Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wienermobi­le not limited to the road

- — Terri Milligan

Nothing represents America’s love of the hot dog more than the Oscar Mayer Wienermobi­le. Carl Mayer, nephew of the company’s founder, came up with the idea of a 13-foot metal hot dog on wheels to transport the company spokespers­on. The first Wienermobi­le hit the road in the summer of 1936. In 1940 a glass enclosure was provided for the protection of the driver and passengers.

This summer, Hotdoggers (the official name of the Wienermobi­le drivers) will be manning a fleet of six Wienermobi­les as they embark on a threemonth mission to visit America’s most uncharted hot dog territorie­s.

On land and water

Don’t be surprised if you see a Wienermobi­le floating down a river or a lake. This summer, Wienermobi­les will be spreading the love of hot dogs on both land and water.

“We’re putting the Wienermobi­le on water in New York Harbor for the first time,” Whitney Shaw, director of Oscar Mayer brand build, explained. “We will be visiting remote towns throughout the United States and have empowered the Wienermobi­le drivers to make as many off-the-beatenpath stops as they can make.”

A special “Wiener Rover” has also joined the fleet. The all-terrain, off-roading hot dog on wheels is about one-seventh the size of the original Wienermobi­le. The Wiener Rover is battery-powered and controlled by a trained operator via remote control. What’s the point of the rover if there’s no human inside?

Catch a sighting

Keep your eyes peeled for a Wienermobi­le near you. Hot dog fans can get updates on the 2017 summer tour and stops by following @Wienermobi­le on twitter with the hashtag #ForTheLove­OfHotDogs. There is also a Wienermobi­le app to download for both android and iPhone phones.

 ?? OSCAR MAYER ?? Hotdogger Lizzie Duff steers a Wienermobi­le.
OSCAR MAYER Hotdogger Lizzie Duff steers a Wienermobi­le.

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