents. I think it’s the best food delivery they’ve ever had.

So much food!

When in Phoenix, you always find yourself in the shadow of Camelback Mountain. It sits at the edge of the city casting darkness over it as the sun goes down every day. Armed with nothing but a bottle of water, some crackers and our trusty tennis shoes, Cruisin’ Crystal and I decide to make our way to the top.

About an hour later, we were panting, out of breath and ready for a break. How much further do we have to go?

Well, after about an hour and half of making our way up the mountain, we were able to finally enjoy the view. You truly get to appreciate how big Phoenix really is from up there and how lucky we are to be able to travel the country in the Wienermobile to catch views like these.

Can you see the Wienermobile from up here?

Since we had so much fun meeting the residents of Maryvale Independent Senior Living Community when we distributed food boxes to their complex, we decided we absolutely needed to spend more time together.

Saturday night is bingo night and as you might guess, we couldn’t pass that up.

With pizza-laden arms and two twelve packs of diet soda, Cruisin’ Crystal and I made our grand entrance into the facility, after giving a few tours of the Wienermobile of course.

Now, having never played bingo myself, I had a few apprehensions. However, Becky made me perfectly at ease and imparted some of her invaluable bingo knowledge to me, a game she has been playing for 22 years.

After two hours of numbers and endless eating, it was time for Cruisin’ Crystal and I to get on our way. As we piled into the Wienermobile, a few whistles lighter, we were ready to impart our new-found love of bingo to the rest of America as we continue on our year-long journey.

Careful for I-22! Toot toot!

What do you get when you combine bingo, pizza, new friends and amazing conversations? Good times!

Everyone is familiar with the Make a Wish Foundation and the wonderful memories they create for kids all over the world. However, very few are familiar with those that make all those wishes happen, which is why Cruisin’ Crystal and I found ourselves at a Make a Wish Foundation volunteer picnic.

It was while eating delicious Oscar Mayer hot dogs, donated by yours truly, that we came to know a few of the volunteers and staff members of the Arizona chapter. They really do go out of their way to change lives and make a difference in the world. Cruisin’ Crystal and I could only imagine the impact of having one of our wishes granted. But wait! We did! We get to drive the Wienermobile and we try to share that with others.

To share that passion, we decided to give a ride in the Wienermobile and provide a family with the opportunity of a lifetime. It was through a bumpy ride and an abundance of waves, honks and smiles that we got to light the sparkle in their eyes.

To the Arizona Make a Wish chapter, thanks for having us! Thanks for having us.

Making a difference, one wish at a time.

If you have ever watched the Travel Channel at some random point during the day, you have probably come across the show that features the craziest/most thrilling roller-coasters in America. This is how I came to know about the Stratosphere in Las Vegas.

The Stratosphere looks like a recreation of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA., and it sits at the north end of the Strip. This is where I was headed in the Wienermobile one night, the giant beacon of light seen on the horizon through my spaceship-like windshield.

I parked in oversized parking (because, let’s be honest, the Wienermobile was not about to fit in the casino parking garage). From there, I worked my way up to the top of the needle to take a shot at mustering the courage to try out the three rides that sit “up there.”

Needless to say, these were some of the scariest roller-coasters I’d ever done in my somewhat short life. However, it was spinning around on the X-Scream, my feet dangling into emptiness, that I spotted something.

Once I got my feet back on the ground and my bearings back in place, I headed to the observatory to investigate. It seemed to me that I had seen a Wiener Whistle through the daze that I was in while on the ride.

Upon further inspection, and with the help of my trusty camera, I was able to take a snapshot of the suspicious object:

Disclaimer: This is not a Wiener Whistle.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ve ever wondered what the Wienermobile looks like from 1,100 feet above ground, I have your answer: a Wiener Whistle. And even though the whistle allows for you to walk away with a memento of your Wienermobile sighting, it actually did seem like I could put this bun of fun in my pocket and not think twice about it.

Now, I know that many Hotdoggers in the past have blogged about their experiences driving the Mini Cooper Wienermobile but, I would like to take this time to talk about my experience and maybe help people understand why it’s SO exciting!

“The Mini,” as we like to call it, is sort of legendary. At this point, it rarely makes an appearance (as Oscar Mayer’s 125th anniversary was last year, the reason for which it was created). Not only that, it’s something that we’re familiar with and yet not, since it is a miniature version of the vehicle we have come to know so well.

I don’t think I will ever forget the day I got behind the wheel with A-Dog Alison in the passenger seat, as we cruised down the interstate, seeing the excitement in other people’s eyes. In a sense, it brought back the memory of driving the 27-foot version for the first time. You can be sure that that memory will stick with all of us Hotdoggers for the rest of our lives.

Barely hiding the excitement at being behind the wheel of "Little Link."

Every October, Oscar Mayer summons all the Hotdoggers back to Madison for a staff meeting. This consists of refreshing us in certain areas, discussing how the summer promotion went, as well as allowing to us renew our bonds. One of the ways that they decided to do this was put us in tiny race-car-like vehicles, powered by lawn-mower motors, more commonly known as go-karts. This is a far cry from the 27-foot long hot-dog we drive around on a daily basis.

Now, picture 12 recent college grads given full reign to knock each other around. If you’re imagining a lot of fun, you would be right. If you’re seeing bruises and sore backs, you would be right as well. Needless to say, all of that was forgotten as we were able to fully take advantage of spending time with each other and share the stories and experiences we’ve made while being on the road.

Getting ready to push all the others out of the way.