Just got word from the folks at TORC that Saturday's Heel of a Race 6-hour mountain bike race at Carolina North has been postponed due to wet weather. Rain date: Next Saturday, Nov. 22. Not only is it dang wet today, but another system is moving in tomorrow and "there is a good possibility of intense storms prior to the passage of the front.  As we all know, it seems to take only a little wind to bring down pine trees in the forest."

Good enough for me.

When I'm in a mountain bike race and a Jill Whitfield or a Tammy Kaufman comes from behind and politely asks if they can pass, please, it doesn't occur to me that female riders need any sort of specific help. But, as has been explained to me time again, sometimes the gals would just as soon not ride with the guys. Perhaps because ones like me are always in their way.

While we're waiting for details to be hammered out for the next two races in the TORC endurance race series (Carolina North tentatively scheduled for Nov. 1 and Race on the River at Little River Regional Park in January), TORC spokesman tells us of another six-hour race Down East.

If six hours of mountain bike racing isn't enough for you at Carolina North on Nov. 1, drive (or ride) down to Greenville Nov. 2 for Six Hours for Beau's Buddies. This is a daytime race, starting at 10 a.m., on a nine-mile course at the Bicycle Post Trail just outside of town. It's been a while since I've ridden these trails (which are on private land; you must sign a waiver at one of the two Bicycle Post locations in Greenville and there's a $2 fee to ride) but I do recall them being surprisingly rolly for the Coastal Plain; no surprise, then, that they advertise 750 feet of climbing on the course.

$50 to ride solo, $80 for a team. A pig pickin' follows. Proceeds go to the Beau's Buddies Cancer Fund.

Two more endurance races scheduled in local series.

Another podium finish? Or another day bringing up the rear?

A race of our own, for the 45+ crowd.

Fears assuaged, championship race will happen.