Maybe it is her skill, or perhaps just her vibe. Whatever it is, Gail always seems to walk away from the tables and slot machines with more money than she started with. Suzanne and I, it seems, always walk away with less.

Perhaps it is simply karma: she gives so much, and so much comes back to her. Or maybe it’s because she approaches every table and machine with an easy charm, an I don’t care if I win or lose attitude, because she is there to have fun. Suzanne and I, on the other hand, mean business. Pay up, you stupid machine. You owe me. And, of course, with that kind of pressure, the machines choose to hold on to their cash.

Gail, with her effervescence and aura, draws the other gamers in to her orbit in her natural, unknowing style, while Suzanne and I purposefully give off the leave me alone vibe. It is highly likely that if we had Gail’s gifts, we, too, would walk away winners. Alas, we don’t.

Our semi-annual trip to Cripple Creek, Colorado was extra special this time: Suzanne went along and braved–and won–her altitude issues. The three of us hadn’t gone alone for five years: the legendary Halloween 2019 trip:

Our presence together may not have turned as many heads as that trip did, but we made it memorable nonetheless.

Suzanne and I left a day ahead of Gail and drove first to Canon City, Colorado. We even made our refueling stops fun.

This small touristy mountain city has become one of our favorites, and when there is no snow, it is just one hour from Cripple Creek on the beautiful backroads.

We drove the iconic Skyline Highway.

We even found some Kansas folks at the top to take our picture.

The magnificently beautiful Royal Gorge is in Canon City as well, but since both of us had just visited last summer with our spouses, we chose to wait until another time to take in that natural beauty. If you are visiting that area, however, we strongly recommend both the walk bridge across and/or take the train ride below along the Arkansas River.

Because newer cars–including Suzanne’s–no longer include a standard CD player, we were not able to play John Denver as we try to do on last leg of the trip through the mountains. We grabbed an internet signal while we could, and heard a few bars–better than nothing.

Driving separately from Gail took away from our traveling joys, but we made up for it with our time together.

We lunched with a local friend (she doesn’t like to be included in pictures), shopped, took in the purple mountain majesty,

savored what was left of the beautiful aspens as they prepared to close up shop for the winter,

and took in the natural beauty that envelops you in this beautiful mountain town.

It is a tourist town, but a small one at that, and the locals know and take care of each other. That makes the tragedy that struck just as we arrived even more profound: the Mollie Kathleen gold mine, which is no longer operational but gives tours, lost one of its employees in an accident while tours were being held. All the tourists were eventually rescued after the elevator malfunction, but the sadness of the loss of a well-respected community member permeated this close-knit village of about 1100 people.

We talked about taking the tour…

Our hearts are with the family of the employee who gave his life trying to help the others who were trapped with him. We know what tragedy feels like, and there are no words strong enough.

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The time always passes too quickly, and soon it was time to head east. The dreaded Sunday drive took us most of the day, but home is always the best place to be.

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You may have noticed that the old familiar pictures are back at the beginning of the blog. As mysteriously as the problem arrived, it disappeared. Perhaps it was because I got serious about fixing the problem, contacting my tech-whiz neighbor to ask for advice, even though he didn’t have any to offer. Perhaps it was because I stared it down, mentally amping up my defense against the trials of technology. Nevertheless, it is as if the problem never existed. Either way, I consider it a win for me.

You may also recall that I took a technology splurge and bought the new iPhone 16 as I reported in my last post. I am actually figuring it all out! Adding to that, I tacked on the Apple watch. It was a deal attached to the purchase of the iPhone I couldn’t pass up, so I gave in. With a little help, I am navigating it quite well, and even enjoying all its features.

Technology-0, Kathleen-3.

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Call it luck of the draw or divine favor, but I cannot imagine two better sisters than Gail and Suzanne. If, like Gail’s “luck” at gambling, it is indeed what we make of it, then I’ll take that, too. We make the time and take the time to enjoy each other’s company both in travel and in our respective homes, and I am so grateful that we do. Our parents, we know, are smiling down upon this continued beautiful sisterhood.

The Sister Lode-3, Luck-0.

Our home-away-from-home in Cripple Creek continues to be the beautiful and historic Cripple Creek Hospitality House, the former Teller County Hospital. Its history and beauty are preserved, and the accommodations are deluxe and welcoming. We highly recommend it if you are traveling there.