The Wandering Disciple

The former Python roller coaster at Busch Gardens in Tampa was the first inversion coaster in Florida. The coaster featured two corkscrews and reached 50 miles per hour. It was built in 1976 and thrilled guests until it was closed in 2006 to make way for the Jungala expansion to Busch Gardens. (Photo: March 20, 2004)

An Embraer 175 operated by Republic Airlines departs Sarasota-Bradenton Airport. Republic Airlines is a regional airline based out of Indianapolis that operates service for US Airways Express (pictured here) and Frontier Airlines. They operate a fleet of 85 aircraft that call upon almost a hundred airports in the United States and Canada. (November 21, 2011)

A little blue heron sits on the boardwalk at Fort Mose State Park. The park lies just north of downtown St. Augustine and features a 1/4 mile linear boardwalk trail. The 49 acre park is on the Great Florida Birding Trail and is home to resident and migratory birds. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

When railroad tycoon Henry Flagler lost his daughter Jennie Louise in 1889, he ordered a church be built in her honor. The Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church was constructed in less then one year. The magnificent church features marble floors and a colossal organ with pipes ranging from the size of a pinky to as large as two adult males. The church is now the final resting place for Flagler and his family. The Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church is included on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Model Land Company Historic District. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

A giant marble lion statue stands guard at the base of the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, Florida. The lions are copies of the Medici lions statues found in Florence, Italy. They were gifts to the city by Dr. Andrew Anderson. The Bridge of Lions was built in 1927 to link St. Augustine with Anastasia Island. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

At 165 feet above sea level, the St. Augustine Lighthouse is the tallest structure in St. Augustine. Built in 1874, it was the second lighthouse in St. Augustine replacing the earlier structure that was threatened by erosion. The lens at the top of the lighthouse consist of 370 hand-cut prisms that work to sign a beacon of light over the Atlantic to help navigate ships through the seas. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

One of prestigious hotels of the Flagler era, the Alcazar hotel was one of the first poured concrete buildings in the city and home to the largest indoor swimming pool in the world. Built in 1887, it operated as a posh hotel until 1932. In 1946, publisher Otto Lightner purchased the building to house his various collections and in 1948 opened the Lightner Museum. The building is also home to the City of St. Augustine City Hall and is a popular site for weddings. (November 12, 2011)

Built by the Spanish in 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. During its history, the fort operated under four separate commands; Spanish, British, United States and Confederate States. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

From many years, these old City Gates were the only way to enter the walled city of St. Augustine. The gates worked in conjunction with a draw bridge to help secure the city. The bridge would open in the morning and close at sunset, leaving any deserted villagers to fend for themselves on the outside until sunrise the next day. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Built in 1887 as a winter homer to William Warden, Warden Castle is the current home to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. The castle was the private residence of the Warden’s through the 1930’s. In 1941 it was remodeled as a hotel and even had an apartment for writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In 1950, the estate of Robert Ripley purchased the castle and opened the first Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

The Ancient City Baptist Church was constructed with the help of Henry Flagler. After Flagler helped to build the neighboring Methodist Church, the Baptists reached out to him to help build their church. Flagler agreed but under three conditions: 1) The congregation had to match his $10,000 funds. 2) The church had to be completed in two years. 3) They could build the largest bell tower it the city, but it could never house a bell. The congregation met all three of the conditions and the church was completed in 1895. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

Built by Henry Flagler in 1885, the Ponce De Leon Hotel was a luxurious hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. The hotel hosted many famous guests throughout the years. The building would later be used as a World War II Training Center and became a part of Flagler College in 1968. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

St. Augustine, Florida: A beacon of light on the rough seas of the Atlantic Ocean, the St. Augustine Lighthouse has helped ships navigate these waters for over 130 years. Over the years, the lighthouse has withstood wars, storms and tragedy while still shining its light on the horizon, guiding ships to safety. Lighthouses in St. Augustine have been in existence way before today’s lighthouse was built. Early accounts show that there was a beacon of light to guide ships during the piracy days of the late 1500’s. The first formal reference to a lighthouse was during British occupation of the city in the late 1700’s. The first lighthouse was built by the Spanish in 1737. Using coquina from a quarry on the island, they built a lighthouse tower. The tower served as the St. Augustine Lighthouse until it fell victim to the sea in 1880, crashing into the water. The current lighthouse was built in 1874. At 165 feet in height, it was the largest structure in the region. Its first order F...

