It isn’t every day that you see a giant rolling hot dog.
This past weekend the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile went on a six stop tour of Central Minnesota.
The legend of the Wienermobile started in 1936, when Carl Mayer, nephew of hot dog scion Oscar Mayer, suggested a marketing idea to his uncle: build a 13-foot-long mobile hot dog and cruise around the Chicago area handing out his “German wieners” to stunned pedestrians. People loved it, but lost interest in the 60’s and 70’s, but the nostalgia wasn’t lost because the ride returned to the road in 1986 for it’s 50th anniversary. The comeback was such a hit the company ordered six more to travel the country.
The people who drive the giant hot dogs are called Hot Doggers, and are trained in Madison, Wisconsin. Thousands of college kids apply, and only 12 are selected annually to drive across the country.
I managed to make it to one of the final stops, the one at Cash Wise East in St. Cloud. I pulled into the parking lot just as the Wienermobile did. I ran in the store to grab some stuff to give them time to set up, and when I came out, there was a LINE. People were so excited to see the giant dog.
There were a lot of kids and families in line, and since I had been inside the ride at a previous stop in 2016, I opted to let everyone else have their time and just snap a couple pictures outside.
It really is a sight to see. It’s kinda impossible to not smile standing next to a gigantic hot dog on wheels. If you ever get a chance to snap a pic with the Wienermobile, I can’t recommend it enough!
The Small Town Tourist 
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