The Wandering Disciple

The eyes of an American Alligator rise above the calm waters of the swamp at Big Cypress National Preserve. Alligators can be found throughout the waters of the preserve in South Florida. (Photo: August 30, 2014)

The clear water of the Big Cypress Swamp flow slowly though the Big Cypress National Preserve. The 720,566 acre national park is nestled between the Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge along Tamiami Trail in South Florida. (Photo: August 30, 2014)

Ochopee, Florida: Between Naples and Miami, Tamiami Trail passes through the isolated Florida wilderness. Much of this landscape is comprised within the Big Cypress National Preserve, one of the nation’s first national preserves. The Big Cypress National Preserve is nestled between the Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The 720,566 acre preserve was founded on October 4, 1974 making it one of the first preserves in the National Parks system. Before becoming a national preserve, the region was home to Native Americans. The Calusa, Miccosukee and Seminole tribes all called the swamp home. But the region began to change in 1928 when the Tamiami Trail was completed, opening the region up to travelers. Today over a million visitors a year visit the preserve. There are plenty of way to enjoy the park. There are 12 campgrounds, mile of roads to drive or bike and several boardwalks allowing visitors to get a glimpse at the plants and...

Ochopee, Florida: A while back, we took a trip down Tamiami Trail through South Florida on our way to Homestead Air Reserve Base on the way to an air show. During this trip, we marveled at the beauty of the Florida wilderness along the way and made it a point to come back and spend a little more time exploring these areas. This resulted in a weekend camping trip and exploration of Collier-Seminole State Park, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve last year. Today we decided to take a journey back down to South Florida to explore the Big Cypress National Preserve. My uncle is currently in town visiting from Pennsylvania and after the amount of wildlife we saw on our previous trips, I suggested we give it a try. We headed out early and embarked on the 2 hour journey into the wilderness. When we arrived at Big Cypress, we stopped off at the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center. The welcome center is located just inside the western boundary ...

Located near the headquarters of the Florida National Guard, the St Augustine National Cemetery is the final resting place for 2,788 fallen heroes. The first interment took place in 1828 as it served as the post cemetery for St. Francis Barracks. Over 1,400 soldiers from the Seminole Wars are buried in a mass grave marked by three pyramids. The cemetery became a National Cemetery in 1881. The superintendent lodge pictured here was added to the St Augustine National Cemetery in 1938. (Photo: November 13, 2011)

This mysterious foot print appeared out of nowhere during our visit to the St Augustine Lighthouse. We arrived at the lighthouse before they opened and were the first ones on the grounds and up the tower, right behind the staffer who was opening the tower. My wife who is afraid of heights, chose to wait at the bottom and not climb the tower. My son and I went up the tower and when we returned, my wife quickly pointed out this footprint that appeared in front of her. There was no one else around and the three of us and the staffer were all wearing hard shoes. As you can see, this is clearly a barefoot footprint and the only one in the hallway. The St Augustine Lighthouse is considered haunted and has appeared on an episode of Ghosthunters. (Photo: November 13, 2011)

The statue of Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles sits in the courtyard of the Lightner Museum. The Lightner Museum is housed in the historic Hotel Alcazar and features the collections of Otto Lightner. (Photo: November 12, 2012)

The Upper Myakka Lake is the main focal point of Myakka River State Park. Created by the Myakka River, Clay Gully and Howard Creek, the lake dominates much of the public area of the park and features some of the parks amenities such as airboat ride, the birdwalk and more.  (Photo: August 25, 2014)

The night sky lights up from a summer storm over the Gulf of Mexico. Summer storms are a nightly occurrence in the Sunshine State and serve as a reprieve from the heat of the summer.  (Photo: August 24, 2014)

