Just past one of the villages is a long slow, straight climb. It’s more what I’d call a drag. There are farm buildings at the top on the right and a smart farmhouse on the left. As I turned into the straight, I got the headwind full-on, but being the stalwart that I am, I continued to grind out a steady rhythm as the road rose between the high hedges. There was nobody on the road.
A pheasant appeared along the overgrown verge on my right. 'Hello cheekie' I thought. As I came past at 13mph or so, it stood to attention, turned and then ran with me, parallel and just off the road. I looked down incredulously. What kind of foolish prank was this? Bit scary. I slowed and it came toward me, flapping its wings. It clearly fancied its chances.
I blame the parents. It was 5 pounds of prime feather plumage and bad-attitude. I was 150 pounds of gristle and ....bewildered. I stopped at the top of the hill, and it stopped. It stood it’s ground as I got off the bike and got out the camera-phone. It was waiting for me to make my move. It wanted a piece of me. I shooed it away, but that just made it more belligerant. What kind of grouse are they making these days?. What do they teach them at nursery?
The video footage is good. Its yet to be edited. This is the perpetrator. Doesn't look so scary on the screen. As I made to go, it came toward me and we had another to-do. After 2 minutes I gave up and picked up the bike to ride off. I told it I was going to get my dad.
As I looked around, I saw 3 kids jumping on the settee in the farmhouse looking through the steamed-up window, pointing and creasing themselves. I must have looked a sight. What a pathetic specimen.
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