5 – An extremely hard day. Be prepared. Take more food and water than you think. These rides should be training targets not training rides. Routes are technically and physically demanding. They should only be attempted in dry and fair weather. 6 to 9 hour efforts.

4 – A solid weekend ride. These are considerable rides that take good conditioning and handling. Routes are solid training sessions for targets and goals. 4 – 7 hour efforts.

3 – Intense efforts for shorter periods. 2 – 3 hour efforts. Doable in poorer weather.

2 – Pleasant rides that require moderate conditioning. Neither technical nor demanding.

1 – Enjoy the scenery.