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Ashland is on the Road Scholar map, four times over. Founded as Elderhostel in 1975 with 220 participants in New Hampshire, what was reborn as Road Scholar in 2010 now takes more than 100,000 people each year on 5,500 educational adventure tours in 150 countries, a well as in all 50 states — including four programs in Ashland. “Why should older Americans be expected to disappear quietly into a mundane retirement?” Marty Knowlton, a world-traveling, self-proclaimed hippie, asked his friend David Bianco, a university administrator. The Elder Hostel founders wanted to give retirees affordable opportunities to remain active, to learn and to travel — to do more than munch microwave popcorn and watch “I Love Lucy” reruns. The first full week of May found Road Scholar visitors in town for “Ashland’s Feast for the Senses: Award-Winning Theatre in a Historic Town,” a five-day program designed to awaken the senses. It immerses the participants in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in ways beyond what the average Ashland visitor or theater-goer experiences. At least two couples mentioned that they had come to Ashland on their own, but the experience was nothing compared to what the Road Scholar program offers. A retiree from Portland said this was her fifth year here, and each time she persuades different friends to come along. Now they are all hooked. Why do they keep coming back? “Every year is different. There are new plays, new restaurants to go to and new aspects of the festival to learn about, new people to meet,” one said. Road Scholar’s primary focus is on education, and to that end they bring in dynamic speakers who have a breadth of information to share. Participants spent time with OSF’s lighting guru Michael Maag, who unfolded the complexities of programming tens of thousands of lights not only on stage, but also embedded in costumes and in scenery in ways that they will dance to his tune with the press of a button. Actress Christiana Clark, in her talk on creating a character, spoke of how she created Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing” by looking at her own relationships. For example, she thinks of her younger brother, whom she feels very protective towards, and brings that emotion to the stage as she takes Hero under her wing. Stage manager Mandy Younger opened a window into the frenetically complex backstage dance that take place at every show, so that the audience would experience a seamless production despite the fact that one of the main props may have just broken, or a costume ripped, or that one of the characters just smashed their knee 10 minutes before their cue. Road Scholars also took in sessions with choreographer Suzanne Seiber and make-up artist Oona Meade. Michael Hume, one of OSF’s veterans, humored, educated and entertained the scholars with the inner workings of the company, displaying just enough dirty laundry to make the group feel they were insiders. When you have met the actors, learned about their lives, their loves, and their pet peeves; when you learn about the history that surrounds the productions and the playwrights; when you watch the make-up artist create a gashing wound, the plays come alive and sing to you. “Your appreciation is so much deeper,” was the sentiment expressed by all the participants. Not all their time in Ashland is spent in the classroom or attending shows. They had vineyards and breweries to visit, Lithia Park to walk in and the beautiful city of Ashland to enjoy in all its spring glory. One group of friends already said that they cannot wait to come back next year. But it is not just Ashland they love. Almost all of them are Road Scholar junkies. Some have been on as many as 42 learning adventures around the world. What do they love about Road Scholar? “All the arrangements are completely taken care of. You don’t have to worry about anything, not even tipping,” said many of them. Most of all, they love the educational immersion and the people with whom they travel. For local residents who wish to participate in the Ashland program, Road Scholar now offers a “commuter package” where scholars participate in everything but sleep at home. It is an opportunity to discover this jewel of a town from the inside out. Details about Road Scholar and their programs can be found on their website at Roadscholar.org, or call the Portland office at 1 800 454 5768. Ashland newcomer Asifa Kanji came here to write after pursuing many careers, including teaching and Peace Corps service, and recently published “Three Hundred Cups of Tea and the Toughest Job,” cowritten with David Drury.