The countdown is on, in about one month the 325 swim will begin!
A bit of background information on the river. The Allegheny begins in the Appalachian Mountains of northern Pennsylvania and ends in downtown Pittsburgh, where it joins the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River. It is considered to be one of America's "Scenic and Wild Rivers" because of its scenic values, cultural values and several river islands.
The Allegheny River is a popular spot for kayakers and canoers because of the size of the river and the constant release of water from the Kinzua Dam in Pennsylvania. The normal summer flow of the Allegheny River is roughly 2 to 3 miles per hour with leisurely paddling. The river is considered Class 1, meaning it is easy to navigate with few rapids (except for the Oil City rapids on a short stretch of the river). After riverboarding through Class 3 rapids in New Zealand, I am quite confident facing rapids anyway!
Along the swim I may find some great spots for viewing wildlife. Many animals inhabit the Allegheny and the lands surrounding it. These include bald eagles, muskrats, snapping Turtles, white-tailed deer, water snakes, weasels, Great Blue Herons, bats, mussels, clams and frogs. Paddlers typically see a combination of these animals. In 2007, a paddler reported seeing a black bear swimming across the river!
The river has loads of campsites, either developed or public lands. Free camping is also available on the many forested islands along the river. The Allegheny passes through several quaint small towns, important for resupply food and water.
