Blazing Paddles is a standup paddleboard race, canoe & kayak celebration held on the Cuyahoga River, a historic body of water that's risen like a phoenix from its ecological low-point in 1969. You'll be on a curvy, 5.7-mile urban course that flows past a unique mix of riverfront sites where iconic pyramids of sand and stone stand in contrast to paved paths and green-spaces. The scenic course with sweeping views of downtown Cleveland will take you under 10 bridges spanning the river before you reach the turnaround point - THE location of the 1952 Cuyahoga River fire, the infamous image that's often used as a visual stand-in for the much smaller June 22, 1969 fire.

More info at http://sharetheriver.com/blazing-paddles/