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Video: Cyclist finds abandoned puppy - and it finds a new home

What's the strangest thing you've found when out riding your bike?...

A puppy abandoned on a rural road in Texas was saved thanks to a passing cyclist, who has also managed to find it a new home.

James McHugh, from Houston, found the pup next to a cardboard box, which it had presumably been left in, while out on a ride – and it’s clear from the wagging tail that it was pleased to see him.

After making the observation, “I’m like 10 miles from the nearest anything,” he picked it up and tucked it safely into his jersey to ride home, later uploading video to YouTube.

He told Metro: ‘A neighbour actually saw the video and decided to adopt her. She has named her Luna. I would love to keep the puppy but I’ve already got two rescue dogs.”

Perhaps because cycling makes you more attuned to your surroundings than driving a car does, we’ve all got stories of strange things we’ve come across while out on a ride.

VecchioJo has even blogged on road.cc about some of the discoveries he’s made while out and about in his ‘Verging on the Odd’ series – ranging from a bag of Babybel cheese to a tree decorated with women’s underwear and a discarded toy bunny.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever come across while out riding a bike? Even better, do you have a picture – if so, there’s a pair of road.cc socks for the one we decide is the best find, just post the photo in the comments below.

We’ll pick a winner sometime after Christmas.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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wstephenson | 9 years ago
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My 4 year old daughter and I were doing a sportive together (FollowMe) when we encountered a very small black farm kitten crossing the road. Luckily for it we were pretty much the last riders. Luckily for me, my daughter wasn't yet at the wanting pets stage!

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billyman | 9 years ago
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Was cycling down country roads in the north west uk and i spotted a beagle going in the opposite direction. It took me a hundred yards to think about it and stop and turn around. One country lane no turns ditches either side but i backtracked for best part of a mile could i find that dog no. A tractor overtook me. I turned around and further on from where i first stopped the road narrows. That point i realised if i would not of turned around and looked for the beagle i would of encountered the tractor that earlier passed me on that very narrow winding road. Coincidence? Maybe....maybe not......

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mrmo | 9 years ago
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does riding down a bridleway on a sunday morning and coming across a naked couple lying on a picnic blanket entertaining themselves count? Although the aquaintance who came across a couple of men up against a tree saw things he rather wishes he hadn't 8-o

 

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Beaufort | 9 years ago
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Regularly buzzed by Red Kites, Kestrels and Buzzards here in Beds. Used to live near Folkestone - home to the Gurkha regiment. On some of the very quiet lanes in the middle of nowhere I would occassionaly come acros them marching with guns in platoons of around a hundred. Pretty disconcerting the first few times.

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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Godammit, my one chance for road.cc socks, and I failed to take a pic of the lost lamb I rescued and returned to it's flock...

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girtlush | 9 years ago
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Whilst touring in the South Island of New Zealand I found an eagle at the side of the road- it had an injury to a wing and was in a bit of a state. The thing was fully sized and a bit feisty to start with but I got it to sit in my bar bag. Every now and then it would try and have a flap but mostly it seemed to enjoy taking in the view as we rode the 5 miles or so to the next village.

The folks at the local shop there took it in and got it to a rescue centre.

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HalfWheeler | 9 years ago
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An owlet.

I was cycling at the edge of town, near a country park, when I noticed a strange brown fluffy shape on the grass verge under some trees about 6 inches from the tarmac. As I got closer I realised what it was; a little baby owl. It was funny because as I was cycling by I was looking at it while it was looking at me, the owl doing that crazy thing they can do with their necks.

I stopped, went back, hummed and hawwed, all the while this thing staring up at me. So, literally, unflappable.

It was just then a car pulled up and a chap came out with a cardboard box. He said he was a park ranger and they were going to take it away to a sanctuary.

 

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pedalpowerDC | 9 years ago
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I also saw two apparently abandoned children (infant and toddler) on the corner of a rural highway and back road in northwestern Michigan. A couple of motorists had seen them first and asked me if they were my children. The authorities were contacted.

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mike the bike replied to pedalpowerDC | 9 years ago
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pedalpowerDC wrote:

I also saw two apparently abandoned children (infant and toddler) on the corner of a rural highway and back road in northwestern Michigan. A couple of motorists had seen them first and asked me if they were my children. The authorities were contacted.

 

Goddammit, I was wondering where I left 'em.

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pedalpowerDC | 9 years ago
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I found a single women's high-heel shoe and a rock hammer on Mt. Rose Highway, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

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StraelGuy | 9 years ago
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Top man, and what an adorable puppy!

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Speedy72 | 9 years ago
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To my eternal regret I didn't think to stop and get a picture of the 12 monks, with hi-viz vests on top of their full habits, replete with sandals, who were coralling a group of 20 odd pilgrims carrying a full size wooden cross down a B road in the middle of nowhere. It's part of an annual pilgrimage to Walberswick apparently, but not something you expect to see at 8:30 on a Sunday morning in the middle of rural Suffolk.

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