40 miles down - 3812 to go!

Hey everyone!
Orientation has been great these last few days. Everyone is really unique and very friendly. We sat through a bunch of speakers the last two days that made me even more anxious to get on the bike and ride!
Today was our first day leaving out of Virginia Beach! We rode through very pretty, flat scenery to our destination. The sheet said we rode 40 miles today, but my bike computer tracked 49.3. Counting the ride to and from the showers, that is a 52 mile day! This is the furthest I have gone ever and it's insane to think that we go further tomorrow. It was so awesome to get to see everyone geared up and riding like madmen. The pace today was really intense, so I'll probably slow myself down tomorrow! Today we rode a constant 17-20 mph. I'm sure as the time goes on, the hills will make us slow down.
One of the coolest things about riding across the country is how much of a novelty 30 college-aged students are that are riding in full spandex. People are extremely interested about why all of us look insane and are all riding in the same group. I had a bunch of people stop and ask us where we were going and why we were doing it. It's great to be well received and supported by many communities.
I think I figured out today that I am going to eat more this summer than I ever have before. While we were riding the last 20, all I could think about was food at our destination. Dana and I had decided that a chocolate milkshake sounded really good.. so we had to stop when we got to Suffolk. The milkshake was not satisfactory today, so I am going to have to make another milkshake run tomorrow to satisfy the craving.
Another interesting thing I nearly forgot.. Jen D. brought a slackline as her group item. She strung it between two trees and everyone tried it. My goal for the summer, aside from making it to Canon Beach, is to successfully walk the slackline. I think either way, I will buy one when I get home. It's countless hours of entertainment/concentration.
Anyway - this tired kid has to sleep! More riding tomorrow! More posting/updating this whenever I can!
-Brian