Thanks for the feedback so far.
Some more clarification based on some of the comments:

Last summer I decided I wanted to get back on a bike, I flirted with a hybrid purchase, but based on a lot of feedback from this forum, decided I should think along the lines of owning at least two bikes, a mountain bike and a road bike. So about 4 months ago I purchased a Motobecane Fantom29 hardtail from BikesDirect. I'm very happy with the purchase of that bike.

Now, as I ponder a road bike I'm thinking of what I would usually use it for. I would have to work up to being able to do a Century, but I'd like to have that as an option some day. I doubt I'd do any major overnight type touring, but I could see myself using it for some minor grocery runs and needing the ability to run it with some panniers. So it would mostly be for recreational road riding, with some mixed use thrown in. So as I was reading some of the other forums on this board, the CX idea started to take shape.

I will probably order it online, but maybe not. I'm willing to spend around $1,000. Possibly a little more, but I would have to wait longer to save more.