Congrats! I started the same trek your on but in December. Of course I couldn't do much riding until the end of February. I've been hammering it ever since.

The pounds are going to melt off with time. Since January I've lost about 25 lbs without changing my diet much. Summer is a great time to shed those pounds with the heat. It also makes a huge difference climbing hills or mountains.

Set a goal for yourself like riding in a metric century. My first one was this weekend and I completed it in 3 hrs and 52 minutes. It included one mountain climb of over 5 miles. I'm pumped up and ready for the next one. My next goal is to complete a full century. Doing the same will keep you motivated to keep riding.

Riding skills take time. I would recommend Club rides which are initially quite confusing, but you'll learn a lot. There are so many hand signs and verbal communication, it's confusing at first. Cyclist have their own lingo. Once you get over the initial shock, you'll have a blast. Riding with a pack at 25+ mph over rolling hills mile after mile is an exhilarating experience.

To sum it all up, have fun and just keep riding!