Train, Work, Train, Train

I know it's been a few weeks but it has been so crazy at work, the last thing I want to do after 5 is turn on my computer! I even missed a race report( I DNF'd so there is not much to talk about! I'm still a little disappointed!) So sorry for the lapse of excitement! J/K.
I have been trying to put in the miles and the hours to get ready for September, October, and November. Unless something fun comes up, I will not be racing until September. A little premature fireworks....I believe I managed to win the Southern California points series! I will celebrate when the jersey is in my hands! I am really excited though!
I have been doing some really fun riding! On July 4th I went on a group road ride with Westlake Cyclery and some of the Fast Friday's race team! It was a really fun but very tough ride. We started at the shop at 7am to beat the heat. We left the shop and headed down Agoura Road towards the valley. We went out Las Virgenes and then headed up Topanga to old Topanga! We then dropped down into the canyon and made the turn up Fernwood. This is where it got tough! It was about 9 miles straight up at an average of 9% grade! It was really tough but we grinded up the hill and the descent made it all worth it! It was about 50 miles with 4800 feet of climbing. By the time we got back to Las Virgenes the temp was 103! The sad part was that we had another 30 minutes to get back to the shop. It was really fun riding with the race team and watching them! Those guys can accelerate like a ferrari on the open highway!
I have been riding a lot on the road! It has been really fun because the opportunity to ride with others on the road presents itself more often than on the dirt. It's also easier to get in more miles and more time on the bike as I can leave directly from work and head straight out on a ride. It has also helped that I finally got a new road bike! I had been saving since I purchased my mountain bike and a great deal presented itself! Being that Trek redesigned their Madone line for 2008 they were blowing out the rest of their 2007 line. I was able to get a Madone 5.2 fr a quarter of its retail price! This bike is freaking sweet! First, it's the right size for me! It's also a complete carbon frame and fork with the Bontrager race light wheels, stem, seatpost, and bars! It has a Shimano Ultegra set-up with a Dura-Ace rear derailler. This bike is almost 8 pounds lighter than the one I was riding! That tends to get me up the hill a little faster! I will try to post a picture this weekend!
September will bring the So-Cal series final in Big Bear. With the week I will be spending in Salt Lake City I hope to get some higher altitude training in! Then at the end of September I hope to be doing a two man 24 hour race with Rory. The very thought scares me to death but I would really like to make this happen. It also looks like the opportunity has arose to do another 24 hour race in October with a team of either 3 or 4 guys. These are guys that are out to win so it would be a blast to give it a shot! November will bring the fall classic at Southridge and the last 12 hours of Temecula. My goal is to do the 12 hour solo! That's right race fans, SOLO! These are my goals for the end of the year.
I think that next I will change up my racing completely. As it stands now, I want to do the Southridge winter series. Then instead of doing the Southern California XC series, I would like to concentrate on the endurance races. I would like to also participate in some road races. I want to do a couple century races as well as a couple stage races. We will see what happens.
Let me finsh this post by stating that DOPERS SUCK! I understand why, (money and fame) I just think it's lame!
Peace
Lucas