The canons of Castillo de San Marcos helped protect St Augustine from attacks from Matanzas Bay. The fort began construction in 1672 and is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Built by the Spaniard, the fort has been occupied by the British, Americans and Confederates during its long standing history. The fort was removed from active duty in 1900 after 205 years of service. Today the fort is a national monument and is operated by the National Park Service. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Through these gates awaits a glimpse into the historical village that once comprised St Augustine. The village recreates the 1740’s with houses, blacksmith and carpentry shops and much more. The tour allows you to visit four distinct periods in St Augustine history spanning three centuries and two royal occupations. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Several treasures from the Atocha shipwreck are on display at the St Augustine Pirate and Treasures Museum. The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was a Spanish cargo ship that sank off the Florida Keys in 1622. A recovery mission was launched by the Spaniards, but those ships ran aground nearby. The wreck remained lost to the sea until treasure hunter Mel Fisher discovered the wreckage in 1985 after sixteen years of searching. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

The boardwalk at Fort Mose State Park takes you into the wetlands that was once the first free African American settlement in the United States. Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de More was sanction in 1738 by the Spanish Governor of Florida and was a sanctuary for African Americans for over 25 years. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Take a trip back in time to the days of when general stores were the only place you could find one stop shopping. The Oldest Store Experience in St Augustine brings to life the day of the general store and recreate the technology from the turn of the century. (Photo: November 12, 2011)

A Presidential Proclamation in 1939 by Franklin D Roosevelt declared the anniversary of Orville Wrights birthday to be honored as National Aviation Day. The Wright Brothers were the pioneers of aviation and in 1903 conducted the first powered flight from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The 1903 Wright Flyer can be seen on display along with other Wright inventions at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

A skeleton pirate is at the helm of the pirate room at Ripley's Believe it or Not in St Augustine.  The museum features over 300 exhibits in 19 themed galleries encompassing three floors in the historic Warden Castle.  (Photo: November 11, 2011)

The sea grass on the dunes at Anastasia State Park sways in the wind at sunrise. Located outside of historic St Augustine, Anastasia State Park features beaches, camp sites and much more. It is located on the site of the quarry in which used to construct Castillo de San Marcos. (Photo: November 13, 2011)

A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle heats up the sky over MacDill Air Force Base. Introduced by McDonnell-Dougalas in 1988, the Strike Eagle is a multi-role fighter and has seen action in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. This Strike Eagle is a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. (Photo: November 6, 2011)

The tree line is reflected in the waters of a lagoon at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. The preserve features a 1.2 mile boardwalk trail traversing a series of ecoystems home to birds, turtles, gators and much more. (Photo: October 23, 2011)

The Liberty Square Riverboat steams down the Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom. The 12 minute ride on a steam powered riverboat takes you through Liberty Square and Frontierland passing great attractions like Tom Sawyer Island, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Haunted Mansion and more. (Photo: October 2, 2011)

A spider spins a web along the hiking trail at Alligator Creek Preserve. The preserve located outside Punta Gorda is Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center and encompasses 30,000 acres of wilderness and 4 miles of hiking trails. (Photo: October 1, 2011)

The sun provides a colorful backdrop for evening baseball at Charlotte Sports Park. The skies over ballpark make for great colorful sunset each night. (Photo: August 20, 2011).

A tree on the banks of the Sarasota Bay make a great photo op along the nature trail at Quick Point Nature Preserve. The trail winds through mangroves and marshes on the way to the bay. (Photo: July 19, 2011)

A group of Terns enjoy the powdery sand of Greer Island on the north end of Longboat Key. The isolated beach is a great place to see a wide variety of shorebirds. (Photo: July 19, 2011)

Port Charlotte, Florida: Determined to keep their momentum moving in the right direction, the Stone Crabs defeated the Jupiter Hammerheads 4-2 on Sunday at Charlotte Sports Park. The win ensures a series win against the Hammerheads. The Stone Crabs jumped out to the lead in the second inning. Tyler Goeddel opened the inning with a triple to right. Marty Gantt drove Goeddel home with a single to center. A walk to Ariel Soriano and a single by Granden Goetzman loaded the bases for the Stone Crabs with only one out. Jonathan Quinonez hit an RBI single to score Gantt. Soriano then scored on a ground ball by Tommy Coyle to give the Stone Crabs a 3-0 lead. The Stone Crabs added to their lead in the third. Josh Sale singled to right and later scored on an RBI double by Soriano to make it 4-0.  Jupiter got on the scoreboard in the fifth. An RBI double by Blake Barber scored Chad Wallach to give the Hammerheads their first run of the evening. The Hammerheads scored again in the si...

