The Wandering Disciple

Dale Earnhardt Jr's National Guard Car does a ride-along at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway. Here you can learn to drive a NASCAR or just hop in the passenger seat and take a high speed ride-along with a professional driver. (Photo: September 29, 2012)

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Tucked away in the fourth largest parking lot in the world lies a hidden gem of Walt Disney World. The Walt Disney World Speedway comes to life daily as race fans life out their dreams of getting behind the wheel of race car. Built in 1995, the speedway was built to host sanctioned races. The one mile asphalt tri-oval was designed by IMS and was dedicated in late 1995. It didn't take long for the speedway to host their first event as they held the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World in January 1996. They would continue to host the Indy Racing League through 2000. In 1997, the speedway added a second event as they added the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1997 and 1998. Unfortunately sanction events would not last long. Scheduling conflicts, parking and crowd control issues and big accidents caused sanction racing to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2000 season. With the loss of sanction events, the future of the speedway was uncertain unt...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: The sounds of children having fun fills the air in the Storybook Circus, the newest addition to the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World. Here the circus is always in town, providing fun and excitement for the entire family. Storybook Circus opened in March 2012 as the first phase of the Fantasyland expansion project. It takes the place of Mickey’s Toontown Fair that was closed in 2011. The newly opened land features a redesigned family favorite, Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The popular ride had a second set of ride vehicles added to help ease the congestion. Another Toontown ride resurfaced in the new Storybook Circus as the Barnstormer was re-themed to a circus theme. Hop aboard for a wild ride with the great Goofini. A new addition to the park is the Casey Jr Splash n Soak Station. This splash area is a hit to help the kids cool down from the Florida heat. Rounding out the ride attractions in the Storybook Circus is the Storybook Circus ...

Lake Buena Vista, Florida: After several failed attempts, we finally made it back to Disney World to renew our passes and visit the parks. This is our first trip back to Disney since my wife fell and injured herself at Hollywood Studios in January. We decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the day. We originally planned on renewing our passes back during the January trip, but after having to depart early due to the fall, we did not get it done. But the staff of Disney worked with us on getting the renewal accomplished and honored our original passes. They reinstated our passes, gave us the renewal rate and transferred over our credit from the previous account. They truly showed that they are there to serve their guests. The day trip to Disney is a rarity for us. Because of the three hour one way drive, we typically make a weekend out of it. But finances and scheduling prevented that from happening at this time. So I had forgotten how inconvenient it is to go to the Magi...

A full moon illuminates a dark sky in Englewood. (Photo: September 27, 2012)

The calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico meet the shores of Stump Pass State Park. Located on the southern tip of Manasota Key, Stump Pass offers visitors miles of natural Florida beaches. (Photo: August 10, 2010)

A group of zebras gather together at Lowry Park Zoo. In the wild, zebras form this pattern as a defensive mechanism to make their predator think they are one large animal. (Photo: July 18, 2010)

A gem of Florida ballparks, McKechnie Field represents an era of baseball stadiums that has been replaces by more modern ballparks. Opened in 1923, it is the second oldest stadium to host a major league baseball team. It is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the home of the Bradenton Marauders of the Florida State League. (Photo: June 23, 2010)

A US Air Express jet arrives at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. A subsidiary of US Air, US Air Express is comprised of eight regional airlines. (Photo: September 11, 2012)

Tampa’s colorful cigar history comes alive at the Tampa Bay History Center. The great cigar industry helped put Tampa on the map and you can learn about it and so much more at the museum. (Photo: May 9, 2009)

The Majesty of the Seas provides a great backdrop on the sandy beaches of Cococay. Royal Caribbean’s private island of Cococay combines sandy beaches and clear water to create the ultimate beach day. (Photo: April 22, 2010)

A pirate encampment is depicted at the Pirates of Nassau museum. Pirates of Nassau located in the heart of downtown Nassau tells the story of the pirates who patrolled the seas looking for riches. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney lands at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Thursday. Romney stopped on the Suncoast for a fundraiser at the Ritz-Carlton before speaking to thousands of supports at a rally at the Ringling Museum as he campaigns against President Barack Obama for the United States presidency. Romney’s campaign plane is chartered by USA Jet Airlines and was once the tour plane for the band U2. (Photo: September 20, 2012)

The stunning lobby of Atlantis Paradise Island gives guests a breathtaking welcome to the luxury Bahamian resort. One of the main features is The Dig, a series of saltwater aquariums surrounding the lobby featuring angelfish, sharks, manta rays and more. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Large cannons pointed towards the harbor were the primary means of protection for Colonial Nassau. Fort Fincastle in the heart of downtown Nassau was built atop Bennet’s Hill in 1793. Along with nearby Fort Charlotte, the forts helped protect the colonial city from invasion by sea. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Built to help defend New Providence Island, Fort Charlotte sits high atop a hillside near the harbor. Its construction was ordered by Lord Dunmore at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. Fort Charlotte was never used in battle and has been preserved as a tourist stop. You can view more photos of Fort Charlotte by clicking here (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Climbing a staggering 102 feet in the air, the Queen’s Staircase was built to access Fort Fincastle. The stair were hand cut out of limestone by slave labor in 1793. Named in honor of Queen Victoria, the stairs were originally built for British troops under the command of Lord Dunmore as an access point for Fort Fincastle to help protect the island from a pirate invasion. Today, the 65 steps are an attraction to themselves while helping connect the Fort with the rest of the downtown tourist sites. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Hop aboard the Conch Train and take a trip around the Southernmost Point of the continental United States. A popular island attraction, the Conch Train embarks daily for a narrated 90 minute tour of the island of Key West. The tour begins at the Front Street Station in Mallory Square and takes you past all of the popular sights of the Keys West. You can view some of the sights of the island by clicking here . (Photo: April 20, 2010)

Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas is seen docked offshore of their private island Cococay in the Bahamas. Majesty of the Seas is a short trip vessel in the RCI fleet, performing alternating three and four night trips from the Port of Miami. The ships three night itinerary visits Nassau and Cococay while the four night version visits those two ports plus Key West. The Majesty was introduced in 1992 as part of the Sovereign Class of ships. The ship underwent an extensive modernization as part of a four week dry-dock refurbishment in 2007. You can view more photos from the Majesty of the Seas by clicking here . (Photo: April 22, 2010)

The skyline of Miami stands out in stark contrast to the calm water of bay. The city is well known for its rich cultural history and has the largest Cuban population in the United States. Miami is seldom referred to as the Gateway to America, Miami International Airport serves over 35 million passengers a day while the Port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in the United States. (Photo: April 19, 2010)

A great white egret combs the shoreline looking for its next meal. The great white egret can be commonly seen along the banks of Florida waterways as they hunt for food. The great white egret is found in warm climates in North and South America as well as southern Europe. (Photo: November 17, 2010)

A dolphin plays in the water of the Boca Grande Pass at the southern tip of Gasparilla Island. The pass is not only a popular place for dolphins but many other marine animals as well. Tarpon, sharks and many more animals can be found in the waters off the island, making it a popular fishing spot for people from across the globe. (Photo: March 27, 2010)

A lone remaining steel beam in the shape of a cross is all that remains of the World Trade Center complex in lower Manhattan following a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. 343 FDNY firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 NYPD police officers and 8 private EMT’s lost their lives trying to rescue victims of the disaster. The terrorist attack of the World Trade Center combined with an attack of the Pentagon and the Crash of United 93 resulted in 2,977 innocent lives lost. President George Bush later declared that September 11th be forever recognized as Patriot Day, a day to remember the memories of those lost their lives in the attacks. (Photo: August 27, 2005)

Many years ago, bison roamed the wilderness of what would eventually become the state of Florida. These large animals provided a bountiful meal for the indigenous Paleoindians who lived here over 13,000 years ago. A Paleoindian Bison hunt is depicted in a diorama in the Great Hall at the South Florida Museum. (Photo: February 14, 2010)

The science of crime scene investigation is highlighted in the Crime Lab exhibit at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum. The gallery reveals the forensic science that is used to process a crime scene. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

The United States Astronaut Hall of Fame pays tribune to the brave men and women of the United States Space program. Opened in 1990, the Hall of Fame features galleries devoted to the inductees. The Hall of Fame inducts a new class of space heroes each year in May. There are over 80 inductees honored in the Hall of Heroes within the museum. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

The iconic Cocoa Beach Pier extends into the Atlantic Ocean. One of Cocoa Beach’s landmarks, the 800 foot pier was built in 1962. The image of the pier has changed throughout the years but it’s restaurants, bars and shops continue to make it a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. (Photo: January 23, 2010)

A Navy C-40 Clipper from Jacksonville Naval Air Station performs training manuevers at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Manufactured by Boeing, the C-40 Clipper is a military version of the Boeing 737-700 series aircraft. It is used primarily as a transport aircraft to move up to 120 passengers or 8 pallets of cargo. The C-40 Clipper is operated by both the US Navy and the US Air Force.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas sits in port at Port Canaveral preparing for a new Caribbean adventure. The namesake of the the Freedom class of ships, the Freedom of the Seas set sail on her maiden voyage in June 2006. She was the largest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet until the release of the Oasis class in 2009. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

Englewood, Florida: Every year while the nation celebrates the Labor Day holiday, the town of Englewood celebrates its birthday with a weekend long festival called Pioneer Days. The event culminates with a parade through historic downtown Englewood on Monday morning. Several hundred spectator’s lined the street to watch the decorated floats of this year’s parade. The theme of the 56th annual Pioneer Days Parade was “Hats Off to Englewood”. Englewood Pioneer Days was started in 1956 by newspaper write Josephine Cortes to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first pioneer settlers to Englewood. Over the years, the event has transformed to a weekend long event to help conclude the end of the traditional summer season. Click on the photo above to view the photo gallery from the 2012 Englewood Pioneer Days Parade .

The resort pool is the centerpiece of the Radisson Resort at the Port. The hotel’s close proximity to Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach make it a popular vacation choice. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

A replica firing room comes to life at Kennedy Space Center to simulate the launch of the towering Saturn V rocket. The computers come to life as launch control completes pre-flight check and gives the go-for-launch order to the crew. As the countdown strikes zero, the building shakes as the rocket powers off into space. The simulation brings to life the extreme detail and raw power of the Saturn V launch. Once the rocket launches, the doors open to the Saturn V Center where you can learn more about the rocket and the program. (Photo: January 23, 2010)