This is now after the fact and I believe that you made the correct choice. I bought the #2 grand touring bike of a manufacturers catalog in 1984. 28 years later, well, we just rode Fort Smith to Sherwood (arkansas) for a vacation last week. I have carried 85 pounds of grocs on the bike while pulling a Winchester loaded with 25 pounds of baby girl and 75 pounds of food. OK, it cannot haul what the BD can on frame, but it hauls a lot including ass. It is reasonably fast, too.
I bought my BD as a planned replacement for my (now) 28 year old Grand Touring bike. When I bought the BD, I did not know that Surly was about to present the LHT. *I would have bought an LHT had I had the knowledge.*
Hindsight being 20-20. I would have bought the LHT. However, I now have a BD. When the "Challenge" is forcibly retired, the BD can fill its tires for the most part. The BD can certainly haul a lot more then the Challenge", however, the BD won't:
fit on a normal car bike rack
fit on a local public transportation rack
fit in our VW Kombi
fit on my VW Karman rack.
It will and can do the job of the Challenge and the LHT for long distance use. It handles wonderfully. The cargo capacity is overwhelming compared to the Challenge and the LHT. It is a great bicycle, don't get me wrong. However, it is not a casual bike because some places and some vehicles just cannot handle it.
Thus, a complete replacement it is not.
I'm now planning to get a LHT (disk brake version) to (again) replace my 28 year old Challenge Grand Touring bicycle. I hope to relegate the BD to its proper role as a cargo bike and let the "Disk Trucker" become my LDx bike as the Challenge has been for the last 28 years.
A member of this forum who is one of my bicycling buddies from college (when floppy disks were carved from rocks) bought a (disk) LHT. He uses it as his daily commuter to and from work. It also tows a trailer at work carrying loads for the job. The LHT is a good buy.
In your case, the deal is done and it is too late for me to advise. I think that you made the correct descision.
For the next person, it may not have been so. I always tell wannabes to define your mission profile and to select your equipment according to that mission profile. You don't use B2s for air superiority and you don't use F15s as a heavy bomber. Select your equipment per your mission profile. It is your call.
Based upon what you wrote, I believe that the LHT fit your mision profile better than the BD.