thulsa, I guess I should specify that my "road" bike (a cross bike with 28s) is set up so that I am comfortable on it for long periods of time. I dont have a pure "road" bike, so even though the bars on the cross bike are lower than teh bars on my touring bike, the reach is a bit shorter, so it is actually more comfortable than the touring bike.
At the end of last season when I was in stronger shape, I had thought of lowering my cross bars down a spacer or two, but in the end, Im not really into getting a bit more "aero" at teh expense of day long comfort, and the cross bike was happily very comfortable for a 6 day tour I did last summer with my wife, so Im happy with it.

Im definately in the "want it to be comfortable" crowd, and as the cross bike is set up for me, it is great. Plus its faster than my tourer, but if I were to get a new touring bike, I would use the same cockpit dimensions as the cross bike, just cuz it works for me, even all day long.

I am also predominantly a sit down rider, so I do like a knee friendly fore-aft position, with more of a slight rear seat position if anything as it helps with seated pedalling power while climbing (or at least thats how it feels to me, plus it does seem easier on the knees, which I am careful of) I have not really done the plumb-line thing.