Thank you all for the great advice. I swung by my LBS and the guy told me that a Specialized Tricross bike would work out really well. They had an overstock 2011 for around $1300, which is beyond my budget, but might be something I could stretch for if it was worth it. I sort of feel like it is a kind of do-it-all bike....was light, had the holes for adding racks, and was aluminum with carbon fork. I'm willing to stretch my budget to get a bike that I can grow with. That looks to be that type of bike. I don't know if supported touring like Ragbrai is really what I want to do....I think it is, but biking with thousands of other people has it's draw backs too. I tend to be more of a guy who runs from crowds. I have a feeling that I would really enjoy the more relaxed credit card type trips with hotel stays, but also the option to do camping too (I have all of the really small light stuff from backpacking days, so I'm set there).

I may save my pennies for the Tricross type bike. It seems like it would do a club-type ride pretty well, as well as a Ragbrai-type ride, as well as solo touring. I don't forsee that I will go out alone for more than a week (at least that is what I'm thinking now) so I think something like that would do the trick.
Yeah, it is more than my budget, but I also like that it comes from my LBS and something that I can build a relationship with them.
Does that sound like I'm on the right track in my thinking?