What I am looking for in a bicycle

Not one like this!

What I am looking for in a bicycle is a wide tired, wide gear range, loaded touring, chromemoly  framed bicycle.  A long, easy riding, let-go-of-the-handlebars and coast on long downhills bicycle.  A bicycle that can easily carry a week or two of camping gear, clothing and groceries in attached panniers while just as easily handling various quality pavement, gravel and dirt roads.  A bicycle that fits my body well and is comfortable for all day long bicycle rides.  A bicycle to pedal through the country to enjoy the scenic vistas and to camp at forested campsites.  A bicycle that is not fast or furious, but always finishes the long distance rides with style and class.  That's what I'm looking for.  It is called a touring bicycle.
In the mid to late 1980's, just about every bicycle manufacturing company made a touring bike.  Some, like the Trek 520, became legends among the 1976 Bike Centennial riders (now called Adventure Cycling).  Even small companies started up to only build a touring bicycle frame, where you had to install the components onto the frame in order to ride it.
Just in my close local circle of bicycling friends in the 1980's there was a Trek, a Cannondale, a Fuji and two Centurions.  All touring bicycles.  And we had some bicycles in our group that were used for touring that were not ever designed or intended to be used as touring bicycles.
Well, those glory days of bicycle touring are mostly gone now with only one or two companies still making lugged frames, everyone else choosing to weld the tubes without using lugs.  But riders still tour the globe.  Every year.  Most ride a handful of the same old touring bicycles.  Some ride with panniers, some ride pulling trailers loaded with their gear, some just ride.
Today in the United States of America you can still buy a new Trek 520, a Jamis Aurora Elite, a Fuji Touring, an REI Randonee or Safari, a Windsor Tourist, the Surly Long Haul Trucker, and bicycles still being built with lugs like the Rivendell Atlantis.  There are a few other touring models, some with flat bars, shorter seat stays or other modifications to meet more than just touring rider needs. Many of the 1980's bicycle companies like Centurion (my old touring bike) no longer exist.  These are on my small personal favorite list, but there are many others, especially ones made overseas.
For my money, I need a bicycle that I can maintain myself with my limited bike shop skills and one that leaves enough money on the table to still be able to purchase panniers, water bottles, bicycle computer and bike clothes.  The camping gear I already own.  While I will probably only tour once or twice a year, it is the all day riding and long-frame comfort that I am really looking for.  We'll look at some of these bicycles over the next few weeks and discuss their good and so-so points.  In the meantime, get out and ride what you have.