To Blacksburg it is...

So we didn't get to Christianburg today (the end of the 1st map section). There wasn't a bike shop in Christianburg, so we went to Blacksburg instead. They have two bike shops. We needed to go to a bike shop because Jacob had a 10-speed and we're about to hit some serious serious mountains. We're going to take a day off here tomorrow, and explore Virginia Tech and the town a little.
The ride today wasn't terrible. The breathtaking scenery through which we rode all day made the pain a lot more bearable. The climb into Blacksburg was a bear though. The morning started out very slowly. We were all moving as slow as molasses. It was frustrating. Once I got warmed up it was pretty smooth sailing. The scenery through which we rode all day isn't a lot different from what we've seen in the last few days, but it is always awe-inspiring. Farmland surrounded completely by mountains never gets old.
There was one point during the ride today where I really felt in tune with the geography of the area. The road seemed to flow perfectly with the flow of the mountains and hills beside me. I really learned how to exert as little effort as necessary to ride roller coaster hills today.
Blacksburg seems like a fun town to live in. It has a lot of character. The people are very friendly as well. We actually met a guy that lives upstairs from where we're sleeping tonight that has mutual friends with Rob and me. It's such a small world. I never imagined that I'd end up in Blacksburg meeting someone randomly with whom I have friends in common. Crazy.
I miss home, but living on the road and seeing and experiencing other peoples' reality for a day or two at a time is a lot of fun. I really love to travel. You never know what to expect or who you will meet along the way. I hope the rest of our journey will be as fun and unexpected as it has been thus far...