Originally Posted by
vesteroid
I will be doing 2-4 hour rides and trying to work my fitness level enough to do some of the passes here. Most of the passes are in excess of 4k foot climbs.
If you're going over high mountain passes, you need a camera. And, you need to come back and show us pictures of the scenery.
Beyond that, you need a way to deal with a flat, water, possibly some food, and what you need to be comfortable, like a wind breaker, arm or leg warmers, etc. And glasses - sun glasses are fine. You don't want a pebble or a bug in the eye while you're racing back down the mountain.