We took a trip last week. You might have noticed, or not, that I took the week off and the regular “Life in Ludlow” column was not in the paper. BJ and I went to Western Pennsylvania with our son for a celebration of family, friends, and football.

My deceased younger brother was one of the three captains of the 1968 Allegheny College Football Team in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The whole team was inducted into the Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame based on their great season and league championship.

My sister and I were invited to attend to represent him at the Friday evening dinner and at half time of the football game the next day. Our son flew to Pittsburgh with BJ and me on a beautiful Thursday and spent the weekend in Meadville and my nearby hometown, Hudson, Ohio.

Frankly, I was not sure I even needed to go, even though I have several ties to Allegheny (my father went there) and the area. I got encouragement from BJ to go as well as others from the football team but it wasn’t enough until I saw that Allegheny was playing Wabash in the football game that Saturday. Ok, buy the tickets and rent the car!

The dinner and ceremony were very inspirational with three folks from individual sports also being inducted and giving great speeches about Allegheny and their coaches. The game on Saturday was even more fun, as the Wabash College Little Giants handed the ‘Gators their second loss. Although I did wear an Allegheny T-shirt for the halftime recognition, I also wore a Wabash ball cap generating a deserved dose of derision.

The unexpected highlight for us was the amount of appreciation the other members of the team expressed for my sister and me for taking the time and trouble to attend the event. I had not expected that.

The only real challenges on the trip were similar to the same ones you have endured on airplanes. My seatmate on the flight to Pittsburgh was one of the three largest people on the plane. My seatmate on the trip back was a Labradoodle. Makes a person want to get a second mortgage to fund a first class ticket. I was also able to indulge in Mike Kenna’s favorite Yuengling beer. He is from Pottsville, Pennsylvania where it started back in the early 1900s when Mike was a kid.

This Saturday is the fifth annual Brewfest by the Bay benefitting the Chimacum Backpacks for Kids program. The event goes from noon to 4 p.m. and has been exceptionally well attended in the past. There will be lots of beer and cider to taste and the peanut shells will be all over the floor. Unfortunately, I doubt there will be any Yuengling.

From the political arena and Abraham Lincoln note his words. “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended on to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.”

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week.

Oh yes, Wabash won the football game.

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and an unrestrainable Wabash College alum whose graduation year can only be written in Roman numerals.)