Time on the Allegheny

The windsurfer was just two blocks from Grandma's house in Rhode Island.  When the owner told me the price was only $50, I snapped it up, tied it to the roof, and headed home to Pittsburgh.  Fearfully watching the 70 mph winds vibrate the nose of the deck above my hood, I checked my knots every few miles until I gave up worrying and drove home.

Since I figured I would never be coordinated enough to actually surf by wind power, the plan was to use the deck as a sit-on-top kayak.  I took a pair of thrift shop canoe paddles, cut the aluminum shafts, and used the innards of an old lady's walker to form a kayak paddle.

Then I tossed it on the river and had a great time.

It tracks well so I can just paddle and not worry about steering.  I get to see nature and the city from a different perspective and every once in a while it feels like I'm on the salt water creek at Mom's parents' house on the North Fork of Long Island.  I hear the sea gulls and I can almost smell the salty air.

But transportation was a problem with the old car so I tossed it atop the pantry closet in my kitchen where it languished for years.

Paraguayan license plate provided by Romualdo Orzuza

Yesterday was my third ride this year since we have a minivan and transport is not horribly inconvenient.  Plus I'm in another crisis of mid-life.  I put in at Three Rivers Rowing in Millvale and headed upstream

I launched at the dock at the lower left - @ 2.8 miles

Headed upstream toward the 40th St Bridge.

Once I cleared Herr's Island, wake was a problem.  I stopped often to face the waves and ride it out.  The lock at the Highland Park bridge must have just opened and dumped all the boats headed in my direction.  My goal was Etna and the union of Little Pine Creek and the Allegheny so I paddled on.

Little Pine Creek makes the peninsula in Etna - top right

The last time I passed Millvale on my kayak I was too scared to enter the tunnel that is the outlet for the creek that runs under the whole of Millvale.  This time I braved the darkness and my terror and I paddled in until the round tunnel turned square.  Then I turned around, shakily removed my ziploc-encased cell phone, and took this picture.  I almost expected the rats from the tunnels in "Rambo: First Blood" to swim out and swarm over my little raft.

Looking out from Millvale to the Allegheny River

Left at Little Pine Creek

I reached the 3rd RR trestle at the sharp bend 

Arriving at Little Pine Creek, my GPS told me to execute a left so I headed up the quiet water under two railroad bridges until the water became too shallow for the draft of my barge.  Passing two actual kayaks with people inside, I got out and kicked it upstream until I found a good place to stash it.  I kept slogging on to the sharp curve where the water is deep enough to jump from beside the railroad trestle twenty feet above.

All the cool kids jump from there into the deep water

I walked back to my boat and caught some views of nature just a few yards from a major highway.

Rt 28 is above and to the left

Nobody ever comes down here - no easy path

The burbling water almost drowns out the sound of the highway

Most tributaries enter the creek like this after passing under Rt 28

Past this RR and the next is the Allegheny River

Paddling hard, I headed back toward the 40th Street Bridge, trying not to anger the anglers at the river's edge.  This time I ignored the wake and just paddled on.  There were a few sketchy moments, but paddling through seems to be a good method.

I got out at the bridge and walked to the car while I contemplated Etna.  Just a few blocks away from my house are good parks, a public pool, a nature walk, a couple of creeks, a few small wild areas, the Allegheny River and plenty of places to eat and shop.  Great place to raise a family and live a good life.