Isn't it Grand?

6:55 am - Saturday - May 23rd - Grand Junction, CO - 52° F, 23% humidity, wind 6 mph out of the east by northeast......partly cloudy skies today with a forecast high of 75° F.  The view this morning......↴

RV parking at the Elks in Grand Junction, Co

We only had 86 miles to cover Friday to the Elks Lodge in Grand Junction so we were in no great hurry to getting rolling.  Our Jello plan was to leave between 10 and 11 am, but we also had a lot to put away, plus dump our black tank, which was getting fullish after 8 days.  The Jello firmed up nicely and we were on our way northward by 10:30 am.  Glenn and Laureen will be leaving us for a few days to visit relatives in Colorado Springs, but will rejoin us further north next week.

In Montrose US 550 disappeared, and we were now on US 50 the rest of the way into Grand Junction......

......we began our drive at just under 7,000' elevation and Grand Junction sits at just under 5,000', so our drive was mostly flat, and downhill.....there were a few short climbs, but nothing to write home about.  It was nice just rolling along at 60 mph with the big Detroit Diesel 6v92 purring in the background.....sometimes I could hardly hear it.  It felt like we were floating along on a cloud.....

......Friday was also 'pay the rent' day.  We last fueled up May 3rd in Tolleson, AZ.  Since that day we have driven just 670 miles, and our 180 gallon diesel tank was just below 1/3 full.  Sure, we could probably go another 400 miles, but there is a Love's Truck Center in Grand Junction, and we will not be crossing another Interstate for several weeks, so we stopped there first after getting to Grand Junction to take on 127 gallons of diesel before continuing on another 6 miles to the local Elks Lodge #575.....

.....there is a single power pole in the middle of the parking lot which provides three 30 amp plugs, and one 50 amp plug which we claimed upon arrival.  The cost to stay here is $15/night with a 7 day maximum stay in any given 30 day period.  We only need the plug for 3 nights, so that works out well.  There is no water, or sewer, or dump station.

Once we were setup we drove over to the local Walmart Super Center to do some shopping....the only people wearing masks were the store employees.....we are finally in the right place geographically.

One of the reasons we chose this location is that it is in walking distance to several restaurants, all of which are offering sit down dining.....how novel, and fortuitous is that?  Within 1.5 blocks of the Elks Lodge there is a micro brewery, and a brew pub.  TLE chose the brew pub (The Feisty Pint.....4.5 stars on 48 reviews.....not a lot of reviews, but they were all very accurate).  We left to walk the one block to The Feisty Pint at 4 pm, and were quickly seated INSIDE!!!  They have alfresco dining, but we chose inside as it was a little breezy outside, and we really, really wanted to sit inside a restaurant for the first time since March 2nd.......

  Awaiting our menus, and brew list with a lot of anticipation

 Two Breckinridge Milk Stout Nitros with jalepeño, bacon wrapped poppers......you bet I am happy!

....for our entrees I ordered Tim's Roadkill, and TLE their Prime Dip (Prime Rib)......OMG!  Pub food and draft beer inside a restaurant....at the same time!

Prime Rib Dip

Tim's Roadkill....speaks for itself

......the service was excellent, and by the time we left the restaurant was beginning fill.  The available tables were all spread out to encourage social distancing, and the wait staff wore masks, but the customers were not required to wear masks at all.  No one who came into the restaurant to eat wore a mask.....finally getting back t some normalcy.  By the by.....Mesa County (where Grand Junction is located) has had 50 confirmed Wuhan Flu cases, and ZERO deaths.....they are doing the right thing opening up business again.  People here are happy, and back to living life, not cowering in their homes waiting for the world to end.

This Elks Lodge building is three stories tall, and was built in 1906.....it is one of the more grand, interesting lodges we have visited in our travels. When I went inside to pay for our three night stay no one was wearing masks.....again......in 2.5 months just 50 confirmed cases, and ZERO deaths.....situational awareness.....this is definitely not New York, or New Jersey, or Illinois, or Michigan.  TLE and I continue to be, not surprisingly, asymptomatic.  Rural America has never looked so good!

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