for that cash, i'd go with a Tout Terrain SilkRoad Rohloff Gold.
specs are here:
http://www.en.tout-terrain.de/filead...10_2012_en.pdf
prices are here:
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&...w2I3kQ&cad=rja
they even made a drop bar version (SilkRoad GT) because the North American market is stuck on drops.
MSRP for the Gold is €3490 (I see them go at shops for roughly €3000).
€3000 - 19% VAT rebate = €2430 or roughly at 1.3 USD/EUR conversion = 3159 USD
Roundtrip flight from USA to Basel (700 USD)
Buy the bike (in Germany, not Switzerland ... just take the train from Basel airport to Freiburg and by the bike there) then Ride the Donauradweg -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donauradweg for 60days at 50km/day (30miles/day) for €15/day = €1000 or 1300 USD
Grand total would be 5159 USD for a lifetime bicycle and a hell of an adventure
or you can just buy a local custom bike.