Why kill the badger??

In the early days of touring and the added benefits of new designs, I decided to attempt to use the roof mountings that attach by way of suction cups and a locking lever, designed for carrying of lightweight equipment.

These mounts are very useful and appear very powerful, so no worries there plenty suitable enough for my motorhome's roof with its smooth surface and a lightwieght article such as my windsurfer.

Suffice to say my OH and I had been travelling and hit upon a lake where I could enjoy my pastime sailing on the lake and then completing the day by travelling back to the site with kit loaded and my board on the roof.

I know you will be ahead of me and will be expecting what inevitabley comes next and yes it concerned me a lot but I had got complacent and did not check each one not having had any trouble for the many journies and distance I had done trouble free.

Yes my board took flight and thankfully I was travelling on an isolated road that caused no fear, damage nor concerns to anyone (or did it) but gave me a fright when I watched aghast as my board went backwards in my rearview mirror and I came to a rest concerned at what could have occurred.

Let me elaborate on the road at this stage, it was a little more than a single track road, rural area that has a number of farm tracks leading off periodically and a gully that allows for the water catchment to the nearby river come canals.

Having both run toward the board, my good lady stoppoed in her tracks and let out a ghast, concerned I ran back having not seen what caused her concern, what could have occured.

To my horror there lay a badger some 10 metres from the board on the same side near the gully, but field side, as where the board had come to rest, my wife was distraught I was horrified that I could take the life of anything and tried to reassure her that I would do what, something, anything but realistically what could I do.

Within a second or two of observation the darn animal moved at such a speed and was gone into a nearby wooded area that was no doubt where the set was.

To this day I have never experienced anything like this and hope not to have to do so again but suffice to say the badger was clearly OK and was probably concerned at what next was going to fly through the air near to its normally peaceful tranquill setting, did it really have to be worried about flying windsurfing boards!!.

After the event my wife always makes comment, tounge in cheek,  when items are secured (on the since compulsory fitted roof rack!!) beware of any badgers which always brings a smile to us both.

It does naturally rasie a serious issue of making sure how things need to be secured and rest assured we are now never complaicaent and ensure thorough checks are conducted before each journey and as a result no further incident for the past 10 - 15 years.

The experience we had is often shared with fellow tourers and always raises a smile, time to share a bit wider now hope it raises a smile with you too