Spreading his wings

Eli just returned from his annual backpacking trip with his dad.  The two of them tackled one more small section of the Superior National Hiking trail.  They apparently returned while I was out picking up Theo from a birthday party.  We pulled up behind Jon's car and saw that it was still loaded with all of the camping equipment.  I thought that Jon and Eli must be in the house- they must have had to go to the bathroom real badly or something.  But the door was locked and no one was inside.  We had no idea where they were.  It turned out that they had stiffened up on the drive home and got right out once they got home and went for a little stroll to loosen the muscles.  And to help Eli get his bearings in our neighborhood.  For some reason the week before was when Eli (finally!) started paying attention to where we lived in relation to other important landmarks- in Eli's eyes this means libraries or bookstores.  Apparently he and Jon spent much of their walk through the woods discussing how Eli would walk from our home to these places, sometimes stopping to make maps in the dirt with sticks.  And now that he was home he was eager to walk around and make sure he knew which way was what.  So that he could take off for these destinations on his bike.  Alone.

He was so eager to try it out that we said, sure, go ahead.  But first describe to us how you are going to get there.  He said, "Well, I'm going to go out to Snelling, then I'm going to go sideways for a little while.  Then I'll cross at that one street and go straight straight straight until I see the bookstore."  Ok, sideways then straight at that one place.  I'm feeling confident.  But we suited him up with a phone, he grabbed a few bucks in case something caught his eye at the store, was reminded to put on his helmet, and off he went to the garage.  A little swagger to his step if I must say. 

At that point I needed to call my mom for something else and I mentioned that Eli was off biking on his own.  She reacted immediately.  Notice I did not say OVER-reacted.  I am not one to judge.  But she brought up every possible danger- he's riding into the sun!  It's setting! (in 2 hours!)  The twins game just got out! Does he have a lock?   Oops.  We had set him up with everything else but a lock.  She implored me to hang up and get out there and follow him, on the sly if need be!  Jon and I talked it over and decided that Jon should meet him at the bookstore with a lock, but that Eli could return alone if he wanted.  He wanted.  And he did return, all in one piece even.  And he's eager to do it again.  The next time I won't call my mom....