The sitting room of the Mangoes was a place for Henry Ford to get away from business and relax along Caloosahatchee River. The Mangoes was purchased by Henry Ford in 1916 and he vacationed here until 1931 when his friend and neighbor Thomas Edison passed away. Today the home and the neighboring Seminole lodge once owned by Edison can be toured as part of the Edison-Ford Winter Estate museum. (Photo: June 26, 2011)

The park sign on State Road 72 welcomes guests to Myakka River State Park in eastern Sarasota County. The wild and scenic Myakka River flows from Hardee County south to Charlotte Harbor with 12 miles crossing through the 37,000 acre Myakka River State Park. The park is known for its rich wildlife and features many activities such as hiking, biking, camping and much more. (Photo: May 29, 2011)

Indiana Jones and Marion leap from the rooftop in Cairo during the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show features scenes from the George Lucas film Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and showcases how stunts are performed on movie sets. (Photo: May 11, 2011)

Donald Duck and Peter Pan engage in a sword fight during the Dream Along with Mickey stage show at the Magic Kingdom. The 20-minute show takes place daily on the stage in front of Cinderella Castle and features Mickey Mouse and all his friends. (Photo of the Day: May 10, 2011)

Spongebob Squarepants greets hotel guests at the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando. The colorful characters of the Nick cartoons come to life to interact with kids. The kid-themed resort also features two large pools with waterparks, entertaining stage shows, 4-D movies and much more. (Photo: May 10, 2011)

The Osprey Loop Trail boardwalk takes hikers from the observation tower to Tampa Bay along the 3-mile Osprey Loop Trail at Robinson Preserve. The 487 acre preserve located along Tampa Bay is home to mile of hiking trails giving you an up close look at the wildlife that reside along the coast. (Photo: April 4, 2011)

Cypress trees tower out of the Bald swamp at Highland Hammocks State Park. There are several miles of hiking trails to take park guests into the 9,000 acre state park. (Photo: Febrary 26, 2011)

Port Charlotte, Florida: After overcoming an early three run deficit, the GCL Rays surrendered a run in the late innings to lose to the GCL Orioles 4-3 on Saturday at Charlotte Sports Park. The Orioles took advantage of the rehabbing Roberto Gomez by going deep for a two run homer. Daniel Franco reached on an error to lead off the game. But he wouldn’t remained their long as Ademar Rifaela took the first offering from Gomez over the right field wall to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead. The Orioles added to their lead in the third inning. Guillermo Salas doubled to right and then scored on a single by TJ Olesczuk to make it 3-0. But the Rays answered the call in the fourth inning. The rally started by loading the bases. A walk to Cade Gotta followed by back to back singles by Isias Alcantar and David Rodriguez loaded the bases with no outs. A single by Bill Pujols aided by a fielding error scored Gotta and Alcantar. The tying run later came on an RBI single by Jamie Mitchell to score...

The prehistoric world comes to life at T-Rex Café in Downtown Disney. Pictured here is the bar in the Under the Sea room. The animals roar to life several times a day during the meteor shower. (Photo: January 30, 2011)

Flik drops down from the top of the Bug’s Life Theater to talk to the audience at the It’s Tough to Be a Bug 3-D show at Animal Kingdom. Based on the Disney-Pixar film “A Bug’s Life, the show introduces you to some of the lesser known members of the bug species with a few surprises along the way. (Photo: January 30, 2011)