The Wandering Disciple

Welcome to the Swamp.... you're in gator country now! As you pass through the tunnel and emerge into the stadium, you enter into one of the most prestigious stadiums in college football. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is home to the Florida Gators and 88,543 screaming fans on game day.  The stadium opened as Florida Field in 1930 and underwent multiple renovations throughout the years to become the facility we know today as the swamp. The stadium is the largest college football stadium in Florida and is consistently rated as one of the toughest stadiums to play in for opponents of the Gators.  Taken: November 10, 2013 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)

Deep in the swamp lurks the Florida Gator. This place roars to life on Saturday afternoons during the Fall when the Florida Gators take to the field to defend the swamp in front of over 91,000 fans. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest college football stadium in the Sunshine State and the 12th largest in the NCAA. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, commonly known as The Swamp, is one of the toughest college football stadiums for a visiting team to play in the nation.  Home to the Florida Gators, the Swamp can hold over 88,000 screaming Gators fans on game day. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

It may be quiet and empty now but on Saturday afternoons in the fall, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium comes to life with thousands of screaming Gators fans. More commonly known as the “The Swamp” the stadium is rated as one of the toughest places to place because of the crowd noise. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

An Indian boy carries a shark over his shoulder, demonstrating early hunting techniques of Florida’s earliest residents. The Florida Museum of Natural History has an extensive collection of Indian History as well as other exhibits showcasing the natural history of the state. (Photo: November 9, 2013)

Saturday’s roar to life at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium when almost 90,000 fans pack the stands to watch the Florida Gators take the field. The stadium, also known as the Swamp, is the twelfth largest stadium in college football and is consistently rated as one of the best college game day experiences. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

A political ceremony is recreated inside the Calusa Leader's House at the Florida Natural History Museum on the campus of the University of Florida.  The home is one of the many scenes depicted in the museum's South Florida People and Environment exhibit.  (Photo: November 9, 2013)

Opened in 1913, the George Peabody Hall was home to the University of Florida’s Teacher College. The education program would later be relocated and in 1990 it was renovated and became the school’s Registrar’s Office. Peabody Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

A Native American tribal ritual is depicted here in this diorama at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the University of Florida campus.  The history of the Calusa, Seminole and Miccosukee tribes and be seen here at the museum.  (Photo: November 9, 2013)

A photo of a Manatee covers the skylight windows at the Florida Natural History Museum at the University of Florida.  The manatee is an endangered specie that can be found throughout Florida waters.  (Photo: November 9, 2013)

Towering over the University of Florida campus, the Century Tower can be seen throughout the campus guiding students and visitors to the heart of the historic campus.  Built in 1953, the tower rises 157 feet tall and is equipped with 61 bells that chime every quarter hour from 8 am to 8 pm.  The Century Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.  (Photo: November 10, 2013)

A raccoon grabs a bite to eat in a wilderness exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History.  Raccoon are one of the many native Florida wildlife represented in the museum.  (Photo: November 9, 2013)

A look inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, more commonly known as The Swamp. The stadium is home of the University of Florida Gators football team and can hold close to 90,000 fans, making it the eleventh largest college football stadium. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

Gainesville, Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, better known as The Swamp, is the home of the University of Florida football team. Over 88,000 Gators fans flock to the stadium on game day, making it the eleventh largest stadium in college football. The Swamp has been the permanent home of the Gators for over eighty years. Designed by architect Rudolph Weaver, the stadium officially opened in 1930. The stadium has seen many renovations over the years to accommodate the growth of the organization, eventually expanding to the current seating of 88,548 permanent seats. The Gators are the sole occupants of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In addition to the Gators, they hosted the Tangerine Bowl in 1973 and the Gator Bowl in 1994. On non-game day, the stadium is opened to the public for exercise or sight seeing. Tickets for Florida Gators games can be purchased through the university. The range in price depending on game and seat location.

Gainesville, Florida:  We awoke for the second day of our weekend camping trip to a cool and comfortable 62 degrees with a light fog over the park.  There is just something about camping in the great outdoors that leads to a great night's sleep.  We woke up refreshed and ready to take on the town for our final day in Gainesville. Our morning routine was changed due to car problems the night before.  As we left from dinner, the truck gave us difficulty starting.  So to keep from getting stranded over 200 miles from home, we decided to tear down camp first thing this morning, pack the car and pray it starts. With camp packed up, we crossed our fingers and fired up the truck.  It started without a problem and we were on our way.  We tried to head to the observation tower and try spotting some bison, but it was still closed.  So we chose to head to breakfast instead.  On the way out of the park, we passed a whole bunch of deer along Savan...