Welcome to BF

If you've been lurking, you already know what I'm going to say but will say anyway.

Go to your LBS. Discuss with them what you want. Test ride a few bikes and narrow it down to a few. Return to BF with a few pointed questions to resolve which bike is best for you. Return to LBS, get bike.

Ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride............

But then what do I know. My road bike is a 24 year old steel bike I got off Craigslist in graduate school. Test rode a bunch of road bikes for$1000 prince range. None equaled what I already had. Am now saving up for a Titanium bike. It's going to be awhile before I have a new road bike