St. Augustine, Florida: The sun rose over day three of our trip, our final day in St. Augustine. Since we had a long drive ahead of us and school/work in the morning, it will be a short day in the city. We broke down camp, packed up the truck and explored the park a bit before heading out. Our first stop of the day was at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. From there we climbed the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse. We were rewarded with a spectacular view of the city and surrounding area from 165 feet in the air. Once we returned back to the ground, we encountered some of the lighthouse’s famous ghostly appearances. We were the first customers allowed into the lighthouse. My son and I climbed to the top while my wife waited at the base. When we returned to the ground, there was a fresh (wet) shoeless footprint on the tile floor. Just one and so detailed you could see toes, heel and arch. However no-one was in the hall without shoes during the whole time and there was only one...

St. Augustine, Florida: Take a trip into the darkness of the third most haunted city in the country onboard Ripley’s Ghost Train Adventure. Board the train and listen to the dark history of the oldest city in the county, while stopping to look for paranormal activity at three haunted locations. The tour begins at the Warden Castle, home to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. Here you are issued an EMF detector and a disposable camera to use on your tour. After a brief introduction and lesson on your equipment, the group boards the train and its off to explore the city. As you travel the city, the hosts tell you stories of the various haunted establishments in the city. From the ghost that charges the fences of the Tolomato Cemetery to the ghost of a little girl that is found near the city gates, these are just a few of the stories that St. Augustine has to offer. The first stop of our tour was Castillo de San Marcos. From here, we split into two groups and explored the grounds of...

St. Augustine, Florida: A collection of collections is the best way to describe the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine. On display here are various relics from the 19th century ranging from the usual sculptures and paintings to the unusual Egyptian mummy and shrunken head. The items on display here are the personal collection of Otto Lightner, a publisher from Chicago. In 1946, he purchased the three story Alcazar Hotel building to house his collection of Victorian antiquities. He opened the musueum two years later and then donated it to the city of St. Augustine. The tour of the museum begins on the first floor. Several collections line the halls that resemble a Victorian Village. Each storefront of the village leads the way to a new collection. As you finish seeing the collections from the village, it is one to the music room. The music room is filled with mechanical musical instruments from the 1870’s to the 1920’s. Rounding out the first floor is the popular Science and ...

St. Augustine, Florida: Nestled away on busy St. George Street is the Colonial Spanish Quarters. Here you can escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and step back into the 1700’s with the help of historical interpreters. Behind the walls lies a village frozen in time just waiting for you to explore. Inside the Spanish village, you get to experience what life was like in St. Augustine during the 1740’s. Look inside authentic Spanish homes, watch the blacksmith work in his shop or sit down at the Spanish pub for a conversation. It doesn’t take long to imagine what life was life for the Spanish inhabitants. Unfortunately, the bad economy forced the City of St. Augustine to close Colonial Spanish Quarters in September of 2011. We did not have the opportunity to explore the village while it was in full operation. However, it was open during our visit to St. Augustine for the Colonial Market. The Colonial Spanish Quarters is anticipated to remain closed until a private owner ste...

St. Augustine, Florida: Standing guard over St. Augustine for over 300 years, Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest fort in the United States. The fort has been home to four separate military occupations and now spends its days as a national monument. When the Spaniards founded the city of St. Augustine in 1565, it quickly went to work building a series of wooden forts to protect the city. However, several pirate attacks demonstrated a weakness in the wooden forts and the Spanish Crown ordered the construction of a masonry fort. Construction of the fort began in 1672 and lasted until 1695. It was constructed with a mixture of small shells and sand called coquina which was mined from nearby King’s Quarry located at present day Anastasia State Park. The coquina was strong enough to build a long-lasting fort while having enough absorption to allow cannon balls to stick in the wall rather then going straight through. The fort saw its first battle in 1702 at the hands of English forces. The...

St. Augustine, Florida: Avast, me hearties! Climb aboard for a pirate adventure at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Step back into the days when pirates ruled the seven seas and see learn a little about life as a pirate. The journey begins in Port Royal. Take a walk down the streets in the heart of pirate county, browsing at the shops along the way. Here you can see some of the weapons, navigational aids, maps and even medical treatment that was available during the time of the pirates. While in Port Royal, don’t forget to stop at Rogue’s Tavern. It is here where you can witness how pirates spent their free time; drinking, playing games and of course, fighting. This is also where you can learn about some of the most notorious pirates through interactive computers. When you’re done playing around in the tavern, its time to hit the seas onboard the ship. The pirate ship is broken down into several interactive zones including the Main Deck, Gun Deck, Captain’s Cabin ...

