look carefully!

This is the view from the top of Louisiana’s State Capitol in Baton Rouge.  However, somewhere in the picture is a Wienermobile!  See if you can find it.

While in Katy, TX, I encountered…SNAKES!!!  Now, before I proceed with this, I must say one of these snakes is not real and also serves as a makeshift pet for Alana Pickles and me.  The fake snake is “Dean” and is the one showing his belly.  However, the other snake came to our event attached to his owner’s arm.  I was told the snake wanted to see the Wienermobile so the owner had to comply.  I’ll admit, I’m rather uncomfortable around snakes but when one wants to see the inside of the Wienermobile-well, that’s a friend of mine.  

Also, the snake’s owner is wearing a tuxedo t-shirt, which just so happens to be one of my favorite fashion statements.

Have you ever wondered where, how and when astronauts train?  Well, Alana Pickles and I had the opportunity to go to NASA while in Houston, Texas and see for ourselves.  I had never seen an astronaut before so it was pretty exciting to watch one train inside the “mock room” at NASA.  This room is the size of two football fields and is where they build mock parts of shuttles to train astronauts for space flight.  This astronaut is on what is known as the “pogo.”  It is a piece of equipment that makes users feel weightless and trains astronauts how to conduct mechanical repairs in space.

In addition to seeing an astronaut in action, we also got to see Mission Control.  This room is where you call “home” when you call in from outer space.  It was also the room seen in the film Apollo 13 so you may recognize it.

Below is a picture of my new ride, the Saturn V.

OK, so I had the privilege of attending one of the most exciting races of all time… Yes folks, I’m talking about the WIENER DOG RACES IN BUDA, TEXAS!  What an experience this was.  Not only did we get to see some great competition, but we also saw a variety of dog outfits, some that would make Ralph Lauren himself quiver with excitement.  Believe me when I tell you, some of these dogs can run freakishly fast and actually do resemble flying hotdogs powered by four little furry blurs that occasionally touch the ground.  But on the same token, some also get outrageously confused when the gates open and tend to take off backwards.

Harley Davidson wiener dog and myself--tough guys

How to transport more than one wiener dog

So here it is…a video similar to what you will experience when you attend next year’s wiener dog races…

In Amarillo, TX, off I-40, keep an eye out for what is known as the “Cadillac Ranch.”  Alana Pickles and I had to stop when we saw the uniquely placed Cadillacs, ranging from 1949-1963, and take some pictures with this roadside art.  In the 1970’s, a group of artists called Ant Farm decided to place these cars here and after one slight shift in location in 1997 you can visit them today.  Be sure to bring some spray paint though so you can leave your mark on the Cadillacs!

Trunk chillin

In Wichita, KS, Miss Pickles and I met a woman with beautiful singing abilities.  However, this was no ordinary singer, she sang us the Wiener Jingle in sign language!  Hearing the Wiener Jingle is always a fun time, but SEEING someone perform it was a first for us.

See if you can learn it too!

While in Amarillo, TX, we came across Dylan, a huge fan of the Wienermobile.  He was only 5 years-old but really knew how to “hot dog” it up for the crowd.  After climbing all over the ketchup and mustard colored seats, jumping in and out of the mustard in the walkway and even dancing along with all of the different versions of the Wiener Jingle, he decided it was time for a true performance.  With little coaxing, he grabbed the microphone and took to the stage like a rock star!  You can hear how he captures everyone’s attention and the crowd helping him along in the background.  Believe me, it was impossible not to cheer for him when he took his bow!

Jennifer brought her beautiful two-week-old, Meaghan, to us and nonchalantly said, “Hey, we’ve seen you guys before.”  Never before have we met a baby this young, twice, so immediately our interest was sparked.  Jennifer told us that she had seen us on Interstate 35 on the way to the hospital in Independence, MO while in labor with Meaghan.  Alana Pickles and I were blown away!  Imagine being rushed to the hospital about to give birth to your child and all of a sudden the entire focus of the car is turned as everyone gawks at the passing Wienermobile.  I can only imagine the dialogue going on in the car:  ”BREATHE! BREATHE! YOU’RE DOING GREAT! ALMOST THERE!  OH MY GOSH IT’S THE WIENERMOBILE!  LOOK JENNIFER!  YOU’VE WANTED TO SEE THE WIENERMOBILE YOUR WHOLE LIFE!  BBBRREEEAAAATTTHHHEEE!!”  

That’s definitely a unique Wienermobile experience.

Hey there, Kansas!

While in Wichita, KS, Alana Pickles and I came across this beautiful model of a Kansas town from the 1950’s.  We marveled at the architecture and layout of the town while taking notice of the fine detail put into the exhibit.  Not only did it have cars, named buildings, trees and people, but also two trains that ran through the town at the push of a button.  To say we were impressed would be an understatement. Who knew throughout our travels we would go back in time to a small town in Kansas?

I owe it all to my fans...really!

So we all know the Wienermobile isn’t exactly racing material, so when I feel the need for speed, I head to the race cars!  I ran into this speed machine in Jacksonville, FL and believe me, it was tough to “ketchup” to.  Although they wouldn’t let me drive it, I did strike my finish line pose that I’ve been practicing in front of the mirror for months now.  Seeing this car was awesome, but we all agreed The Wienermobile had the edge when it came to style points.