I must be getting old. On Saturday afternoon when Robert, a visiting younger relative, mentioned we should go bar-hopping that night my first thought was, "Uh-oh, I better go home and take a nap."

Around 8:00, revived by the sound of Lisa blow-drying, I put on some fresh jeans and dealt with my bed-head. (Note to out-of-towners: don't wait too late to start partying in GJ; you may miss the party.) Shortly after 9:00 we had Robert in the car and were headed for Main Street.

Our first stop was The Moulin. As dinner service winds down, the cocktail scene warms up in their dark and comfortable lounge area. Frequently there is live music on the weekends, and indeed there was a piano player. When we arrived the tune sounded curiously like something straight out of a 19th century cowboy saloon. Sadly, there was nowhere to sit so we quickly moved on, still sober.

A shortcut through a breezeway at the Wells Fargo bank led us to the newly reopened Colorado Avenue. We peeked in the windows of La Louisianne and saw - no one.  This  yearling establishment is not  yet connecting with the locals, but perhaps the street redesign will help expand the downtown scene one block south.

Back on Main Street we took a nighttime stroll past the sculptures, gelato-eating dog walkers, and lingerie-clad Rocky Horror fans (more on that later). During online research, Robert had discovered that Quincy Bar has a reputation as the hippest nightspot in GJ. Once upon a time, it had a different reputation as Grand Junction's only gay-friendly bar, best summed up by the well known descriptor "straight until 8:00." At some point new ownership took over, rearranged some of the decor, and added regular live acts, leaning towards the punk rock - rockabilly spectrum, genres that have been missing for too long in this area. After the changeover things were a bit rowdy for a while, with the drinking and what not spilling on the floors and out onto the street, and the police coming around, but management here seems to have gotten things under control.

Regardless of the clientele, the Quincy Bar has been the only real tavern on Main Street for years. It has one of the best layouts of any drinking establishment I have ever frequented. The entry has just enough space to duck into and get your bearings. The front half of the room is dominated by a long u-shaped bar. The design of the bar allows the maximum number of people access to the perpetually harried bartenders and makes for great neighbor watching. The back area is more open and once housed pool tables, but is now set up with a few tables, a small stage, and a dance area. Beyond that are the restrooms and the old alley entrance, which is now the passage to the outdoor area where smokers can (for now) still legally humor their vice.

We found some open barstools and sat for a couple of drinks. These days, it seems the most popular cocktail at the Quincy is the Jagerbomb: a shot glass of Jagermeister nested in a rocks glass which is then filled with Red Bull. Lest you start thinking otherwise, dear reader, I assure you this is a high-class joint; they serve their Pabst Blue Ribbon in glass bottles!

At 10:00 the first band started, a speed punk outfit. Again, I must be getting old. Growing up, I listened to my share of Dead Kennedys, Meatmen, Black Flag etc, etc, and I have a taste for the rebellious, pointless, and profane. But from the introduction on I never understood a single word shouted into the microphone, and with apologies to Simon Cowell I quickly found it all "a bit boring."

So we moved on.

The Mesa Theater and Club resides in a former movie house. The old popcorn counter is now a bar and a second bar is stationed at the top of the tiered seating in the theater. The entertainment at the Mesa varies from national and local acts, to DJ's, to none. On this particular night the feature was a Rocky Horror Tribute Show featuring the highly talented local act KING & His Naughty Bunnies. To KING's credit I could understand every word to "Science Fiction Double Feature" from the sidewalk, but it also meant the show was almost over so we passed on the cover charge and walked on.

We walked by Boomer's, a rhythm and blues bar. I love the windows that slide open along the storefront to give the bar a breezy, open feel. I really want to like this place, but every time we go in we are the youngest people there, and somehow that just makes me feel older and depressed. Boomer's, I beg you, bring in some acts for us 40-something youngsters.

We wound up at the Rockslide , Grand Junction's oldest brewpub. There was live music on the patio, but we had reached a point in the evening where we favored conversation and food to entertainment so we slid into a booth at the far side of the bar. The amber ale was tasty, and paired nicely with the appetizer platter, an assortment of wings, rings (onion and calamari), artichoke dip, and vegetables. Not particularly imaginative, but well-prepared and necessary to our future well-being. Satisfied that we had given Robert a taste of Grand Junction nightlife we went home and tucked ourselves into bed.

I slept in until 8:30 and took a nap in the afternoon. Whee!