Hey! Another Vegas resident, welcome! I have an 85' Bianchi limited with the same gearing as you and I don't seem to mind it too much. That being said, I'm used to climbing on mountain bikes and just recently got into the road bike game, so actually having all of my force transferred into the wheels instead of the full suspension on my MTB is a world of difference for me.

Regarding the frame, and Bianchigirl will correct me if I'm wrong, in the late 80s, Bianchi switched their production from Japan back to Italy, so it is likely that it's an Italian frame. Whether or not they had Shimano components is not really indicative. My limited came with Shimano 600 grouppo and is an Italian frame.

The chrome forks and chainstays were dependent on the model of the bike I believe.