Your epicurean evangelist hadn't used the car in days, thanks to the high gas prices. Munch was going a bit stir crazy, in fact. How stir crazy? The Shining, anyone? The eyes were wild. The hair was unkempt. The whiskey was disappearing at an alarming rate. Munch began carrying a fireman's ax around the house. And when Your Royal Bagness sat down to write the weekly column, all that came out of Munch's twitchy fingers was:

All work and no play makes Munch a dull [person].

All work and no play makes Munch a dull [person].

All work and no play makes Munch a dull [person].

Classic cabin fever symptoms. Doctor prescribes a road trip.

Fortunately, it's time for Munch's annual pilgrimage to Lay-trobe / Luh-trobe, [former] home of Rolling Rock beer, sweltering summer home of your Pittsburgh Football Steelers.

Dino's, 3883 Route 30, Latrobe, PA 15650. Call 724-539-2566 or visit dinoslatrobe.com.

Conventional wisdom says you head to Sharky's after an afternoon of watching dozens of elephantine men run some wind sprints. Indeed, Sharky's Cafe is a Latrobe institution. Why, Sen. Barack Obama even stopped by for a pint a few months ago, after bowling, what was it, a 37?

So Sharky's is the place to be if you're heading to training camp or running for president, but Munch cannot live on Sharky's alone. That's why Munch and Westmoreland Friend of Munch (WFOM) sped down Route 30, past Sharky's and Saint Vincent College, toward Dino's Sports Lounge. "It's a Latrobe institution!" WFOM announced.

"Didn't you say the same thing about Sharky's?"

He did, but heck, a place can have two institutions if it wants, three if you count Arnold Palmer (four if you count Arnold Palmer, the beverage). First, you should know that Dino's has a rule about hats. The rule is, "No hats in the dining room." I guess that could pose a problem if His Holiness the pope ever came in for a visit, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

And guess who was there when we stopped in? Ben Freakin' Roethlisberger!

No, wait. Sorry. Just a dude in a Ben Roethlisberger jersey.

No, sorry, strike that, a Pete Gonzalez jersey.

Nope, Jack Kemp jersey.

In any event, Yancey Thigpen used to get six-packs here every now and again, before he and his gimpy hamstring limped to Tennessee. At midday, the blinds were drawn, which is just fine with Munch, a heroic creature of the darkness, much like Batman. Walls are adorned with photos of Pittsburgh athletes; above those are televisions of all sizes. The giant rectangle bar, staffed by notably tight-shirted waitresses, has 10 beers on tap.

Food? You got yer pizzas (wing, white, seafood and the inventive Reuben pizza), yer faux Mexican (quesadillas and fajitas), a half-dozen meaty salads, ribs platters, two dozen sandwiches ($6.95 to $8.95), and assorted fried bric-a-brac (shrimp, clams, cauliflower).

We started with their chili fries ($3.25), a nice hot plate of shoestrings covered in cheese and a chili that could have been more spicy. Same could have been said of the "sweet and hot" wings (10 for $6.45), but we can't accuse Dino's of tricking us, because it says right there on the menu, "our award-wining wing -- more sweet than hot."

Well, no biggie. Munch sunk the pearly whites into a chicken cordon blue sandwich ($7.99), which came with a side of slaw. Nice slaw. The sandwich was melty and hammy, dressed in a sweet mustard sauce and big enough to feed the Big Snack himself, Casey Hampton.

Ha! Just kidding. Nothing's big enough to feed Casey Hampton. When Casey Hampton says he's hungry enough to eat a horse, it's time to hide your horses. We're not saying Casey Hampton is fat ... all Munch is saying is, Casey Hampton is the only NFL player we can think of with a personal pancake chef.

Best part? I.C. Light came in a frosted mug. You can't beat a frosted mug. Simple pleasures, that's what life's all about.

And the Steelers, of course.

Other spots for training camp travelers:

• Drew Menas, 1456 Route 30, North Versailles, 412-829-7022. Cheap American fare -- stuffed pork chops are the specialty at this lounge.

• Geo's, 3828 Route 30, Latrobe, 724-537-2881. Bar food, live music and some outdoor seating.

• Isaac's Ale House, 6026 Route 30, Greensburg, 724-837-9464. Brick-oven pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, wraps and pub grub.

• The Nest, 407 Clay Ave., Jeannette, 724-527-9880. Specializes in seafood, including lobster tail, scallops and oysters.

• Teddy's restaurant, 8695 Route 30, Irwin, 724-863-8151, www.teddysrestaurant.net. Soups, salads, steaks, pasta and seafood in a casual setting.

• Vincent's Pizza Park, 8871 Route 30, Irwin, 724-864-7059. Mammoth pizzas, and home of the legendary Vinnie Pie.