After dinner bike ride

This past week we had a grab bag of weather- some days were drizzly and awful and others were bright but cold. On one of the bright days Eli asked after dinner if I wanted to go on a bike ride with him. Of course I did. So we bundled up just a bit and hit the road. I convinced him that our bike ride should have a destination, and that destination should be the grocery store so that I could pick up a few necessities. He didn't argue. All the way there he plied me with information about school and friends and such- we had a lovely time. Then we shopped and I loaded up my panniers with the goods. As we were starting out, up the big steep hill back to our house, I asked Eli if he thought he could make it up the hill. He said yes, of course. I said, "Well, you don't have 20 pounds of groceries on your bike..." (I was nervous and already building my case for why I might have to dismount and walk) and he shot back, "Yeah, and I'm not 42 either." Dang. Neither am I!!! 41. And he better remember that. But the guantlet was thrown and there was no way I was going to be able to get off and walk. I had my 41 year old honor to uphold. We both made it. I will not tell who was breathing harder.