The Wienermobile arrives in the desert with a local resident behind the wheel
Gavin Nguyen
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – No matter the kind of day someone is having, the reaction to seeing a giant hot dog on wheels drive by is the same: shock, awe, and disbelief.
That’s what Oscar Meyer’s “Hotdoggers” noticed the most driving throughout the West Coast over the past couple of weeks. Here in the Coachella Valley, it’s no different.
For one of the two Hotdoggers driving the Wienermobile assigned to the West Coast, it’s been a “bunderful” homecoming. Lauren Trippeer, who grew up in Palm Desert and attended Palm Desert High School, was one of just twelve selected to drive the coveted hot dog-shaped vehicle – and she’s relishing every moment.
“Very few people get to even drive the Wienermobile. To drive it in my hometown… that’s a once in a lifetime experience,” Trippeer said with a beaming smile.
It’s clearly an attention-getter. I had a chance to sit inside, and everywhere we turned, it was the same deal: phones stuck out of car windows, trying to record the giant hot dog, and onlookers running out of stores to catch a glimpse.
Trippeer recounted, “The first time driving, I thought all of a sudden, like, I didn’t know how to drive. I thought I was making all these mistakes because people were honking at me. They were like, you know, waving. And then I realized, oh, it’s because I drive a 27ft long hot dog car.”
Trippeer’s parents have been lumped into the attention, too. When not driving around town, it’s parked right in front of the Trippeer home.
Nancy Brier and Gary Trippeer, Lauren’s parents, said the Wienermobile has certainly created a buzz around the neighborhood. It prompted them to host a community-wide hot dog party – and they’re meeting neighbors they didn’t even know they had.
“Everyone’s really happy. They either are happy to see it or they remember it from childhood. They have some story from their childhood when they saw the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile,” said Gary. The two had a chance to ride along with Lauren in the Wienermobile shortly after it arrived. Even despite the heat, Trippeer said it was incredible to see the attention they drew.
“It didn’t matter what people were doing. They stopped in their tracks and it didn’t appear it mattered if they had a bad day, a good day. They were just smiling and waving. It was universal,” he said.
And for Lauren’s parents, the opportunity to hold the coveted “Hotdogger” position is something they’re incredibly proud of her for. They said it all began last year, when Lauren recorded herself to apply for the position. Her parents said she was among thousands of applicants – but with the video she recorded, she positioned herself above the rest.
“She did a little video series on her own, and I think this is just a culmination of that. And it’s really neat to see her come back with the Wienermobile, such an American icon, and then being parked in front of her house. It’s just unreal,” said Lauren’s father.
It’s clear to see how Lauren is relishing every moment. She talked about how important it was for her to bring smiles and something out of the ordinary to those who call the valley home – just like her. As she and her copilot, “All Beef Aiden,” visited the Children’s Discovery Museum in Rancho Mirage, they handed out Wiener Whistles, stickers, and took photos with families taking it all in.
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Wienermobile, she affirmed, “Driving the Wienermobile, its buns and buns of fun, and we’re spreading smiles everywhere we go.”
The Hotdoggers and the Wienermobile spend about a week in each city they visit. They will be at several more events in the Coachella Valley this week, including the following:
Wienermobile Events
July 9, 7pm-10pm, VillageFest at 1100 North Palm Canyon Dr
July 10, 6pm-9:30pm, Palm Springs Power Baseball at 1901 E Baristo Rd
July 11, 8am-1pm, Palm Springs Certified Farmers Market at 201 S Pavilion Way