The Wandering Disciple

A Boeing C-40 Clipper lands at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport during a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama to the Suncost. The Clipper is operated by the 201st Airlift Squadron of the Washington DC Air National Guard. The 201st Airlift Squadron provides air transport service to the Executive Branch of Government, Congress and high ranking Department of Defense officials. The squadron is based at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. (Photo: January 26, 2012)

Lightning McQueen, the star of Disney-Pixar Cars franchise makes an appearance during the Lights, Motors, Actions Stunt Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Lightning McQueen was added during the summer of 2011 following the success of Cars 2. During the intermission from the stunt show, Lightning helps entertain the crowd by saving them from a car with a loaded missile. (Photo: January 28, 2012)

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Pixar Place is the latest addition to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. It is home to the park’s newest attraction, Toy Story Midway Mania. To create Pixar Place, Disney Imagineers transformed a portion of Mickey Avenue to resemble the Pixar Studios in California. Pixar Place openend to the public in 2008. The main attraction of Pixar Place is Toy Story Midway Mania. The ride is one of the most technologically advanced rides at Walt Disney World. Riders embark on a 3-D adventure through carnival games inspired by Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story franchise. During the ride, you encounter five mini-games, each with their own graphics but the goal remains the same, to score the most points by the time the ride ends. Pixar Place is also a great place to meet the Pixar stars. Here you can meet the stars of Toy Story throughout the day. The area also features a shop selling items inspired by Pixar films. Pixar Place lacks a restaurant...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: The time finally came for us to head to Walt Disney World to go camping. We have been to Fort Wilderness on several occasions but never to go camping. But that was going to change today as we booked a campsite at Fort Wilderness. This time we decided to bring the dogs with us. Typically, we board our dogs at our local vet during our trips. However this time we packed up the lab and cockapoo and brought them with us to Disney. We made reservations for the dogs at Best Friends Pet Resort. They are located on the Disney property across the street from Port Orleans Resort. The check-in process was very quick and easy and the facility was spectacular. We were able to board the dogs together and they were close enough to visit to avoid getting homesick. Then we headed over to Fort Wilderness. Since check-in wasn’t until 11:00, we were not expecting our campsite to be ready. We just wanted to get the paperwork process out of the way so that when we...

First Lady Michelle Obama made a stop on the Suncoast today for a Democratic fundraiser on the Sarasota Bayfront. Obama's SUV seen here was travelling through Sarasota on the way to the private residence on the bay. The Sarasota stop was the second of three Florida stops for the First Lady, sandwiched between Tampa in the morning and West Palm Beach in the afternoon. (Photo: January 26, 2012)

The Wildcat is one of eleven roller coasters at Hersheypark in Central Pennsylvania. Located in the Midway America portion of the park, it was built based on the parks original rollercoast by the same name that was popular in the park from 1923-1945. The new Wildcat opened in 1996 and features an 85 foot drop that helps the coaster reach speeds of 50 miles per hour. (Photo: August 29, 2005)

A private jet owned by Wal-Mart departs Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The corporate jet is a Learjet 45, a business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace and costs around $11.5 million. (Photo: December 20, 2011)

Ellis Island was the gateway for many of immigrants who sought a new life in America. Opened in 1900, Ellis Island served as the entry point for over 12 million immigrants. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

Nestled in the heart of Amish Country, the Netherlands Inn and Spa is a quaint little hotel located in Strasburg. The rooms are furnished with handcrafted furniture, providing a local touch. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay's private jet departs Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Friday afternoon. The jet's visit to the Suncoast sparks interest amongst Colts fans as they are currently in the market for a new head coach.(Photo: January 20, 2012)

A retro NYPD blue patrol car sits outside the First Precinct in lower Manhattan. The historic first precinct is the home to the NYPD Museum. The museum houses over 160 years of police history within its walls. (Photo: August 27, 2005)

A row of brownstone homes line a residential street in New York City. Brownstone is a sandstone that was popular building block in early NYC history. Many of the popular residential neighborhoods are lined with rows of brownstone homes. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

The big green Incredible Hulk towers over the entrance to Madame Tussauds NYC. The life-like wax figure is one of hundreds realistic figures located inside the Times Square museum. (Photo: August 25, 2005)

A Jet Blue Airbus departs from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Jet Blue operates a fleet of 169 aircraft comprised of Airbus A320 and Embraer 190. Each aircraft has a unique name and one of several distinct tail patterns. The jet seen here is named "Blues Just Want To Have Fun" and features the "Barcode" tail scheme. (Photo: December 13, 2011)

