Huggy 1 - Badgers 0
Just before The Rodney about 8pm on TMNH I noticed a dark shadow emerge from the verge which I realised was a badger ambling across the road. Given that we were ascending TMNH I was not going quick anyway but I slowed further and steered to pass behind the said badger just at the moment that he was spooked and decided to do a U-turn back to the left hand verge. He promptly got a very close up view of my front wheel as it ran over his snout. There was much growling & barking (from the badger, I made other mutterings) and as I was now at a standstill I was afraid of him lashing out at my ankle, or worse my front tyre.
Fortunately the badger decided that the verge on the far side of the road was probably safer after all and ran off that way, no doubt to inspect how many whiskers he had left.
OD arrived very shortly afterwards and once I explained what had happened he was glad that he didn't have to take me to the Vet to have me put down or ankle stitched up.
As we were discussing the incident at the roadside a cyclist descending the hill came past to whom a called out "Beware of badgers!" but I think he just thought I was mad and carried on.
There was quite a lot of nature around as earlier in the ride we had seen a weasel, also on the verge, but he had clearly been paying attention in Tufty the Squirrel's Green Cross Code lesson because he turned back before venturing on the road when we came along. We also experienced killer conkers being hurled at us from above having been shaken off by the headwind we enjoyed all the way to The Compasses.
Some discussion about the Christmas Do was had with Tomsk. OD will no doubt report upon the outcome of the meeting and begin notifying everyone what they have been volunteered for in their absence.
