Reddit mentions: The best kayaking books

They rent rafts for the lower Youghiogheny. I've never seen so many paddles just floating down the river! safety boaters were sticking extra raft paddles down their pfds. It seemed lots of people had no clue what they were doing and really needed a guide. Idk maybe it's changed. Upper part is pretty sweet though more like a creek than a river.
New River in WV I believe is higher CFS, meaning cubic feet per second. I met many folks there with little experience, but wanting to learn. Many of the larger outfitters will have trainings for prospective guides. We were allowed to camp on company property.
Many of the guides I knew did not have a raft guide certification, just first aid/CPR. I had one better, wilderness first responder. ACA Swift water rescue is a great class to take.
You should also think about taking a rafting trip as a customer on a few rivers. You will get to talk to the guides and will get great local knowledge. Try calling a few outfitters and tell them your story. They will know where you are coming from bro, was that the AT you hiked? Haha, buy this book, it's about kayakers but it's really great to explain whitewater: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0897320506/ref=pd_aw_sims_3?pi=SL500_SY115&simLd=1

Books:
Sea Kayaking Illustrated: A Visual Guide to Better Paddling

Sea Kayak: A Manual for Intermediate and Advanced Sea Kayakers

Sea Kayak Rescue: The Definitive Guide To Modern Reentry And Recovery Techniques

Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation

Other tips:

a) Join a club if there is one near you.
or: Join groups with the same interest near you
Generally the quickest way to learn. Ask in forums as well.

b) You already mentioned courses. Def. do them. This is the best way to improve your technique.

c) Practise. Practise. Just paddle around, sometimes test and extend your limits in safe conditions (example: Go out in windy to stormy weather with waves [<7bft, on really big lakes <6bft] with onshore wind on a bigger lake you know well. Keep near the shore, learn how to paddle in waves. Paddle parallel to waves. Just get experience. If you fall in, worst case the wind will blow you onto the shore soon(ish). Know your equipment, always wear a PFD, have apaddlefloat, pump, reserve paddle & paddle leash, comms device and ideally a buddy. Train rescue & reentry first. Tell people where you are and when to expect you back)

d) Read a few blogs from people who did long runs on rivers and oceans. Even if they've used an open canoe, you can still learn a lot (equipment, conditions, duration and so on)

e) Maybe some youtube videos, but thats - in my experience - a bad source for kayaking. Lots of people who don't know what they are doing but think they are professionals.


For the multi-month solo trip: Your space is very limited in a kayak. It will be hard to get enough food for longer trips. For long tours a canoe is way better, although not really seaworthy. Don't go alone.

A couple books on Blackadar:

Never Turn Back

Fast and Cold (only part s about Blackadar).

The Susitna got attention in the '70s on account of a proposed dam. The dam is back in the planning stages.

The Susitna is an amazing river, and most people in southcentral Alaska know it primarily for its huge salmon runs, with no idea there is some world class water upstream.

Another classic story from Devil's Canyon.

Happy summer everyone, it's time to break the paddles out!

I think most other people will cover the good points. Some are broad topics like food planning and lodging. Some are small topics like not forgetting to sunblock the underside of your chin and watching for bedsores on your ass.

There are two books I consider definitive for what you want to do in terms of paddling: this and this. The first book is for the neophyte who wants to learn as much as possible before setting out on an adventure. The second book is about kayaking rivers and while many techniques will be beyond what you're planning to do, it pays to be aware of the situations that can arise on rivers before you run into them. Kayaking a river is very different from kayaking flat water, and not many books make this distinction very well. I consider both books to be definitive for what they are, and the vast majority of advice I could give you is contained in them.

Also buy the movie "Paddle to Seattle". It's a small independent film- google it and buy it from the guys who made it. It's cheap and is two guys chronicling a trip they made with a lot of similarities to what you're doing.

Some text resources they might be a little dated but they're still great:

Colorado Rivers and Creeks:
https://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Rivers-Creeks-Gordon-Banks/dp/0964539950

Whitewater of the Southern Rockies:

https://www.amazon.com/Whitewater-Southern-Rockies-Stafford-McCutchen/dp/0979264405/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494345565&sr=1-1&keywords=evan+stafford

Although old, this book has some good exercises in it: http://www.amazon.com/Playboating-Kayaking-Eric-Jackson/dp/0811728943/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335533520&sr=1-2

I'm currently reading On Island Time by Scott B. Williams to get insight on this trip (chronicles his adventure from Mississippi to the W. Indies!). amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Kayak-Navigation-Simplified-Moyer/dp/0966979532

I've read it, I own it, I recommend it.