The nation takes time to honor Dr Martin Luther King Jr today. Dr King's impact on the civil rights movement, helped shape the country into equality. At Madame Tussauds DC, you can see a life-like wax statue of Dr. King in a re-creation of the famous "I Have A Dream" speech on the National Mall. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

As many of you that follow the site may have already noticed, there has been an increase in aircraft related photos on the website. This is response to my newest hobby, aircraft photography. I was introduced to aircraft photography thanks to the excellent photos by a friend of mine, Craig Landefeld. (you can view his photos on his Facebook page “ Gate to Gate ”) Since then, I have been hooked. Aircraft photography is much different then my normal photos. It is challenging and the results are rewarding. I liken it to collecting baseball cards, while you know that what you have bought, you never know what’s inside the pack or what special edition card may be awaiting you inside the foil wrapper. Aircraft photography is the same way, the flight schedule may show an AirTran Boeing 717-200 landing at 10:00 but what you will not know is whether or not it will be a standard jet or a special livery jet such as the Ravens One. And don’t forget about the flights that don’t make the f...

The Gulf Islands dot the coast as our flight to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport comes to an end. The turquoise waters of the gulf gave way to the beaches of the Suncoast. This photo was taken during the final moments of our flight into SRQ, on approach to Runway 14 from the northwest. (Photo: August 31, 2005)

The lime green trucks of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department have been protected the Nokomis community since 1950. The volunteers of the department staff two fire stations 24/7 and provide fire suppression service and EMS assistance to the residents of Nokomis, Laurel, Osprey and Casey Key. The NVFD also operates a fire academy that not only trains their personnel but is a training ground for many of the firefighters that are with the surrounding fire departments. (Photo: September 24, 2005)

Get ready to for the plunge as you take flight on SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Built to resemble a bird of prey stalking its victim, SheiKra feature a 90 degree 200-foot drop to get you started. (Photo: July 24, 2005)

Soaring high in the sky, the ferris wheel offers riders a birds eye view of Cypress Gardens. Opened in 1936, Cypress Gardens was Florida's first theme park. The park served as both a botanical gardens and an adventure park. They were forced to close their gates in 2009. The park was later purchased and reopened as Legoland Florida in 2011. (Photo: July 4, 2005)

Step into the Twilight Zone at Disney's Hollywood Studios. As you enter the lobby of the 1930's hotel, it doesn't take long to realize something has gone terribly wrong. The hotel's occupants mysteriously vanished. A bolt of lighting makes the room go dark, then a TV comes on and begins to tell the story of the eerie hotel. Hope aboard the only working elevator and hang on for the ride of your life. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror drops the elevator in random sequence down the thirteen story elevator shaft. The computer randomly generates the drop so no two rides are the same. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

AirTran's Falcons One makes an arrival at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Falcons One is one of twelve special livery jets in the AirTran Fleet. (Photo: January 10, 2012)

Take a break from the heat in the sparkling waters for the poll at Disney’s Port Orleans-French Quarter resort. The pool features a sea serpent water slide and fountains to help keep you cool. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

AirTran's "Ravens One" taxis for departure at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. "Ravens One" is one of several special edition paint schemes operated by AirTran to highlight the airline's partnerships. (Photo: January 6, 2012)

A giraffe stands tall on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The ride takes a group of riders into the safari where they can see African animals such as giraffes, antelopes, lions, elephants and more in a habitat that makes you feel like you are in the heart of an Africa. (April 9, 2005)

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Not a detail was spared in creating the Morocco Pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase. One of the newer pavilions in the showcase, the culture of Morocco comes to life in Central Florida. Opened in 1984, it was the first expansion country to the World Showcase. The pavilion is the only one to be sponsored by the representing country. King Hassan II even sent artists to Walt Disney World to assist in the design of the pavilion. The pavilion is designed to resemble a typical Moroccan city. It features a Minaret, a replica of the Bab Boujeloud gate and many more native Moroccan structures. If you are looking to try authentic Moroccan food, the following restaraunts are found in the Morocco Pavilion: Restaurant Marrakesh is a full service restaurant feature typical Moroccan food and belly dancers for entertainment. Tangerine Café is a counter service restaurant with Moroccan sandwiches and light fare.  The pavilion also features several shops ...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Today we hitched a ride with my dad and sister to Walt Disney World. The two of them have gotten into the pin trading hobby and they were on their way to pick up a newly released Alice in Wonderland pin as well as to travel the park in search of pins to trade. After checking the crowd calendar through Touring Plans, we decided on Epcot. They were forecasted to be the best park to visit with the lowest crowd level of all four parks. As we arrived on Disney property, we were greeted with thousands of people on the roads. There were people everywhere as far as the eye can see, so I was really starting to second guess the crowd forecast. Turns out it is Disney Marathon weekend and this morning was the Half-Marathon. The thousands of people we saw were involved with the marathon and not going to the park. I was instantly relieved and as we pulled into the parking lot, it was surprisingly empty at the park. We arrived just 15 minutes before park open...

