The Wandering Disciple

A brown pelican glides into the water for a soft landing at South Brohard Beach in Venice, Florida. The beach is a popular spot for flying activity both feathered and aircraft. Situated on the approach to Venice Airport, the beaches are filled with shorebirds looking for food and airplanes on approach to the airport. (Photo: June 9, 2018)

With the Thanksgiving Holiday this week, the collection grew rather slowly this week. More law enforcement agencies joined the collection this week. I also got a patch from one of my favorite departments, Reedy Creek. Reedy Creek is the fire department responsible for covering the Walt Disney World resort.  Here is a look at the patches added this week:  Brevard County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Hernando County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Highlands County (FL) Sheriff's Office  Jacksonville (FL) Sheriff's Office  Madeira Beach (FL) Fire Department  Reedy Creek (FL) Emergency Services  Click on the patch above to view the entire Patch Collection .

Every city has a dark side and learning about the haunts is one of our favorite things to do while traveling. Take to the streets of downtown Gatlinburg to learn about the misery, heartbreak and death that plagued the city leading to tons of paranormal activity in this tourist town. The Ghost & Haunt of Gatlinburg will show you the sites and tell you the stories that will live you spine tingling and have you looking over your shoulder and around the corners.  (Photo: June 5, 2018)

The calm and relaxing waters of the Little Pigeon River can provide a great day of activities for anyone. From laying along the banks working on your tan to having a picninc on the shores to trying to catch a fish, the river is a great place to spend the day. Another way to experience the river is to hop on a tube and go for a ride. On our last trip to the Smoky Mountains we did just that, we grabbed a tube from River Romp and took the a ride on the calming rapids of the river. (Photo: June 5, 2018)

There is a new airlines in town at Southwest Florida International Airport as Alaska Airlines began service to RSW this past week.  The new routes to Los Angeles International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport now connects the west coast of Florida with the west coast of the United States.  As of now, the Alaska flights are offered daily but the destination rotates between LAX and Sea-Tac.  (Photo: November 23, 2020) 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Donten family to your family. Have a great day with your family and enjoy your holiday meal. For those working today to keep our essential services operating, thank you for your service. In honor of Thanksgiving, enjoy a turkey photo from Billie Swamp Safari. (Photo: February 24, 2018)

Hop aboard the Chondola and take a ride to the summit of Anakeesta, Gatlinburg's treetop adventure. Opened in 2018, Anakeesta is one of the regions newest attractions and is located high above the town. Your journey to Anakeesta begins in the heart of the Gatlinburg as you board the chondola for a 600 foot lift up to the summit of Gatlinburg's highest point. Once you arrive at the top, there is plenty of excitement awaiting from a 16 bridge treetop trail, a challenging zip line course, a 360 degree observation tower and much more. (Photo: June 5, 2018)