1966

Grandpa Henry (Henry A. Beck) and I set out early that July day.  It was my first, and unfortunately last, day with him and only him.  Sure we had done lots together along with my brother and sisters but this day was for just the two of us.  We were going to spend the better part of the day going on a hike.

Our journey was to take us from the Cloud 9 trailhead just up Castle Creek from Highway 82.  The trail would take us up the backside of Aspen Highlands culminating at approximately 11,000 where the bottom of the “Cloud 9” chairlift is located.  Most of the trail was cut through a large grove of Aspen trees and leaving them behind at around 10,000 feet, the only protection from the sun was a few Blue Spruce Trees.

The climb was much the same as in the old story, “The Tortoise and the Hare” where I would run ahead and then have to wait for him to catch up only to repeat the process numerous times before reaching the top.  By the time we headed down I had no energy left.

Grandpa Henry took it upon himself to carry me on his shoulders all the way down, six miles in all.  Along the way we would often stop to look at the flowers, animals and even a robin’s nest.  On that day the nest was filled with three small blue eggs with yellow spots all over them.  A few branches away the mother robin was making it very clear that our presence was not welcome.

At the bottom of the trail we drove back into town for the much-anticipated soda and candy that had been promised to me.  At “Beck & Bishop” my prize awaited me.  As Grandpa headed back to work behind the butcher’s counter I headed upstairs for a visit with “Bee” Zick, the store’s accountant, she had worked at the store for years and was a favorite of all the kids in the family.  Within minutes I was fast asleep on the floor under the desk.

This day with Grandpa Henry is the fondest memory I have of him.  Sadly he passed away about 9 months later in an automobile accident.  The store was sold a year later and became Alpine Grocery before finally becoming Aspen’s local City Market.