It’s always great to see a familiar face, especially when we’re so far away from home. That’s why I was elated to see my boyfriend, Patrick, in Reno, NV. We explored the biggest, little city in the country and he got to experience a day in the life of an Oscar Mayer Hotdogger. From photoshoots  to riding shotbun, Patrick really fit into the world of a Wienermobile driver. It was a truly bunderful hometown reunion and I was the happiest little Hotdogger.

As we wrap up our tour with the Wienermobile and begin to say our goodbyes, I thought I would recount all of the fun and exciting adventures I shared with my co-pilot, Dylan. From the snowy mountain tops in Washington to the deserts of Nevada we relished our time in the Northwest with our trusty dog, IWSHIWR. We sang at the top of our lungs on long drive days and took advantage of every opportunity to see a beautiful part of our country. Without a doubt, the Deli Fresh and Dylicious dynamic duo dared to dream big. To my Northwest partner, Dylan: Franks for all of the unforgettable moments! With Relish, Danica

We Hotdoggers get complimented on our franktastic gear all the time. You may remember Dylan’s blog post back in October about the latest and hottest trends we sport every day from our ketchup-colored polos to our mustard-colored rain coats. We can always be spotted wearing a Wienermobile logo; and why not? We’re proud of our dog.

That’s why I commissioned my dad, Albertomato, and my boyfriend, Pepper Jack Patrick, to design some fancy footwear that I could sport on drive days and still feel connected to home. Albertomato put his graphic design skills to use to draw a great looking Wienermobile on the right shoe and Pepper Jack Patrick used his neat and precise handwriting, commonly found in most engineers, to write a bit of the famous Wiener Jingle on the left shoe. I’m proud to show off the work of two fantastically skilled artists. Not to mention, I can now sport Wienermobile gear from head to TOE.

Though I’ve met great people all over the country, there’s still no one quite like Mom. She turned me into the franktastic ’dogger I am today. It’s a tough job, being a mother; but from dance recitals all the way to graduation, my mom was there for me every step of the way. Franks for everything, Mom! Love, your little link.

Since I wasn’t able to be in Texas with my mom for Mothers’ Day, I thought I would ketchup with another mother-daughter group and ask their thoughts on this special Sunday, what it’s like being a mother, and if they had any messages for all the moms out there.

*Hint to all the fathers and kids out there: Today would be a great day to make Mom some breakfast in bed. Oscar Mayer bacon is great with eggs!

Sometimes Hotdoggers need a creative outlet after a long drive across a state. It’s nice to get creative with the Wienermobile and see it in a different light. Like many hot dog fans dress their dogs with their favorite toppings, I like to color the big dog with my favorite colors. Thinking outside the box is a quality we drivers possess and you can see that with our Wienermobile art. With vintage colors, this Wienermobile is classically chic.

The bright and vibrant colors of this Wienermobile pop giving the big dog a loud and fun voice!

And, finally, a Wienermobile that defies expectations. A Warhol-esque depiction of the dog we all know and love:

To continue the Hotdogger Hobbies series, I thought I’d write about how I took one of the Wienermobile vehicle’s most famous traditions and revamped it into a hair accessory. I’ve been wearing bows in my hair since I can remember: from days in grade school to tailgates and game days at The University of Texas. I put my sewing and hot glue gun skills to use and fashioned an unconventional use for the little, red, plastic whistle. My trusty wiener whistle now sits atop a mustard-colored, polka dot bow and can be seen in my hair on every drive day.

You may recall a recent post by Turkey Dog Tyler about the fun things we Hotdoggers do at our events, Hotdogger Hobbies: Hide the Postcard. Dylicious and I thought we’d continue this franktastic series by shedding some light on what we do at our shows in the Northwest. Surprisingly, there are not always hundreds of people surrounding the big dog, lining up to peek inside or get their picture under the gull wing door. We notice hot dog fans getting their picture with IWSHIWR, but we never have the chance to get our picture with the loyal dog.  That means it’s time for a Deli-icious photoshoot with two of your favorite ‘doggers: Deli Fresh and Dylicious.

Dylan sporting a wiener whistle and black apron this season. He really knows how to make some magic.

Deli Fresh with a parking sign, side ponytail and whistle bow.

Northwest team next to IWSHIWR

It takes courage for a person to pack up one suit case and leave their home for a year to hit the hot dog highways with complete strangers from across the country. I can say I was a little nervous to meat the ’doggers of Class 24 and I don’t think I was the only one. The butterflies in my stomach were completely gone the minute I stepped off the plane in Madison, Wisconsin and was met with open arms by my fellow drivers. We all immediately hit it off and took a giant leap of faith together.

Of course it was hard to say goodbye after spending two weeks with each other. We traveled hundreds of miles in different directions. Nearly one whole year later we still can’t contain our excitement to see each other. Neither distance nor time can keep these lucky friends for jumping for joy when we’re together.

We often get asked what is behind the door in the back of the Wienermobile. “Is it a bathroom?” “Do y’all sleep back there?” “Is that a portal into a fourth dimension?” I’m finally going to put those rumors to rest. Check out the video below to find out what’s behind the yellow door.

Hotdoggers love the Wienermobile so much that we’re willing to stand by it in rain, shine, or snow. Check out the video below to see pictures of some Hotdoggers in action!