I did it!!!!

I did my first supermarket trip with my Rambouillet "grocery bike" today, and I lived to tell the tale.

It's only about a mile and a half from my house to the supermarket (3 miles round trip), but as I noted before, there is a pretty steep 1/4 mile hill to go up right just before I get back home.
Today was very COLD and WINDY. I dressed pretty warm (need more glovage next time)....balaclava and everything. It was 28F degrees out, but the wind chill factor was 17F.
I made my little list, determined to not overdo it the first time out. I was a little afraid of the whole attempt, it was a whole new thing for me, not like just stopping at the bank.

I found a really excellent railing near the superm. doors where I was able to lock my bike up visibly and safely and not in the way of anything at all. My new super heavy U-lock and heavy cable were just right for the location (and the U-lock reached around my frame and the railing with only 1/2" to spare!), and I was able to feel very safe about leaving my bike out where I couldn't see it for 30 minutes. That felt good.

So I got the things on my list, and it didn't look like too much at all, so I added a few other small things. The stuff wound up filling my two grocery bags about 2/3 full each. When I lifted the bags they suddenly seemed awfully heavy though, and I wondered if I had goofed bigtime.
I pressed on bravely, and got them outside and into my two panniers without incident. Taking off my lock and loading the panniers, I saw how much the bike wanted tip to one side or the other now with the load in back, sort of like a motorcycle.

I headed home, careful to not turn sharply and staying aware of the potential tippiness that wasn't there before. My hands were cold. I noticed I needed to stay in one gear lower than my usual while riding on the flat parts of my route.
I approached my big hill and downshifted almost all the way, ahead of time. I was nervous- what if I just tip over or can't pedal up it?
Well I made it up. It was not easy- my heart was pounding and I was trying to just spin slowly up while maintaining a zen-like frame of mind. But I got to the top ok and knew I was home free. YAY!!! I could do it and not die.

First thing I did when I got home was brag like crazy to my DH while doing a happy dance, and then I went to weigh the two bags before I unpacked them.
Exactly twenty pounds total of groceries. Plus my now 35 pound bike....
So that means I hauled 55 pounds up my hill (not counting ME) with just my two legs for power. COOL!

I never thought I could do anything this ambitious. And in the below freezing temps and wind, too. Who'dda thunk?- not me!

I'm psyched and I feel like I won a prize.
Next trip I might try to load up a tad less though.