We’ve received reports of late that the American Tobacco Trail from Massey Chapel Road in Durham south to New Hill was passable. Not “open,” mind you, but “passable.” Based on a scouting trip this morning, it’s true — if you can bunnyhop moving bulldozers.

Wondering whether you should sacrifice some time in the woods this tax-free weekend for some time in the mall?

Yes, once again it’s the that bewitching time in North Carolina between 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August (today) and 11:59 p.m. the ensuing Sunday when certain items deemed essential for school are exempt from the state sales tax (which, with combined with the local tax is 6.75 percent hereabouts). We won’t go through the entire list of eligible items here (you can see it here); That would only raise questions such as, “Why do ‘wedding apparel’ and ‘formal wear’ qualify, and what do they have to do with school, especially in 2009 when ‘formal wear’ to some young men constitutes a belt on their pants hanging mid-moon?” Sometimes, though, you discover a possibly legitimate reason behind the inclusion of a seemingly envelope-pushing item.

Is it ego, pent-up energy or just innate training savvy that keeps us going when energy threatens to slow us down? Some insight at our sister blog, GetOut! GetFit!