Joey Bologna and I have come to find that Oregon has some of the most breathtaking views we have ever seen.  While in Astoria, Oregon, we wanted to get to the bottom of all of this beauty by seeing it from the top.  The Astoria Column was the perfect opportunity to climb our way to the perfect view.  The column stands proudly on a windy hill in the northwest tip of Oregon and represents the triumphs, conflicts and turning points of the frontier.  It is decorated with a mixture of paint and plaster carvings that depict 22 significant events that occurred in the region.

A hearty traveler and explorer herself, IWSHIWR takes a minute to admire the Astoria Column.

We climbed the 164 steps to the top! What a view!

I think every kid dreams about doing the extraordinary things that they learn about in school.  Some want to be President of the United States.  Others want to travel in a rocket to the moon.  Still others want to climb to the top of Mount Everest or sail the ocean like Christopher Columbus.

I can still remember the page of my fourth grade social studies book that showed a picture of the giant redwood trees in California.  I wanted to go there.

The lucky dog that I am, I have a job that lets me be a bit of an explorer every day.  And I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the massive redwood trees in person.

Giving the tree a big hug! I was so happy to be there!

Standing up to 379 feet tall, the California redwoods are the tallest trees in the world.  They can reach up to 26 feet in diameter (almost the length of a Wienermobile!).

IWSHIWR is usually the big dog on the road, but looked tiny next to these massive trees

The dense branches of these evergreens block out much of the sunlight and make it seem like there is nothing but the natural brown and green colors all around.  As you can see, it was easy to spot the yellow and orange IWSHIWR, even from the trails in the forest.

The redwood trees towered hundreds of feet above the vehicle

We were so glad to be able to take some time to relish one of America’s national tree-sures!

Some news anchors are just the right compliment to each other and you couldn’t find a better pair to welcome the Wienermobile than Mustard Marc and Ketchup Kelli in Eugene, OR.  We gave these two anchors honorary Hotdogger names during their live morning show.  Weatherman Jordan sat in the vehicle to give his forecasts, and although the morning was a bit gray, he encouraged people to come out and see us at our events.  After all, it is always blue skies in the Wienermobile!

The Channel 16 Morning Crew with the Wienermobile

Ever since she was a little girl, Sandy dreamed of one day being able to see the famous Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. She had seen the vehicle on television commercials and heard about it from friends and family, but had never gotten to see it with her own two eyes.  When a friend of Sandy’s heard that it would be in Eugene, OR, she new it would be a dream come true for Sandy to finally ketchup with this rolling celebrity. 

Sandy brought a whole crew of family and friends to celebrate this moment that was more than sixty years in the making.  She came to our event dressed to impress with a ketchup colored sweater, a Wiener Whistle necklace and ketchup and mustard colored bracelet she designed herself!  We were so glad to make your day bunbelievable, Sandy.

When I landed the job as an Oscar Mayer Hotdogger, I knew that I would get to cruise around two amazing regions of the country during my year, but I didn’t know which ones.  Each region has something to treasure, from the landscape and cuisine to the weather and traditions.  Every Hotdogger knows that no matter where they land, they have had an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the country in an American Icon.

I spent my first half of the year in the Southeast, “fixin to” make memories with the Wienermobile from Morgantown, WV to Miami, FL.  Brian the Bunderful and I learned to wash our hot dogs down with sweet tea and appreciate “y’all’s” hospitality.  Bless your heart.

Our tour led us all the way to the beaches on the coast of Florida in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

Smiley Kylie and Brian the Bunderful take the East Coast

Fast-forward six months and the Hotdoggers are once again anxiously awaiting the announcement of their new regions and team members.  I had never been to the Pacific Northwest before, so I was thrilled to learn that I would be headed there with Joey Bologna.

Just a few weeks into our new placement, we were driving along Highway 101 and caught our first glimpses of the Pacific Ocean with the Wienermobile.  I am so excited to see what gems my new region has in store, and I can now officially say I went coast to coast in a year-long weenie roast!

Coast to Coast Success! I made it to the Pacific!

How do you top your dog?  Everyone has their own special recipe for how to dress up their Oscar Mayer hot dog.  I am a pretty classic catsup girl myself, so when I saw this giant condiment in the distance, I knew it would be the perfect way to top OUR DOG.

OUR DOG and the World's Largest Catsup Bottle

The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle towers over Collinsville, Illinois. This 170 ft. tall water tower was built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company.  What a pair!  A bottle of catsup big enough to top the Wienermobile!

