Day 13/14

Ben Lutz:

Well, what can you say about the mid-west? You can say that it is a vast, desolate wasteland that only exists, it seems, to get in your way when traveling from coast to coast. However, the mid-west is where Amy Runde hangs her hat thus making it not totally useless. It was exciting seeing someone I had not seen in nearly 5 years (for Ben j only 4 and 1/2). Sure she smells, tells bad jokes, doesn't brush her teeth, and has a taste for raw chicken, but we love her anyway. After watching some male enhancement infomercials and receiving some abuse about my sweet mustache we hit the sheets. The next day after bidding Amy a fond farewell we scurried out of Iowa around noon and entered toll road alley. From Illinois to Penn we probably spent around $40 on freaking roads. It was pretty ridiculous. To be perfectly honest we did not do very much yesterday, it was pretty uneventful. Ben and I did continue our ongoing argument on what would win in a fight; a male lion or a male tiger. Eventually we arrived in Pittsburgh where we went to Primanti Brothers to get one of their famous corned beef, coleslaw, tomato, and french fry sandwiches which I have had my eyes on ever since I saw 'Top Ten Places To Pig Out In America,' on the travel channel. Anyway, that was the highlight of the day. After that we continued to York, Pennsylvania where we stayed in yet another Motel 6.

The next morning I woke to a half flooded room. Ben had risen from the dead like sleep we were enjoying before I did and hit the shower only to find that when he was done, the bathroom floor was about 3 inches underwater. So, you know, that was mildly funny. Anyway we trekked on to Philadelphia and immediately hit 'Geno's Famous Steaks' (another haunt I have always wanted to visit ever since I saw it featured on a food network show). After asking some slick haired Italian standing in front of us in line how to order, I stepped to the window and, with confidence, ordered 'two wiz with,' which is two steak sandwiches with onions and a cheese wiz sauce. These sandwiches were freaking to die for. If some hooligan drove by and shot me in the face at the moment I completed my sweaty meat and cheese sandwich I would have had no regrets. However, I survived and no drive by's ensued. We continued on to Independence hall where the United States we invented. It was almost eerie being in the rooms where those treasonous slave owners drafted the blueprint of our Nation. I think I am safe in saying that both Ben and I were caught up in a kind of wave of respect and humility. It was pretty fantastic. (stairs to Centenial Bell)

(Original Senate room)

We then hit the Liberty Bell (boring) and the Rocky stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Then UK lost....that's all I'll say about that.

Now we are in Washington DC watching 'Man versus Wild' whilst awaiting the Marquez/Diaz fight on HBO. Pretty exciting stuff. Oh, I also got a job over the phone, so that’s pretty rad.

We are STILL not dead.