Hey Kevin-

I'm riding a 2005 Masi Speciale. A great bike, and not that expensive as bikes go. I've put probably 3,000 miles on it so far and other than a couple of routine tuneups it's been problem free.

I have a Cat Eye Wireless cycle computer that seems to give me all the data I need. Your question about riding time prompted me to take  a look at it. My riding partner and I started the ride at 5 AM and completed the circuit at 5:45 PM. Actual saddle time was about ten and a half hours. The rest was for food stops etc;

I trained on mountain passes for this ride, riding up to the visitor center at Mt. St. Helens and last week we rode to the top of Washington Pass in the North Cascades. Those pass climbs will give you over a mile of elevation. Great training, and the ride down is the payoff!

The hardest part of RAMROD is Cayuse Pass: un unrelenting nine mile climb after you've already completed 100 miles and climbed over the highest pass at Paradise. Average speed up Cayuse is about 6 MPH and you're thinking all the way, "I could walk this fast".