Masked Crusader Stymied by Ice Cream Selection at Area Grocery Store

Evan Raskin took this picture at an Ingles in Asheville (and wrote the headline to go with it). He didn't set this up, he just happened upon it.

Tourist Binoculars

I love these tourist binoculars -- still 25 cents. This one is at the top of Grandfather Mountain, which is a fun place despite being a major tourist attraction. We were there during one of the busiest weekends of the year. It's a pretty controlled experience, but it's a spectacular place and there were a hell of a lot of people there -- outside.

It also gives you the best possible view of one of North Carolina's greatest atrocities: Sugar Top, which spawned the North Carolina Mountain Ridge Protection Act that keeps anyone else from doing this.

And then there's the mile-high swinging bridge, which is really pretty cool.

Also worth noting that Grandfather Mountain is now run by a nonprofit and is part of a 4,000 acre preserve that's managed in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy and North Carolina State Parks.