GRAND RAPIDS, MB — "This was my dream, honestly," said Sarah Oney, better known by her "Hotdogger" name, Sarah Kraut.
Sarahkraut first learned about the Wienermobile in college and knew from the moment she saw it that she needed to be a part of the team.
"I graduated, worked a different job, and in the back of my head I just couldn't stop thinking about the giant hot dog on wheels. And so I applied, cut the mustard and now I get to travel the country with 'Sizzlin Stephen,'" Sarahkraut said.
Stephen Harrison, or "Sizzlin Stephen," co-pilots the 27-foot long hot dog on wheels and found out about the gig when his mom saw an ad on TV to become a Hotdogger.
The job of a Hotdogger is to be a brand ambassador to Oscar Mayer through appearances across the country as you continue the history of the American icon that has lasted for more than 80 years. Plus, they get to hand out Wiener Whistles to kids and families at events.
"Driving the Wienermobile is the most fun thing I have ever done. Every day is a parade. Like, when you are driving down the highway or you're driving in a neighborhood, people immediately stop what they are doing," Said Sarahkraut. "Their faces drop, their phones come out and it just makes everyone's day."
The Wienermobile Hotdoggers consist of six teams and six Weinermobiles that travel the country.
"We are the Midwest team for six months. So we're just in the Midwest. There's six teams traveling around the country. But, seeing the Midwest has been amazing, seeing all the nice scenery, seeing all the communities around the Midwest has been, I think, my favorite part of the job," said Sizzlin Stephen.
And while the job of a Hotdogger is fun for them, the children, families and fans that show up at the events get to share in something special that has become an American tradition.
"It's just special to be part of things like that," Sarahkraut explains. "To know that, you know, you're older and you're coming here and saying like 'I have the memories from the Wienermobile when I was younger' and saying that we get to have a small role in what the Wienermobile does for other people...We have people that come to events that bring whistles from 30 years ago."
"It's crazy we get to build those 'I remember when' moments, which people come back, again, decades later and they're like 'I remember the Wienermobile when I was a kid,'" said Sizzlin Stephen.
The Wienermobile had an appearance Tuesday morning at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Meet the Machines event.
The Wienermobile will also be at DeVos Place on Wednesday and Thursday for the SpartanNash Fall Expo.
But, if you didn't have a chance to catch the massive hot dog on wheels at an event, keep your eyes peeled for the Wienermobile on the streets of Grand Rapids as Sarahkraut and Sizzlin Stephen plan to do some cruising around the area.
You can track where all of the Wienermobiles are here.