Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head

So we woke up in Blacksburg, and it was pouring outside. Apparently we got part of tropical depression Barry. Riding in the rain is probably not my favorite thing in the world. No matter what kind of rain protection you have, you still get wet, either from rain or sweat. It was also kind of cold, especially going down hills. Not to mention, my sunglasses either had too many rain drops to see through, or they were too foggy. I felt like I needed to wear them so my contacts wouldn't fall out from a forceful rain drop. Other than that, I didn't really care whether or not we rode in the rain. I mean, don't get me wrong, on any day of the week I'd much rather ride in hot weather than rain. It's easier to read the maps...b/c you don't have to read them through raindrops and condensation. Your hands and feet also don't turn into prunes in the hot weather. So basically riding in the rain is something we're going to have to get used to.
We spent the night in a hotel tonight. But that is the first time since the night prior to departure that we've spent money on a place to stay.
The next few days coming up shouldn't be absolutely horrible. I think we're going to hit some pretty hairy spots, but once we're out of the Appalachians, it should be pretty smooth sailing. I'm somewhat ambivalent about leaving them though. Once we do, the daily rides shouldn't be quite so challenging, however, the scenery won't be nearly as breathtaking, which I'm sure I will miss. I'm excited to see some different geographic regions of the US though. I've really only ever seen the east coast (with Phoenix, AZ as the only exception.)
We finished the first map section today, so we smoked a cigar that I got the day of departure in celebration. It was kind of dry and cracked a little, but it was mighty tasty. So now we only have 11 more sections to go. I imagine the next few maps will go by much quicker than the first. Virginia is supposed to be the longest, toughest, and one of the most scenic states through which we ride on our route. It sure has been tough. I can't wait to get out to the flats and pump out 100 and 120 mile days. Hopefully we'll catch all the tailwinds to the west coast...riiight. Either way, I think 100 mile days are in the near future, once we leave the Appalachians behind.
I think thats about all for now, I'll let you know how the next few days go when I can. They're supposed to be quite a difficult undertaking, but I think we're in shape enough to get through without much stalling. At least, I hope we are...