Quail Bobogardus

Quail Bobogardus, 43, is a self-described “tech folklorist” living in Cupertino, California. Born in a small avocado farm town in central California, he was raised by parents convinced he’d either be a birdwatcher or an inventor—hence the unusual name. He first gained attention in middle school after “accidentally” winning a science fair with his self-toasting bread helmet, which worked once before catching fire. By high school, his projects included a robot meant to do math homework that instead recited Shakespeare in Morse code. Seeking “the source code of the universe,” Quail moved to Cupertino and now lives in a teal-painted tiny house. He works as a freelance consultant for start-ups unsure whether their app is a meditation tool, social platform, or snack service. His hallmark, the “Bobogardus touch,” blends obscure history, doodles of quails, and pie charts shaped like avocados. Locals often spot him biking around in a straw hat with a backpack full of trail mix and circuit boards. On weekends, he hosts an “Impractical Inventions Club,” where neighbors build things like solar-powered kazoo amplifiers and squirrel-shaped drones. Why Cupertino? Quail sums it up simply: “I came for the Wi-Fi, but I stayed for the persimmons.”