Interesting travel story of the year No. 4: Football at Pittsburgh

I'm not sure I was prepared for the beauty of Pittsburgh until I noticed it atop the Duquesne Incline. It's a clean, radiant city with blue-collar roots. It's now a pure informational center as opposed to its industrial past.

I'm basically petrified of heights so going up the incline was a bit of a test for me. But the view was priceless. Afterward, myself, Gazette photographers Brian Ray and Liz Martin along with a former co-worker of mine who works for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Brent Wasko, took the water ferry from the base of the incline to the Pirates' downtown stadium. It's hard to understate the charm of Pittsburgh with words. The convergence of three rivers and the yellow bridge add to the aura.

But there are two things to know about Pittsburgh if you ever travel there. One, the sandwiches are amazing but you feel like you're going to die of a heart attack afterward. I tried a hoagie that included cole slaw and French fries along with cheese steak. Delicious, but you can avoid eating for two days.

Secondly, the beer is unreal. Penn Pilsner has tremendous taste, but I strongly recommend Yuengling, the oldest brewery in America. Iron City's not a bad brew, either. To borrow a phrase from former Iowa Athletics Director Bob Bowlsby, Yuengling "is at or near the top" of my beer list now.