A few weeks ago my mom and I started to feel the pang of our summer coming to an end, so we decided to sign up for Venture Outdoors' Sunset Paddle. The Pittsburgh-based group tries to make it easy for city dwellers to get outdoors by offering guided hikes, bike tours, and paddling loops. Paddling seemed like a good idea since Pittsburgh was named one of the top ten urban kayaking cities by National Geographic.
Venture Outdoors gives each of their events a difficulty rating. The event my mom and I chose was rated “medium,” in other words, for people who have had experience with kayaking. My mom and I had shared a tandem kayak at the beach years before. On that outing, we fell so far behind that they had to tie a rope to our boat and tow us in. But I’m older now. How hard could it be?
Our evening began at Kayak Pittsburgh's launching spot, right on the riverfront alongside PNC Park. Twenty-five to thirty people milled around, snapping up their personal flotation devices and picking out paddles. Suited up in my Lycra pants and shirt (the synthetic fabric dries faster), I sat down in my kayak with my back to the river. One of the guides launched me, and I started paddling.
The Kayaks stacked at Kayak Pittsburgh's launch point are equipped with special lights for our after-dusk trek.
It was harder than it looked. Paddling is less about strength and more about coordination. I soon discovered that correctly placed shallow strokes were more effective than deep pulls. I hung towards the back on the way up the river, trying to work it all out.
I was also worried because I hadn’t brought gloves, one of the items, along with the synthetic clothing, on a long list sent out by Venture Outdoors. But as we paddled, I noticed no one else was wearing them. Some of the other people I chatted with admitted that they had never been kayaking before and that they would certainly be sore in the morning. And even though my mom was dead last, the “sweep,” a guide who brought up the rear to ensure no one got left behind, kindly stuck with her to chat and give paddling pointers.
The sun sets over the Monongahela River Bridge, a bridge used by the T light-rail system.
When we turned around to see the sunset, one of the guides helped me re-orient my paddle, which helped things go more smoothly. Once I got the paddling down, I could relax and enjoy seeing city life from a new perspective. I watched from below as cars sped towards the Fort Pitt Tunnel, as the T carried people back home to the suburbs, and as the Smithfield Street bridge lit up for the evening. I also spotted the incline and Heinz Field. And right in front of me, the setting sun turned the water a soft pink color.
We all returned safely, a little damp and tired. Our legs were a bit shaky on dry land. That could probably be explained by the fact that we hadn’t used our legs in two hours. But to me it felt like they were wobbling because we had returned from somewhere much more foreign than my hometown. I plan to go back for the Full Moon Paddle to see how the sights change in the light of the stars.
Post and photos by Amelia Possanza.
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