Queen Catherine Montour of New York and Pennsylvania

     I wasn't taught about "Queen Catherine" in high school history. I found out about her during a bike ride on a trail named "Catherine Valley Trail" which loosely follows Catherine Creek near Montour Falls, New York.

     She led a fascinating life during the Colonial Era (click on her name in first paragraph for story). Being part Native Indian and part French Canadian, she was bi-lingual and made peace possible for the two cultures.
     The beginning of the trail was unique; a ramp over the highway which connected to the steep hill on the other side.

     The trail was shady and woodsy, carved into a steep forested mountain.

     I stopped at the town of Montour Falls. Since the namesake waterfalls was dry, I stopped to visit Eagle Cliff Falls. Unlike other waterfalls, folks have to walk "up" and not down to see these falls.

I was perplexed to see moms, tots, infants and blow-up toys on the stairway up to the waterfalls.

But at the top of the stairs, when I saw the beautiful 41-foot falls and its 8-inch deep swimming hole, I understood!

This is the Real McCoy, not a water park!

Moms bring their infants, too.

Biked through the town of Montour Falls where they were having a Classic Car Show on a street closed to traffic.

Later that night, there was a play at their historic Theater.

Back on the Catherine Valley Trail . . . .

. . . and finally "home" to Horseheads, New York, where I spent two nights at a Boondockers backyard. Corky and Paula's backyard includes an above-ground pool, hot tub, and a tent-covered patio. They invited their neighbors over and we all had a great evening together just talking, drinking, and laughing easily. New Yorkers are fun folks, including the folks I met briefly in Montour Falls. They enjoy making wisecracks that keep everyone laughing.

     I was joined by another camper van, a young family of four traveling in a Sprinter (plus tent) and towing their little VW car. Amazingly, this family from Massachusetts will travel for the next year (click here for their blog). Matt and Mom homeschool their 9 and 11 year old daughter and son. Their son is already learning how to design and construct lean-to's; quickly named "Little Lair".

     While sitting peacefully in Corky and Paula's backyard bench, I witnessed an insect snatch a fly sitting on the bench with me, hop with the fly to a nearby rock, insert its tube into the fly to suck it dry for about five minutes (throbbing abdomen), then nonchalantly brush the carcass off the rock with its two front legs. It wiped its front legs over its face (and maybe a burp or two?) then flew off into the wild. When I last looked at the fly carcass, an ant was figuring out how to move it.

Up next, the astounding Watkins Glenn State Park.