The Wandering Disciple

I had a training class today in Fort Myers near Southwest Florida International Airport.  Traffic wasn't bad on the interstate, so we got into town a little early so I found a parking spot along the flightline and did a little planespotting while I waited for class to start.  Here is a look at what came by and also a few hidden cargo gems sitting on the ramp off Air Cargo Road. Airbus A319 - N744P    Boeing 737-700 - N7838A Airbus A320 - N527JL Airbus A320 - N579JB Embraer 190 - N954UW Embraer 175 - N415YX Airbus A319 - N321NB Boeing 737-700 - N716SY Boeing 737-900 - N36447 Boeing 737-900 - N846DN McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - N415JN McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - N412SN McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - N435KD Boeing 747-400 - N356KD

This peak in the Great Smoky Mountains is known as Chimney Tops. While this view comes from Newfound Gap Road, the Chimney Tops hiking trail is one of the most popular in the park. The rather steep trail leads to spectacular views from the top of the peaks. (Photo: June 8, 2016)

Minnesota Twins minor leaguer Joe Cronin kicks up some clay as he slides into second during a Gulf Coast League game against the Orioles.  (Photo: June 27, 2016)

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Orioles hosted the GCL Twins for some Monday afternoon baseball under sunny skies as Ed Smith Stadium. The 2016 season just got underway on Friday and has already featured some amazing baseball as the young minor leaguers make their first step in their journey to the show. The Orioles jumped out to an early lead by scoring in the second inning. Seamus Curran led off the inning with an infield single. He later scored on an RBI single by Irving Ortega to make it 1-0. The Orioles added three more runs in the seventh inning. Gui Yuan Xu drove home a run and Daniel Franco knocked home two more to make it 4-0. The Orioles pitching staff combined for 9 innings of scoreless ball while compiling 15 strikeouts to win the game and improve to 3-0 on the season. Click the photo above to view my Orioles/Twins photo gallery or enjoy the slideshow below.  

Today's photo of the day isn't exactly about travel per se, but more about the way we will be getting to our travel adventures.  For the past few years we have relied heavily on our Hyundai Santa Fe to get us to the amazing destinations you see on the site.  But after 306,000 miles, we decided to move on to a new vehicle.  We had our challenges with getting a new vehicle but Duane Temple with Lakeland Hyundai worked with us and helped us get approved for a 2017 Hyundai Elantra.  He went above and beyond to help us every step of the way and took a chance with us when everyone else said no.  Thank you Duane!.  Here is to more travel adventures with our new Hyundai.  (Photo: June 26, 2016)

The rolling hills of foothills of the Smoky Mountains can be seen from various lookout points along the Foothills Parkway.  The Foothills Parkway is a work in progress with the finished parkway spanning 71-miles.  However funding difficulties have only a third of the parkway being completed.  Currently their are two longer section that have been completed, a 16 1/2 mile section near the Chilhowee Mountain and a 6 mile section near Green Mountain.  A smaller section known as the Gatlinburg Bypass is also considered part of the parkway.  (Photo: June 9, 2016)

Move over Shark Week, there are better ways to get up close and personal to the predators of the seas.  At Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, you can come face to face with a several species of sharks as they swim all around you.  (Photo: June 9, 2016)

Droplets of rain fall from a colorful flower at Zoo Atlanta. The zoo is known for its wild residents however there is great attention paid to the gardens and flowers planted throughout the zoo. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

Flowing though the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, the Pigeon River provides guests with a thrilling white water adventure with the spectacular backdrops of the Smokies. Their are many outfitters that provide guided rafting adventures on the river that is home to many series of rapids ranging from Class I through Class IV. (Photo: June 9, 2016)

Congrats to the 9-10 year old All-Stars from Englewood Area Youth Baseball. The team represented Englewood in the District 16 Little League Tournament at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota. Representing Englewood are (front row L-R) Bryson Vaughn, Jake Patrick, MJ Patrick, Adam Lee, Coach Goff, (back row L-R) manager Mike Patrick, Tyler Dunning, Newcomb, Donte Taylor, Tanner Martin, Cooper Benedict, Cody Mayes, Gabe Todaro and Coach Martin. (Photo: June 22, 2016)

A jellyfish lights up in bright colors in an exhibit is just one of the many sea creatures you will come in contact with at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.  The top rated aquarium features almost 10,000 creatures spanning 350 species.  (Photo: June 9, 2016)

The joy of a walk-off win filled the air at Twin Lakes Park when the Englewood All-Stars defeated the Sarasota-National All-Stars in a thrilling extra innings game in Round Two of the District 16 Tournament.  (Photo: June 19, 2016)

The tranquil sounds of cascading water can be found throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  There are creeks throughout much of the park as water makes its way from the mountain tops down to lower elevations.  They make for stunning views and great places to relax on your hiking adventures through the park.  (Photo: June 8, 2016)  

A steep banking curve rises above the Earth at the Lightning Rod coaster at Dollywood.  The Lightning Rod is the newest edition to the park and is the first wooded launch coaster as well as the fastest wooden coaster in the world, reaching speeds of 73 miles per hour.  Lightning Rod was scheduled to open in March 2016 however design issues delayed the opening until June 13, 2016.  (Photo: June 7, 2016)

The fireman aboard the Dollywood Express greets the awaiting passengers as the train pulls into the station.  The Dollywood Express is an authentic steam locomotive and it is the responsibility of the fireman to maintain the fire, giving the train its source of power.  (Photo: June 6, 2016)

The comforts of home can be found throughout the DreamMore Resort at Dollywood.  It may be a major theme park resort, but its places like the living room here that make the DreamMore feel like home.  (Photo: June 6, 2016)