Becoming a Hotdogger takes a lot of schooling.  You have to graduate from college and then complete two weeks of training at Hot Dog High.  Once you have become an alumni, any Hotdogger will tell you, the learning has just begun.  Traveling across the country and visiting different towns and cities, seeing landmarks and landscapes, and meeting people from all different backgrounds is an education in itself.  I feel like we have become students of our experience and can see how the Wienermobile means something special to everyone.  It can even bring a little bit of magic to any place we visit.

That being said, Brian the Bunderful and I have also toured many Colleges and Universities while on the road, perhaps because we are a bit nostalgic about carrying around textbooks and writing term papers…or perhaps because we know just how much seeing the a giant yellow and orange hot dog on the way to class can completely change your day.

Checking out the campus of Florida State in Tallahassee, FL

Giving our dog a rest and taking the tram at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV

Touring the gardens at Duke University in Chapel Hill, NC

The University of Florida Gators Football Game, Gainesville, FL

Our event at Circle K in Orlando

When you are on the road with the Wienermobile you never know what opportunity or experience might be just around the corner. A normal event day at a Circle K store in Orlando, FL turned into something special when we met David and his family. It was just about 15 minutes before the end of our event when David stopped by and asked eagerly how much longer we were going to be there. He was on his way home from work and knew his boys would love to see the Wienermobile. He said he would be back in just a few minutes and we said we would make sure his kids got a chance to meat YUMMY before we packed up for the day.

Miscia, Kaiden, and David ketchup with YUMMY

When Miscia, Kaiden, and Davin arrived with their dad, they were so excited to see the 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels. We got to talking and I found out that David and his wife were both Penn State Alumni just like me! Trust me, anyone who is a Penn Stater can tell you that finding fellow alumni is like finding family. David and his wife Sasha made us even feel more like family by inviting us over for dinner! When you are on the road all the time, you realize how nice it is to sit at a kitchen table to eat instead of the desk in your hotel room. The Wienermobile has a special way of bringing people together, and YUMMY helped us to extend our Hotdogger family while in Orlando. Franks to David, Sasha, Miscia, Kaiden, and Davin for making the Southeast Team feel right at home!

Home of the University of Kentucky and The Horse Capital of the World, Lexington is my favorite city in the The Bluegrass State. We have had the privilege of being here twice.  The World Equestrian games were going on while we were in town the first time, and because of the magnitude of  the event, we didn’t actually get to see any real horses.  However, there were many statues of horses lining the streets downtown, each with their own artistic interpretation.  I chose to pose next to one that sparkled!  How pretty!

Smiley Kylie and a fancy horse statue in downtown Lexington

Just recently, Brian the Bunderful and I made our way back to Lexington and this time we were able to visit the famous Kentucky Horse Park, the place where the World Equestrian Games were held over the summer.  We learned all about famous race horses and even got to pet a few!  Still, Brian the Bunderful and I wanted to get closer!

Brian the Bunderful and Bobby the Horse

Turns out we are pretty lucky dogs!  While waiting with YUMMY for a parade to start in Eubank, Kentucky, we met Comet, and her friendly owner.  She agreed to let us take a short ride around the parade line-up area.  It takes rigorous training by people who train police officers for Hotdoggers to learn to drive the Wienermobile. I do have to say, I am much more comfortable driving our big dog than trying to direct a big horse! Franks for the whinny-ing experience, Kentucky!

Smiley Kylie trades in the wheel of YUMMY for the reigns of Comet

Brian the Bunderful and Smiley Kylie working on their Gator Growl

It was a game day in Gainesville and fans were pouring in from far and wide to see their Florida Gators take on the Appalachian State Mountaineers.  Since Brian the Bunderful was a the mascot at the University of Missouri and I was a cheerleader at Penn State,  we have sorely missed college football this fall.  It was the most franktastic news when we found out YUMMY was going to be a part of Fan Fest at the University of Florida’s final home game of the season! 

 We wasted no time adopting the blue and orange school spirit for the weekend and decorated YUMMY for the occasion.  Brian the Bunderful and I even traded in our normal sideline attire for pads and a helmet and suited up for the game.  I am no Tim Tebow, but YUMMY has shown me how to run some successful shot-bun plays.  In my heart I will always be a Nittany Lion, but for today, GO GATORS!

Gator fans pose for a photo