Michael V. Sonnier

Mississippi River Adventure

Where: Harvey Auditorium

Date: 2008-03-18 15:30:00

Type:

BAKERSFIELD ADULT SCHOOL Cultural Studies Program PRESENTS THE NATION'S LEADING FILM PRODUCERS WITH LIVE NARRATION OPEN FORUM TRAVEL SERIES DAY: Tuesday TIME: 3:30 p.m.-5:30p.m. & 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. For more information call: (661) 871-0146 Free Admission Join Rudi Thurau for a raft adventure on the Mississippi River. Some people are born for adventure, others are born to entertain. Rudi Thurau was born to do both. The urge to travel emerged early in his life. In 1956, after completing his education, the young adventurer pedaled his bicycle away from his homeland of Germany with just a few Deutschmarks, a camera and a guitar for comfort. Eight months and 6,000 miles later, he paused in India. After such a lengthy odyssey, his appetite for adventure had become insatiable. Scrubbing the deck of a freighter brought Rudi back to the European continent where he joined forces with a young American who was the proud owner of a motor scooter. Riding tandem, they headed for Africa where they crossed 1,500 miles of the Sahara desert. On the Niger River, the two adventurers devised a unique mode of transportation - a raft powered by their motor scooter! From Africa, Rudi traveled to the United States. Under the auspices of President Eisenhower's "People To People Foundation", he lectured as a traveling Ambassador Of Good Will. Since then, he has made his home in America. His film adventuring continued through Mexico, Central and South America. With two companions, he tackled the Amazon River on a seven month raft voyage. That was followed by a breathtaking journey down Devil's River, on to Lake Titicaca in a reed boat, then to Tierra Del Fuego at the tip of South America. Rudi speaks (and sings) in many languages, but he is best known for his humor and light hearted narration. A performance by this daring adventurer is long to be remembered! Rudi Thurau's "My California Advenuture" (on a bike) was presented at the Open Forum.