re: other bikes built with high-performance, ultra-strong steels:

Most are on the expensive side. A number of small builders and custom builders make them. Independent Fabrication is among them. But all of these bikes will be not just slightly more expensive, but considerably more expensive.

There are some production bikes that are or were made with these steels. The Salsa Ala Carte was made with Reynolds 853 at one time, then Salsa switched to OX Platinum, which is a similar level of steel that some builders like to use. The 853 Ala Carte was used by the Martins,

http://www.adventurecycling.org/reso...unchained3.pdf

http://www.adventurecycling.org/reso...unchained6.pdf

I suppose you could call their builder, Chuck Hoeffer,

...A week later we cycled into Fairbanks
and traded the solitude of the Dalton for the
luxury of the city. It had taken 14 days to
cover 500 miles and both we and our equipment
had taken a beating. However, despite
the abuse, our bikes were ready for more,
and I thought how lucky we’d been the day
we met Chuck Hoeffer, owner of Pacific
Coast Cycles in Carlsbad, California. We
told him what we planned and asked his
advice, expecting to be overwhelmed with
tech talk and gear ratios.
“Twenty-six-inch wheels and steel
frames,” was all he said.
Impressed with this pragmatic approach,
we asked him to build us two bikes. He
started with Salsa frames and worked outward,
giving each feature careful consideration,
balancing weight against durability,
always keeping in mind that repairs would
likely be made beside the road, with limited
tools, by an untrained mechanic. When he
finished, the bikes were things of beauty.
Strong, yet at 26 pounds amazingly light,
they handled the excessive loads we piled
on them without complaint and tracked like
dreams. I only wished Hoeffer had built our
tent as well....

I talked with Hoeffer about these bikes, and he seemed like a good guy to work with. I believe he was in Oceanside at one time. He may still be around. Maybe he could line you up with a bike, or set one up for you as he did for the Martins. He might know of something. Wouldn't take much to check it out at least.

You might also be able to find a mint- or near-mint-condition bike on craigslist, or through other online resources. I don't blame you at all for wanting new. But there are some bikes out there (quite a few, in fact) that are virtually new. As someone pointed out above, a lot of these sorts of purchases end up not being used much at all. The owners splash out on some great, excellently well made, beautiful gear -- and then their lives take unexpected turns, or they never escape their obligations, or they get too old, or they otherwise simply don't get out there on the big trips they had in mind. I found a Trek touring bike with a nice quality rack that looked as if it hadn't been ridden as much as most new bikes in bike shops, bikes that have only been taken out for a few test rides. Mint. Essentially new. Could easily be sold as new. And it was well priced.

These sorts of bikes aren't under every rock; but they aren't impossibly rare either. I've seen them at bike swap meets. I'm sure some of them end up online. Or you could send out some feelers or lines, without necessarily counting on a good bite (i.e. having a Plan B and C), but just being open to the possibility that something might appear. Some wealthy people, among others, just buy expensive toys and rarely use them. You could put out some wanted ads (on CL, or bulletin boards online, or in bike shops, for example). If these bikes are properly stored and protected, and barely used, and built with a fine frame material and excellent components, then they might be worth considering. Sounds like someone who posted above found a great, high-end Koga Miyata for close to your price range (brand new, it probably would have cost thousands more). You might even find something made with Reynolds 853, 753, 953, OX Plat, True Temper S3, high-performance Dedacciai or Columbus tubing, etc.

You might be able to find a Jamis Dragon (853) that someone bought and didn't use much. There are quite a few of them out there. They used to have rack mounts, and the top tube was more gently sloping.

[The Fuji Ultralight tubing mentioned above was used by the company Marin, which is based in Marin County (where mt bikes originated); they used this tubing, which is similar to Reynolds 853, in some of their higher end mt bikes.]