Originally Posted by Rex G
This is certainly a common problem in SE and Central Texas; the demand for serious touring bikes is so low that few shops stock them. I will see the occasional Trek 520, rarely in my size.
It's not just a problem in your area. Here in Denver, where we are bicycle crazy, you can find every brand of mountain bike in every model made. We have close to 200 shops in the Denver Metro area alone but I can think of only 3 or 4 which carry touring bicycles and most of those are not this year's model. Touring bikes are a very small subset of a small subset of the bicycle market. Finding one to ride can be an adventure in itself.
Try looking for the major brands like Trek, Cannondale or Fuji. Call shops around you to see if anyone has the specific model you are looking for. If all else fails try contacting the manufacturer to see if they might know of anyone carrying them in your area. Or ask other cyclists to see if someone knows of a the models you are looking for.