The Wandering Disciple

Bowling Green, Kentucky: Aviation Heritage Park offers a captivating journey through time, showcasing iconic aircraft that have profoundly shaped aviation history. This unique park serves as a profound tribute to the ingenuity, bravery, and sacrifice of those who pushed the boundaries of flight, providing visitors with an immersive experience that blends education, history, and a touch of nostalgia. It stands as a testament to the enduring human fascination with flight and the remarkable achievements of aviation pioneers. The park's existence is largely attributed to the vision of Brigadier General Dan Cherry. During a visit to the National Museum of the Air Force, Cherry and a few friends discovered that the very F-4 Phantom II fighter jet he flew in Vietnam was on display at a heritage park in Ohio. This discovery sparked an idea: to bring a piece of aviation history, specifically an aircraft with a direct connection to a local hero, to Bowling Green. This initial concept rapidly...

Hodgenville, Kentucky: Rural Kentucky, a landscape characterized by its picturesque rolling farmlands, holds a profound place in American history. It is here, amidst this pastoral beauty, that Abraham Lincoln, the nation's 16th president, was born. Lincoln spent his formative years in this region before his family's eventual relocation to Indiana.  Today, the significant birth history of President Lincoln is meticulously preserved and honored as part of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. This vital national park is uniquely structured into two distinct sites, each offering a glimpse into different phases of Lincoln's early life. The first is the Birthplace Unit, which commemorates the actual site of Lincoln's birth. The second is the Boyhood Unit, which focuses on the environment and experiences of his childhood, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the influences that shaped this monumental figure in American history.  The primary fo...

  Located on Sarasota Bay, the grounds of the Ringling were once the premiere entertaining spot for the wealthy guests of circus magnate John Ringling.  Today this luxurious resort is home to the Ringling museum which preserves the legacy of John and Mable Ringling here on the Suncoast. Today the Ringling winter estate is operated by Florida State University and its mission is to tell the story of the Ringling's from their winter home.  It is home to the Ringling Museum of Art, the Ringling Circus Museum and the Ringling mansion named Ca' da' Zan which means House of John.  Connecting each of these museums is lush gardens with colorful flowers and majestic statuary.   Taken: June 14, 2009 at The Ringling (Sarasota, FL)

The Phoenix spins its riders upside down at in the Florida sunshine at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Located in the Pantopia portion of the park, the Phoenix is a based on an Egyptian cargo vessel and spins back and forth until making a complete 360 degree rotation. Currently the ride is out of service until further notice and its future is not clear.  Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a theme park in Tampa, Florida that is part of the Sea World parks system. It features 28 rides and 200 species of animals within 335 acre African themed park.  Taken: May 31, 2009 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, FL)

A Lufthansa Boeing 747 lands at Southwest Florida International Airport as weather prevented them from landing in Miami. When showers or storms prevent landing at the destination airport, the flight heads into a holding pattern to wait for the weather to clear. However sometimes, they do not have enough fuel left to hold or they depleted their reserve fuel forcing them to divert to a nearby airport that can handle their aircraft.  This Lufthansa flight was headed to Miami International Airport from Frankfurt, Germany. It encountered storms over the airport in Miami where it attempted to land at Miami and weather did not cooperated so it headed to Fort Myers to refuel and return to Miami when weather improved.  Taken: May 16, 2022 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)

A Snowy Egret sits atop a fence at the Peace River Wildlife Center while getting healthy under the staff's medical care. With a diverse collection of animals in the state and a growing population, injuries are certain as the human impact takes a toll on native wildlife.  To care for sick or injured native wildlife, there is a network of volunteers and wildlife centers like the Peace River Wildlife Center here in Punta Gorda. They take sick and injured animals and nurse them back to health with a goal of returning them to the wild. You can see their work firsthand at their facility at Ponce De Leon Park in Punta Gorda.  Taken: March 22, 2009 at Peace River Wildlife Center (Punta Gorda, FL)

A crash truck and airport operations hold short of Runway 6 at Southwest Florida International Airport while an aircraft makes an emergency landing. Airport fire fighters are always standing by at a moments notice to handle a wide variety of emergencies from a slip and fall in the terminal to an aircraft emergency.  Airports with regular commercial service have a dedicated airport fire department at the ready to respond anywhere on the airport in minutes. This dedicated fire service is known collectively as ARFF, meaning Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting.  Taken: May 9, 2022 at Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)