Issue date: 10/12/09 Section: Opinions

SOMEWHERE NEAR AKRON, Ohio - This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Eastern-Penn State football game in State College, Pa.

Sports Editor Collin Whitchurch, Photo Editor Eric Hiltner, staff photographer Amir Prellberg and I made the 12-hour trip all the way from Charleston to the center of Pennsylvania.

Here is what I learned on the trip.

A rented car is not necessarily a reliable car

We decided to rent a car because no one going on the trip had a vehicle that, they felt, could make the long trek. As soon as we got on the road, we could tell something wasn't right with the wheels. When we got on the highway, the car suddenly went out of control and we nearly went right underneath a semi-trailer.

After a stop in Terre Haute, Ind., and a quick change of my underwear, we found out both of the back tires had no tread left on them. This led to an unscheduled pit stop, where we watched the lowest speed police chase in the history of the world on TV. (This is what FOX News thought was important the day President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize.)

Always update your GPS before leaving

This one is huge and will save you hours of frustration. We had a GPS system that must have been last updated around 1998. In a search for a Waffle House in Indiana, we were taken to two that had since been taken over by another restaurant and one that is now a vacant lot. Thanks a lot technology (A side note here, Ohio has a Waffle House about every three feet. We went past one exit that had two Waffle Houses, one in each direction.).

Finding alcohol after 10 p.m. in Pennsylvania is not easy

I think it is a rule in Pennsylvania that everyone must make it as hard as possible to drink. First, the state has a rule that gas stations and supermarkets are not allowed to sell alcohol. All alcohol must be sold from liquor stores. This would not be a problem if it weren't so difficult to actually find a liquor store.

After multiple stops, including two Wal-Marts and a wine and spirit shop, we had pretty much given up. Thank God for TK's Subs n' Six Packs in the boondocks of Pennsylvania. I don't think I have been that excited since I got my sweet Ninja Turtles skateboard when I was 6 years old.

Penn State students and fans have no idea what a Nittany is

On our way to the stadium, we saw a car with Nittany Lions (the nickname for the Penn State football team) on the back and wondered what a Nittany is. We figured we'd bother a bunch of students and fans to see if they knew. Two out of about 30 people actually knew. You would think people who grew up idolizing the team and living in the area would know what the name meant.

(Nittany Lions are a term that described the large cats used to roam Mount Nittany near the school.)

Illinois is definitely the greatest state in the U.S.

Well, that one is self-explanatory.

Dan Cusack is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at DENopinions@gmail.com or 581-7942.

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