Very Cold Baiku...Hedgerow Mammal Content.

Out on my second ride of 2009! The roadbike beckons so out I go into a winter wonderland. Trees and hedges encrusted with bright ice, the whole area covered in sparkling fairy dust, (sorry, have been reading too many Flower Fairy poems to my daughter). It's cold, so very cold. It takes at least ten miles of spinning a lowish gear just to be able to feel my toes and every breath making my lungs tingle!
Onto the small lanes now and a large leaf is moving in the gentle breeze ahead of me. No it's not, brake HARD its not blowing, it's walking! A small, depressed looking hedgehog shivering in the road. First thought, let's move him into the hedge. No good, the temperature is due to fall to -9 deg C tonight, he'll die then anyway.
Plan two, remove one of my jerseys (Bbbbrrrrr!) wrap him up and call the wife to come and collect him. Ride slowly back in first (one handed now) to meet the wife. Transfer the hedgehog into a box (he can keep my jersey for now), stuff a sheet of newspaper down me front and continue with ride. Hedgehogs play havoc with your average speed!
Get home to find the 'hog tucking into a saucer of warm water and a little cat food. Five minutes on the internet finds a local hedgehog hospital who can collect him within half an hour!
Bye Mr. Hog, the twins aneen't happy to see him go...tears before bedtime! Coldest ride ever!

I love Hedgehogs, so it is worth losing my 180th post status to sell well done fella!

I would de-flea the jersey though, the little buggers are normally covered in 'em! :shock:

I had a cool hedgehog experience a few years ago riding home at night through the Gloucestershire back lanes. I made out something in the road ahead, but in the gloom I couldn't make out what it was. Roadkill? A rock? A clump of weeds? As I got closer, half of the object detached itself and hurried off into the hedge, leaving (as it turned out) four or five baby hedgehogs staring around in bewilderment. I backed off a little way, and momma came scurrying back out of the hedge, collected her brood, and off they all scurried together.