Port Charlotte, Florida: With the All-Star Break fast approaching, the Charlotte Stone Crabs hosted the Dunedin Blue Jays for a morning finale to the first half of the season. A nice crowd of summer camps were on hand to watch the home town Stone Crabs beat the Blue Jays 4-2. The Stone Crabs took the lead in the second inning. Jace Conrad deliver a two out single to give the Stone Crabs a base runner. He stole second and later third to move just 90 feet away. Grant Kay drove home Conrad with an RBI single to put the Stone Crabs on the scoreboard. He would later score on a passed ball to give the Stone Crabs a 2-0 lead. The Blue Jays cut the lead in half by scoring in the fifth inning. Dickie Joe Thon scored on a field error to make it 2-1. The Stone Crabs got the run back by scoring in the sixth inning. An RBI double by Kay scored Bralin Jackson to extend the lead to 3-1. Both teams exchanged a run in the seventh. In the top of the inning it was a solo home by Gunnar H...

At over 2 miles in length and over 1,000 feet deep, the Tallulah Gorge in northern Georgia is one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia. Formed over the course of millions of year, the gorge was cut by the flow of the Tallulah River cutting through rocky landscape. What remains is a stunning view of the gorge and the subsequent waterfalls down below. The gorge can be viewed from above via the scenic overlook or from the ground inside the Tallulah Gorge State Park.  (Photo: June 6, 2016)

A Delta Air Lines flight departs from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport located south of downtown Atlanta has been the busiest airport in the world since 1998.  It services over 100 million passengers a year, almost 260,000 a day.  Much of the traffic comes from Delta Air Lines, a major airline that calls Atlanta home.  (Photo: June 5, 2016)

A pair of Budgerigars cuddle together in the Boundless Budgies exhibit at Zoo Atlanta. Here zoo visitors can interact and feed the playful Budgerigars. A Budgerigar is a small colorful bird found in Australia. They have become domesticated and are sold in pet stores as Parakeets. (Photo: June 5, 2016)

The sun rises over the peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  With breathtaking views around every corner, it is only fitting that the park would also boast spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  (Photo: June 10, 2016)

The thrill of whitewater rafting with the beautiful sights of the Smoky Mountains await along the Pigeon River.  With rapids ranging as high as Class IV, there are thrills to be had for all members of the family. The river is controlled by a water release by a local power plant and as a result, no two trips are alike. (Photo: June 9, 2016)

Those who push through the tough climb to Clingmans Dome are rewarded with an amazing bird's eye view of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the tallest peak in the park and the third tallest east of the Mississippi River.  A 7-mile drive followed by a .5-mile hike takes visitors to the peak where they can climb a 54 foot observation tower to truly be above it all.  (Photo: June 8, 2016)

Gatlinburg, Tennessee: Our summer road trip is in the home stretch as we woke up for our final full day in Tennessee. Today’s itinerary takes us to nearby Hartford for a white water rafting adventure and later to the aquarium. But first we have to tackle our obligatory resort preview at the Westgate. But before our appointment at the resort, we headed downtown for breakfast at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp. The restaurant was made to look like a rustic breakfast camp in the wilderness. The food was really good and the portions were huge! After breakfast, we drove around Gatlinburg a little before I dropped my mom back off at the room and we headed to the resort preview. Because we booked this room at such a drastic discount through BookVIP, we had to sit through a 90-minute resort preview. While I was open minded and would consider purchasing if it was affordable, I also know my budget and the likelihood was slim to none.  The resort preview was by far the most frustrat...

A larger than life King Kong scales a replica of the Empire State Building in the heart of downtown Pigeon Forge.  This recreated scene from the Hollywood blockbuster film adorns the Hollywood Wax Museum.  The two story museum is the only wax museum in the country dedicated to only celebrity figures.  (Photo: June 7, 2016)

Gatlinburg, Tennessee: Despite being on vacation, we continued to live by the alarm clock as we were up bright and early to embark on another great day of exploring the east Tennessee mountain side. Today’s adventures takes us into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Wow, despite having a really nice looking room and a very comfortable bed, nobody got much sleep thanks the lack of insulation and soundproofing from the adjoining rooms. The neighbors were so loud and the sound was not muffled at all. At one point during the night, I woke up thinking my wife was snoring loudly. Sad thing is that it wasn’t her, or my son, or my mom and nephew in the next room. It was the neighbor in the next unit. We headed into town for breakfast at the Pancake Pantry. The Pancake Pantry was recommended to us by Mary Phillips from Ripley’s. While planning this trip, I had asked a few of the local media reps what are good dining choices and she recommended the Pancake Pantry. It was a gre...

Join Chief Embers of the Wilderness Pass VFD as he helps protect the forest from fire at the hands of Crazy Charlie Cherribaum.  As a member of the volunteer fire department, riders climb aboard their Fire Train to embark on a fun filled journey on the FireChaser Express at Dollywood.  Opened in 2014, the Fire Chaser Express is a family roller coaster that takes riders on a forward and backwards ride reaching speeds of almost 35 miles per hour. (Photo: June 6, 2016)

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee:  Rise and shine from the land of the never-ending sun, or at least it seemed.   I don't know if it was the elevation or the fact that we were farther west then our home in Florida, but it seemed to stay daylight forever.  But nonetheless, the combination of a busy day yesterday and extremely comfortable accommodations at the DreamMore Resort resulted in an amazing nights sleep. This was our final day at Dollywood, so we packed up the room before going for breakfast and heading to the park.  After the car was packed, we headed downstairs to the Song & Hearth restaurant in the hotel.  I figured it would be easier to eat at the hotel than head into town.  What a great decision, the breakfast buffet was delicious and very reasonable in price for a resort. After breakfast, we boarded the trolley and headed to the park.  Having the trolley has been a great benefit at staying at the hotel.  Not having to mess with the...