The lush gardens of Canada have been dropped right into the heart of central Florida at the World Showcase Pavilion inside Epcot. The Canada Pavilion recreates many of Canada’s landmarks including the Rocky Mountains, Victoria Gardens, French Canadian shops, Hotel du Canada and more. (Photo: February 26, 2005)

Generations of music come to life at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort. The value resort located in the Animal Kindomg section of Walt Disney World features larger then life icons representing different types of music. Pictured here is the Broadway portion of the resort. (Photo: February 25, 2005)

Hang on to your hats and glasses and hop aboard the train and embark on the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness. Big Thunder Mountain has been entertaining riders since 1980 as one of the Magic Kingdom’s three mountains. (Photo: February 6, 2005)

A Coast Guard HC-144 is performing training maneuvers at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. This HC-144 is based out of the US Coast Guard’s Miami Air Base. The HC-144 is a medium range aircraft used by the Coast Guard in search and rescue operations. (Photo: December 20, 2011)

Berlin, Germany: Air Berlin is a passenger airline from Germany. It is the second largest German airline and provides flights to over 160 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Because of Cold War era sanctions, Air Berlin was actually formed in the United States. In 1978, Air Berlin USA was established in Miami to provide charter flights to and from Germany. Following the German reunification in 1990, the airline dropped the USA from its title and relocated its headquarters to Berlin. It was during this time that Air Berlin began to transition from a charter service into scheduled service. This transition has led to Air Berlin becoming the second largest carrier in Germany. The Air Berlin fleet consists of 147 aircraft currently and orders for 96 more. The active aircraft include the Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A330, Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Bombardier Dash 8. In addition to their regular fleet, Air Berlin also code shares with sev...

Indianapolis Indiana: Shuttle American is a regional airline that serves as connection service for Delta and United Airlines. Based in Indianapolis, Shuttle America is part of the Republic Airways group.  The airline was founded in 1995 as a local carrier service, offering low cost flights between Hartford and Buffalo. The airline grew as a regional carrier, offering low rates to popular business destinations in the northeast. During this time, they were flying over 3,000 passengers a day without a major airline partnership. Like most smaller airlines, Shuttle America fell into bankruptcy following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. After filing bankruptcy, they were purchased by Wexford Holdings. After the purchase by Wexford, Shuttle American began a codeshare agreement with US Airways and later United Airlines. Shuttle America was purchased again in 2005, this time by Republic Airways. They later began a codeshare partnership with Delta. Today, Shuttle Ame...

Fort Myers, Florida: Just east of I-75 in Fort Myers is the gateway to Southwest Florida. Southwest Florida International Airport is a modern airport that welcomes over 7 ½ million travelers through its gates on a yearly basis. The airport accommodates over 200 flights a day through the United States, Canada, Demark and Germany. The airport was designed by the Lee County Port Authority to help alleviate the traffic to nearby Page Field. Ground was broken on the new Regional Southwest Airport in 1980. The airport was completed in 1983 with Delta Air Lines operating the inaugural flight. The airport was later renamed to the current name of Southwest Florida International Airport in 1993. By the end of the 1980’s, the airport had exceeded its designed capacity and needed to expand. The answer was the Midfield Terminal Complex. Completed in 2006, it allowed the airport to expand to 28 gates located amongst three concourses with the option to expand to 65 gates in the future. ...

A green and white patrol car patrols the streets, protecting and serving the citizens of Sarasota County. The Sarasota Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated Sarasota County. Their range of services include; patrol, K-9, traffic/DUI enforcement, Animal Services, Aviation, Marine Patrol, Bomb Squad, SWAT team and much more. (Photo: July 30, 2005)

A large rhino stands alongside the railroad tracks at Busch Gardens Tampa. The Serengeti Plain at Busch Gardens drops the wildlife of Africa right into the middle of the City of Tampa. Hop aboard the Serengeti Express for a trip into the plain and see rhinos, giraffes, zebras, gazelles and more. (Photo: January 2, 2005)