The Wandering Disciple

An American Alligator lurks in the lake at Lake Manatee State Park. If there is fresh water in the sunshine state, you can pretty much bet there is a gator close by. The key to living in harmony with these fearsome looking reptiles is to respect they home by keeping your distance from them and not harass them and never feed them. Gators are naturally afraid of people but when they start being fed, they lose that fear and begin to become aggressive. (Photo: February 19, 2011)

Florida is known for its sunshine, after all it is the Sunshine State.  So it shouldn't be any surprise that the state features some of the best sunrises and sunsets in the country.  Whether it be on the beach or in an interior state park like this, the sun paints a picture in the sky daily.  (Photo: February 19, 2011)

A wildflower grow along the bobcat hiking trail at Lake Manatee State Park. More than just a lake, Lake Manatee Park features hiking and camping as well. (Photo: February 20, 2011)

The morning fog lies low within the campground of Lake Manatee State Park. The 556 acre State Park in eastern Manatee County features 60 campsites as well as great hiking, fishing and swimming in Lake Manatee. (Photo: February 20, 2011)

Bradenton, Florida: Lake Manatee in eastern Manatee County is the main freshwater reservoir for thousands of people living in Manatee and Sarasota counties. In addition to being a source of water, it also home to the Lake Manatee State Park. The 526 acre park extends along three miles of the lakes southern bank. The park opened as a campground in 1986. In addition to being a popular spot for camping, it is also known for great fishing, canoeing and hiking. Today thousands of visitors travel to the park to take a break from reality along its tranquil shores. Much of the parks amenities surround the large freshwater lake where it gets its name. The 2,400 acre lake is popular for fishing and is home to bass, perch, bluegill, shell cracker and catfish. You can fish from the dock or from a boat as long as the boat’s motor does not exceed the 20 HP maximum set by county ordinance. The lake is also popular for canoeing and swimming. The park also has three nature trails to enjoy, all...

Bradenton, Florida: After our rather successful camping weekend a few weeks ago, we decided to take another one this weekend. This time we went to Lake Manatee State Park located in eastern Manatee County. We have never been to the park, but the campground had great reviews so we made a Saturday/Sunday reservation and loaded up the truck. The park is located on State Road 64, about nine miles east of I-75. It was close enough to a Publix and fast-food restaurant in case we forgot something or needed to grab something other then hot dogs and S'mores. When we arrived at the park, there was a distant sound of loud engines, and with a county ordinance allowing just 20 HP motors on the lake, it wasn't the boat traffic on the lake. Turns out the campground was just a mile from Desoto Superspeedway, a big plus for a race fan like me, however we did not go to a race this time. We checked into campsite 46 and began to set up camp. The campsite we had backed up to wildland and had...