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Blog archive

November 2024

Event of Remembrance
11/22/2024

Phishing Scams: What You Need to Know
11/22/2024

Pupusas Family Style: Another Adventurous Dining Winner
11/22/2024

Celebrating the Holidays
11/21/2024

Genealogy Group: Discovering Our Pasts
11/21/2024

Nathan Wolford – From Tragedy to Ministry
11/21/2024

Pasadena Village Board of Directors: A Brief Overview
11/21/2024

President's Message
11/21/2024

The Day of the Dead (Dia de muertos)/ Mexican Culture/Community
11/21/2024

Vintage Celebration: Aging Like a Fine Wine
11/21/2024

Review of Racism in Our Local Past
11/20/2024

Creative Juices Flow in The Village
11/19/2024

Checking In by Ed Rinderle
11/15/2024

Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo
11/15/2024

I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear (Sonnet IV) by Edna St. Vincent Millay
11/15/2024

Pictures From Brueghel by William Carlos Williams
11/15/2024

October 2024

ARBORIST WALK: NOT FOR TREE HUGGERS ONLY!
10/29/2024

Bill Wishner: Visual Hunter
10/29/2024

Can a Village Group Fix Our Healthcare System?
10/29/2024

Community Board Directors Strengthen Village Board
10/29/2024

Connecting with Village Connections: The A, B, C, & D’s of Medicare @ 65+
10/29/2024

Grief is a Journey: Two Paths Taken
10/29/2024

Message from the President
10/29/2024

Promoting Informed & Involved Voters
10/29/2024

What Will Be Your Legacy?
10/29/2024

1619, Approaching the Election...
10/27/2024

Beyond and Within the Village - A Star is Born
10/17/2024

Happiness by Priscilla Leonard
10/11/2024

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
10/11/2024

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck
10/11/2024

In the Evening by Billy Collins
10/10/2024

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
10/10/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

The Kern River Rafting Caper

By Sue Addelson
Posted: 07/19/2024
Tags: sue addelson

Ten adventurous Villagers piled into three cars on a Tuesday morning at the Pasadena Village parking lot. Destination: Kernville. They were off on a river-rafting adventure, the first Village “caper” in a long time. Sue Kujawa and Jo Yeargin were veteran rafters. For Valerie Jones and Melva Watts, this was going to be a first. Melva, because of back pain and arthritis, was worried she might not have the strength to do it. Val had turned down a chance to river-raft decades ago. Now she was ready. 

The fastest route from Pasadena to the Kernville Inn is less than three hours. Trip leader John Jackson had no intention of taking the fastest route. John didn’t see this as a rafting trip. To him, it was a road trip. The rafting was just the icing on the cake. 

“Some people think a road trip is a beginning and a destination. For me, it’s stopping along the way for history, geology, the manmade and the natural beauty; it’s learning about California human and geographic history,” John said. It was obvious he had put a lot of work into researching, planning and plotting the scheduled stops. “He wanted everything to go perfectly and wanted everyone to have a good time. He was a perfect tour guide,” said Barbara Madden.

The first stop was Vasquez Rocks, which, John explained, has a geological history that goes back 25 million years. Some Villagers were more interested in talking about the filming that was done there: Lone Ranger, Star Trek and many others. Other stops included the Tehachapi Loop, Walker’s Pass, Red Rock Canyon and the infamous St. Francis Dam. John made each historic location come alive as he described the beauty, explained the geology and history, and the specific role of each site in shaping the State of California.


Almost to a person, the most memorable stop was the Cesar Chavez Monument, and not just because it had the best bathrooms. They saw Chavez’s gravesite, walked through beautiful grounds with fountains and foliage, and toured the house where he had lived. “In the museum, you could follow his life,” said one Villager. “I learned a lot.” Melva asked someone in the gift shop about Chavez’s children and grandchildren, only to find out the person she was talking to was one of his grandchildren.

They arrived at the Kernville Inn tired, hungry and happy. After a restful night and breakfast — restful except for those whose air conditioning didn’t work — they walked to the rafting operation, where they met up with Katie Brandon and her family. The guides went over the equipment, safety instructions and told them exactly what to expect. After the guide explained all possible worst-case scenarios, Melva asked him if he thought she could do it. “He said I could and everyone helped me,” she said.

Then they were bused to the drop-in point, with growing anticipation.  “When we got in the boat … you’re sitting on the rim of an innertube … and they had foot holds … but I could only get one foot in…” recalled Melva. “I held onto the rope for all my life when we got to the rapids…” Then she added, “It was so much fun!”

“When you hit those rapids, you just scream and laugh and try to paddle at the same time,” said Jo, who was still laughing days later, as she relived the experience. 

One of John’s goals was to get away from the city and into nature. On the way back, instead of taking the highway, he routed them on the scenic route, a two-lane rural road. For hours, they drove past beautiful woodlands, through deserts and mountains, and around mountain curves. “The natural curves made the drive somewhat challenging, but the natural beauty made it worth it. There was a lot of nothing. No traffic signals. No center line on the road. The biggest town was probably 200 people. When there is nothing, that’s when you see the river, canyons, trees, birds,” said John.

For Sue Kujawa, this trip was reminiscent of the “capers” of the Village’s early days. Founding Villager Jim Goodell had the idea of going to the Grand Canyon on a train. He called it a caper, to make the point they were doing something wild and crazy. Then Sue led a caper to the Manzanar National Historic Site, the scene of a World War II-era Japanese internment camp. And there were others. Now, it seems, “capers” are back. 

“One thing that struck me, we were five African Americans, five white people and one gay couple, and we could all be together, trust each other and share this together. Jim Goodell would be proud,” said Sue.

The 10 adventurers were Wayne April, Jeff Gutstadt, Peggy Henderson, John Jackson, Valerie Jones, Sue Kujawa, BJ Ledyard, Barbara Madden, Melva Watts and Jo Yeargin.

See photos from the Kern caper here.

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