ShannoninSpain

Why Spain, why the obsession? Travel, the love of learning more, finding more…

My mom, seen above on her 85th birthday, instilled a love of nature and adventure that is remarkable.

Leaving nursing school to marry my father and then later in life completing her degree in natural sciences, she has led a life of activism (one of the founding members of Save the Bay-which preserved not only the Palo Alto Baylands, but much of the San Francisco Bay from being filled in), leadership (Girl Scouts, Audubon Society), docent (led thousands of school children on field trips) and of course as a mother. She somehow managed to camp all over the western US, Canada & Mexico, with three children under the age of 8 in days when there were no disposable diapers or any of the conveniences we have now.

She is a remarkable cook, seamstress and to this day is extremely active in her new home on the Oregon coast; again in hopes of preserving for future generations.

My dad was an incredible man, who survived much childhood trauma including the death of his father (in a tragic truck accident) and his brother (also killed in a car accident) (Philbrook, whom my brother was named after) all before he was 25.

He enlisted in the army with his childhood friend and due to his ability to ski was drafted into the elite 10th Mountain Division. He fought the Nazi’s in Italy on narrow wooden skis; if you are interested please look at some of this history: https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/battle-of-po-valley-the-10th-mountain-division-in-wwii-italy/

Of course as is typical of many WWII vets, I didn’t even KNOW this until he was retired and in ill health. Perhaps it was because of his service and growing up in San Francisco (4 generations) that led him to a dislike of crowds/violence and a love of the outdoors and travel that he transferred to his children.

While other families went to Disneyland or spent summers at “the lake” with many children, we would leave the day school got out for the summer and back shortly before Labor Day, traveling all over the Western part of this continent…more later- but a glimpse into my childhood and where my love of adventure came from.

My dad went on to use the GI bill to put himself through college and Hastings (UC ) Law School in the city and become one of the 1st certified workmen’s comp attorneys in the State of California.

Where does your love of travel, spain or anywhere, adventure come from and are you following it?

#lavidaescorta