St. Augustine, Florida: An open marsh field on the north side of town is all the remains of the first free black settlement in the United States. It was here where British slaves sought asylum from slavery and served in the Spanish military. The Spanish Government officially declared freedom to British slaves in 1693. In exchange for freedom, they agreed to convert to Catholic faith and provide four years service to the Spanish Crown. The provided service was to serve in the Spanish militia in the Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose (Fort Mose). They served in the militia at Fort Mose until it was destroyed by British forces in 1740. Today, no structures remain at the site of the original Fort Mose. An elevated boardwalk leads to the field where the fort once stood. There is also an interpretive museum to help tell the story of the fort and its inhabitants. Fort Mose is believed to be the precursor to the Underground Railroad System. Its impact on American history has led to i...

St. Augustine, Florida: Well we made it through the cold night. The lowest I noticed the temp overnight was 40 degrees. That last minute stop at Wal-Mart to grab a heater paid off as it did the trick to keep the tent just warm enough to get through the night. Now if only I wouldn’t had forgotten the air mattresses. The cold night rewarded us with a spectacular sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. We headed to the boardwalk overlook to watch the sun peak over the horizon and welcome us to a new day of adventures. Today was going to be a busy day so we began by heading for breakfast. We decided to have breakfast at Wildflower Café on A1A in St. Augustine Beach. They were highly recommended locally so we gave them a try. It was a bit pricey for breakfast but the food was delicious. My wife had a ham and cheese omelet and my son and I had pancakes. The best part of the meal was the bacon, I could have eaten a lot more but we had a town to explore. After breakfast we headed to Fort Mose Histori...

St. Augustine, Florida: Creepy but interesting is the best way to describe the collections found at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in downtown St. Augustine. Within the walls of the castle is the rare collection consisting of a shrunken head, trophy mask, mummified cat and many more unusual specimens. The items are part of the personal collection of cartoonist Robert Ripley. His collection was first seen by the public during the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933. Afterwards, his collection traveled the country for fairs throughout the country. Following his death, the first permanent museum opened in St. Augustine in 1950. The St. Augustine museum is the oldest of the Ripley franchise which has now grown to over 30 museums worldwide. The exhibits are located on three floors of the castle. As you travel room to room, you will see over 800 exhibits on display. A few of the popular ones include a shrunken head, Egyptian Mummified Cat, Pirates, Peel Car, Largest Erector Set, Odd Anim...

St. Augustine, Florida: All aboard!!! Hop aboard the red train for an entertaining tour of the nation’s oldest city. Ripley’s Sightseeing Train is your ticket to the history that awaits you in St. Augustine. Established in 1953, the red train is the oldest motorized tour in the city. They operate a continuous loop tour through the ancient city, making a total of 24 stops all with unlimited off/on privileges. Trains run every 20 minutes, allowing you to hop off and enjoy the sites without having to worry about how you will get to your next attraction. Here are the stops on the tour as well as some of the nearby major attractions: Stop One (Old Sugar Mill): Old Sugar Mill Stop Two (Welcome Center Train Station): Old Jail, Oldest Store Museum, Antique Carousel and Public Library Stop Three (Parking Garage and Visitor’s Center): St. Augustine Visitor’s Information Center and Playground. Stop Four (City Gates Train Station): Old Drug Store, Huguenot Cemetery and Tolomato Cemetery. Stop Five...

St. Augustine, Florida: Whether you look to kick back and relax on the beach or get active and enjoy the watersports, Anastasia State Park is the answer for everyone in the family. Located just outside historic St. Augustine, the park features four miles of beaches, a nature trail, fishing spots and camping. Established in 1949, Anastasia State Park has over 1,700 acres of maritime land consisting of beaches, tidal marshes and upland hammock. The park offers great recreation options that include swimming, fishing, hiking, biking, windsurfing and much more. The park also features a 139 site campground. Located within the upland hammock, the campsites are situated along seven loops and provide sites for tents, travel trailers and RV’s. Each site is equipped with electricity and running water and are within walking distance to the beach. Near the entrance to the park is the coquina quarry. From here, laborers mined the coquina rock that was used to build the Castillo de San Marcos ...

Ocala, Florida: At 607 square miles, the Ocala National Forest is the second largest national forest in Florida. Millions of visitors visit the forest each year to enjoy the great outdoors within the forest. The forest was established in 1908 making it one of the first National Forests east of the Mississippi River. Stretched out amongst four counties, the forest encompasses 383,000 acres containing over 600 bodies of water. It is home to plenty of wildlife including black bears, alligators, deer foxes and many other animals. The park is a popular place for hiking, camping, off-roading or just traveling the scenic roads and taking in the beauty of the wilderness. There is a collection of visitor’s center, recreation areas and trails to help visitors enjoy the forest. A few of the popular ones include: Alexander Springs: first magnitude spring. Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway: 60 miles of scenic roads. Juniper Run: top 25 canoe trail. Juniper Springs: one of the oldest recreation areas...

