The temperature had already shot up to 90 degrees by 7:30 last Saturday morning, prompting usual warnings about the risks of strenuous exercise in scorching heat, but that didn’t deter dozens of runners and cyclists I passed on my bike.

I’ve also seen (and been part of) large groups of joggers and riders on this same route during monstrous snowstorms, monsoon-like rain, horizontal hail, stinging sleet and just about any other meteorological abuse Mother Nature can inflict.

This popular thoroughfare, which I’ll identify shortly, has it all: stunning views, mostly flat terrain with a few rolling hills, and a respectful, share-the-road vibe embraced by motorists as well as those traveling on their own power.

Of course, we here in southeastern Connecticut enjoy a multitude of woodland trails and a handful of designated bike/pedestrian paths, but pavement can have its own appeal, too.

With this in mind, I have compiled an admittedly subjective list of the region’s Top 10 roads for biking and running, based on years of rambles on two feet and two wheels. Some go on for miles, others are only a block long. This tally could easily incorporate the top 100, and I apologize if I’ve left out your favorite routes. I hope to expand the list at a later date.

10. Northwest Corner Road, Preston/North Stonington. A wonderful mix of farms and woodland, this lightly traveled route between Route 164 in Preston and Route 201 in North Stonington abuts a section of Pachaug State Forest. The hills will get your heart pumping without crushing your spirit. A number of worthy crossroads are also worth exploring.

9. Route 154, Old Saybrook. Heading south from Saybrook Point, this flat-as-a-pancake route traverses a causeway offering views of South Cove to the west and the mouth of the Connecticut River to the east. As you approach the Fenwick peninsula, you can catch a glimpse of Katharine Hepburn’s former estate, aptly named Paradise.

8. Deans Mill Road, Stonington. If you follow a circular route that includes Pellegrino Road, Flanders Road and Pequot Trail, make sure you wind up going down Deans Mill, not up it — it’s a killer heading north. But southbound, Deans Mill is sublime: narrow, winding and wooded, passing alongside the Mystic Reservoir.

7. Sandy Hollow Road, Ledyard. Connecting Whalehead Road to the west and Route 117 to the east, this road passes between Rosemond Lake and Morgan Pond, just north of the Ledyard Reservoir. Sections here more closely resemble northern New England than southeastern Connecticut.

6. Beaver Brook Road, Lyme. An elegant mix of farmland and forests will almost make you forget about the monster hills.

5. Old Black Point Road, East Lyme. Just east of Rocky Neck State Park, this route hugs the Black Point peninsula with expansive views of Long Island Sound.

4. Pequot Avenue, New London. The southern section, heading toward Ocean Beach Park, parallels the west bank of the Thames River, where you can watch ferries, sailboats and, if you're lucky, a submarine.

3. Palmer Court, Noank. Approach this road from Pearl Street, heading east toward Riverview Avenue. At the crest of the hill is an expansive vista from which you can take in Fishers Island, Ram Island, Masons Island, and, if the sky is clear, a distant Block Island to the southeast.

2. Island Circle, Groton Long Point. Actually, the entire Groton Long Point peninsula, including West, South and East Shore avenues, offers superlative running and cycling — but don’t abuse the privilege by cutting in front of beach traffic or trespassing onto the pedestrians-only Boardwalk. As for Island Circle, this short loop off Island Avenue, which is divided into Island Circle North and Island Circle North, passes within a few feet of Mumford Cove, with a view of the east shore of Bluff Point Coastal Preserve.

1. River Road, Mystic. Yes, it’s narrow and has no shoulder for running or biking, but drivers here are the politest I’ve ever encountered, slowing down and even stopping to avoid hogging the road. As for the scenery, you can’t beat views of salt marshes, diving osprey, ships across the Mystic River at Mystic Seaport Museum, sea captains’ homes, kayaks, rowing shells and the downtown drawbridge.

Last Saturday, when I rode back and forth on River Road, I lost track of the number of fellow cyclists and runners I passed, along with families pushing strollers and seniors pushing walkers.

Then there was one guy who had pulled his pickup truck over and was carrying firewood salvaged from the side of the road — never mind that it was so hot the pavement seemed about to melt.

“I know, it’s crazy,” he exclaimed as I whizzed past.

“Not at all,” I replied. A man after my own heart.