They carried the babies home in their shirts ❤️
Two Cyclists Took a Detour — and Found the Ride of a Lifetime
Nicolás Pradilla and his trainer, Héctor Ramírez, were wrapping up a three-day cycling expedition through the Colombian countryside when a spontaneous decision changed everything. Opting for a more rugged route, they began a grueling 25-mile uphill climb — a choice that would lead them to two lives in need.
“Halfway up the climb, Héctor heard some noises that sounded like birds,” Pradilla told The Dodo. Curious, they paused — and when they looked down through the thick brush, they couldn’t believe their eyes.
There, hidden in the dirt and leaves, were two abandoned puppies, huddled together and covered in grime.
While the cyclists hadn’t planned on picking up passengers, there was no question about what they would do. “We decided to take them with us immediately, even though we still had quite a climb and over six hours of travel ahead,” Pradilla said.
Héctor gently tucked one puppy under his shirt, then handed the other to Pradilla to do the same. With the pups nestled close to their hearts, they rode on — and unknowingly started a whole new journey.
At first, the plan was to help the puppies recover and find them loving homes. But by the time they reached their destination, it was clear: they had already found them.
“The initial idea was to find them homes,” Pradilla said. “But after more than six hours with them, we couldn’t let them go.”
Héctor named his pup Remi, and Pradilla named his Tinto, a nod to Colombia’s beloved black coffee.
Since then, the puppies have settled into their new lives — and transformed their rescuers’ lives, too. For Pradilla, adopting Tinto meant a fresh start: he moved out of his parents’ house so the two could have a home of their own.
“Not only did he find a home,” Pradilla said, “but I did, too.”
While Tinto is still recovering from a deworming treatment and hasn’t returned to adventuring just yet, he’s healing fast. “We’re already planning a ride to relive those moments,” Pradilla said.
What began as an unexpected detour became the ride of a lifetime — and the beginning of two beautiful bonds.
