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One week in January, several local older adults were wearing coats, hats and boots.

The next week, they waded into the warm ocean, were surprised and delighted by frolicking whales and watched red hot lava simmer into the sea.

Their Hawaiian adventure, offered through Colorado Northwestern Community College, may have seemed worlds away from Moffat County but, thanks to good planning and support, participants reveled in all the excitement, fun and wonder the experience had to offer.

"I enjoyed every bit of it," said Nina Lawton, 80, who lives in Craig and was among 23 older adults in the group.

Make no mistake, this trip wasn't about lounging on the beach, sipping Mai Tais and buying trinkets. There was a little bit of that, of course, but the bulk of the well-planned itinerary included visits to popular and lesser-known historical sites and natural areas.

Among the more popular destinations was a trip to O'ahu and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, a visit particularly meaningful to many in the group who were young adults during World War II.

The group was fortunate to have "resident" guides Kathy and Jim Ross, who live in Craig but spend several months each year in Hawaii or the Big Island. The Rosses not only knew about quaint eateries and less-crowded beaches, they took the group to the best places to learn about the island's natural and cultural history.

Intriguing visits included the Parker Ranch, a 160-year-old ranch spanning thousands of acres and Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, where restored temples and sites reveal the rituals and lives of the island's early residents.

The group also had the opportunity to see active volcanic activity at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Some in the group even braved a tricky nighttime walk over a lava field to see molten lava flow into the ocean.

"Many of the things we saw, you couldn't just take a bus and go right over to; you had to put in some effort : but it was worth it," said Wilma Taylor-Baker, 72, of Maybell.

When trip director Mary Morris, who is CNCC's director of community education, announced the trip last July, she recommended the group step up exercise so they would be ready to walk - a lot - during the trip.

"That was good advice," said Taylor-Baker, who was among residents who frequented exercise classes offered through the Visiting Nurse Association's Aging Well program, as well as CNCC walking classes, to prepare for the trip.

"Many of them made tremendous strides working with the Aging Well program and had the confidence to go on this trip," Morris said.

Although she planned the trip with the older participants in mind, Morris inevitably worried about illness, injuries and other situations that might occur.

"The extent of our injuries was one small scratched knee that needed a Band-Aid," she said.

Support from other group leaders, as well as the camaraderie among travelers, played a large part in the worry-free trip.

Aging Well fitness instructor Tammy Workman made sure the group stayed hydrated and, during airport layovers, led them through exercises to increase circulation.

Jaci Mock and Dorothy Brown also kept an eye on participants' health in addition to driving the vans shuttling the group from place to place.

Travelers also watched out for each other. A group of women, for example, always held hands walking into the ocean.

"It was such a neat, neat group," Lawton said. "Everybody was so congenial and nice and helpful."

A tropical reprieve from winter always is rewarding, but the CNCC Hawaii trip provided older participants other important opportunities to age healthy. There was plenty of exercise, of course, as well as the thrill of being in and learning about a new place.

Not to mention adjusting to a new climate, travel glitches and even roommates.

"It just enlivens you and puts a spark back in your life," Lawton said.

Tamera Manzanares can be reached at tammarie74@yahoo.com.