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.