Birds had bank accounts

I realised the other day, as I rode in the dark, that I had failed completely to provide any sort of summary of my year for 2010. A list of the highs and lows, the wins and loses, what songs moved me, what books made me ponder, what films I had wept at, what food satisfied. Most remiss of me, but rest assured now, I'm not about to trot any of those hoary old lists out now, especially since it is February.

Instead, I want you, yes you, the reader, to tell me of your favourite piece of road to ride. What it is that makes it so pleasurable, why return and whether you drag others through zealously. It doesn't have to be a piece of road you train on every week, it doesn't even need to be in your town, but it does need to be a piece of road that tugs at you.

For me there it a long list of such roads, but if I had to list the definitive five I should have a crack at it now. This list is in no particularly order.

Dunedin to Waitati - A big, steady climb either way, long fun descents, fantastic views and quiet, traffic free roads. The vista on the top is as good as anywhere in the country, and it's a ride that lends itself to solitude.

Carter Road, Auckland - A steady climb that is not steep, can be ridden in almost any state of fitness and has real satisfaction as it unfolds. Plus it's bush lined, so the wind really doesn't maul you, there are often people walking who will say 'Hello", no traffic to speak of, and always some great native flora and fauna.

SH35 from Opotiki to Waihau Bay - It's just a ribbon stuck to the coast between rocks, beaches, pohutakawas and hillsides. No glass, no pot holes, ever changing views and a real sense of remoteness. It is a road to savour.

Scenic Drive, Auckland - In the pre-dawn one can watch light creep over the city, see moths and insects, listen to the daylight dwelling forest members wake and not see a car for it's length. The climbs are frustrating, but enjoyable, not steep, not truly long, but relentless, and after ramp number X, if one has been silly and pushed too hard, can be gruesome. The winding shelter of the forest makes amends, and it's a truly satisfying loop from the city.

Woodcocks Road, Auckland - Hard to get to, not hard in a directional sense, but hard riding, Woodocks road is sublime. Scenery, surface, shelter and reward, it has it all.

So, there you have some of mine, tell me yours.