St. Augustine, Florida: Today we embarked on a weekend trip to the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida for a camping adventure at Anastasia State Park. We decided to go off the beaten track for our trip.  Instead of taking the I-74/I-4/I-95 track that was recommended, we opted to go through Ocala National Forest. A short drive through the National Forest made it feel like we were no longer in Florida.  Rolling hills, trees with fall colors and the brisk cool breeze from the recent cold front made it feel like we were in Tennessee rather then the Florida peninsula.  We did not stop within the forest, but it is definitely a place I wouldn't mind visiting in the future. Once we left the forest, we travelled through the town of Palatka.  What a neat little town.  The brick buildings and break streets felt like the city was frozen in time in the 50's. Not much longer and we arrived at our destination, Anastasia State Park.  We checked into the campground and be...

Tampa, Florida: Thousands of spectators flocked to MacDill Air Base to catch a glimpse of military aircraft during the annual MacDill Air Fest. The two day event featured plenty of excitement in the air as well as large then life static displays on the ground. The event kicked off with gates opening at 8 and a crowd of people making their way through the gates to begin enjoying the festivities. On the tarmac of the base were several planes to view. Visitors got the opportunity to climb aboard many of the large Air Force planes as well as get a closer look at a variety of different planes. The ground display included the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10A Extender, DC-3, C-17 Globemaster, B-52 Stratofortress, T-1 Jayhawk, TC-135 Stratolifter. F-18 as well as many more aircraft. Then the festivities took the sky with the US Special Operations Command skydiving in with the American Flag during the national anthem. They were followed by the static line jumpers and a KC-135 fly-by before the rest of...

The massive C-5 Galaxy sits on display at the 2011 MacDill Air Fest. At 247 feet in length, the Galaxy is the largest cargo plane in the Air Force fleet. The Galaxy is designed to deliver supplies and equipment to support the military's missions throughout the globe. Because of its massive cargo bay, it can carry up to six Apache helicopters or five Bradley tanks (Photo: November 6, 2011)

The Flagship Detroit DC-3 sits on the tarmac at MacDill Air Force Base during the 2011 MacDill Air Fest. The Flagship Detroit DC-3 was built for American Airlines in 1937 and was the 21st DC-3 in the American Airline's fleet. It operated as a passenger plane for 10 years before being sold. The plane was later restored to her original glory and is now the oldest flying DC-3 in operation. Check back soon for more pictures of the Flagship Detroit DC-3 and the rest of the planes from the air fest. (Photo: November 6, 2011)

Past and present fighter jets fly side by side for a Heritage Flight during the 2011 MacDill Air Fest at Mac Dill Air Force Base in Tampa. Here the P-51 Mustang and the F-15E Strike Eagle fly in tandem to honor the men and women who have served in the US Air Force. Heritage Flight began in 1997 and performs 40-60 flights a year. Check back later for more photos from the 2011 MacDill Air Fest. (Photo: November 6, 2011)

A group of baby gators huddle together at Highlands Hammock State Park. Highlands Hammock State Park is a 9,000 acre state park in Sebring, Florida. The park opened in 1931 and is one of Florida's original state parks. (Photo: February 26, 2011)

From a hilltop high above St Thomas lies the spectacular views from Drake's Seat. This was the spot where Sir Frances Drake would spy on enemy ships as they passed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea though the pass that would later be known as Drake's Passage. From this spot you can look down over the blue waters of Magen's Bay or at nearby islands of the US and British Virgin Islands that dot the waters as far as the eye can see. (Photo: October 24, 2006)

Dick Gothner with Skyscraper Tours has sent along a good batch of cruise deals from Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Now that the weather is getting cooler and we are on the way out of hurricane season, there is no better time to set sail on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival's Pack and Go Special runs from November 2 to November 4 and has quite a collection of deals. Dick highlighted a few of the following deals in the sale: Carnival Glory sets sail on 11/13/11 out of the Port of Miami on a seven night Exotic Western Caribbean Cruise. The ships calls upon Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. Rates start at $349 for an interior and $529 for a balcony. Carnival Fascination departs the Port of Jacksonville on 11/26/11 on a five night Bahamas Cruise. The ships stops at Nassau and Half Moon Cay while spending two additional fun days at sea. Inside cabins start at $179. Carnival Ecstasy embarks on a five night Bahamas Cruise on 12/5/11 from Cape Canaveral. The ship stops at Nassau, H...

The Gemini 9-A capsule sits on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Gemini 9-A mission took place on June 3, 1966 and lasted three days. The two man crew of Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan orbited the earth 47 times before returning to earth on June 6, 1966. It became the first space flight to be completed using the back-up crew as the primary crew of Elliot See and Charles Bassett II were tragically killed when their plane crashed in St. Louis just four months prior to the mission.