Assuming the road bike fits well, give it more time but definitely ditch the clipless and go with a platform pedal.
The benefits of clipless are marginal at best and even for the serious recreational rider there have been studies showing no benefits.
My story is the exact same as yours and I now love my road bike. I re-started at 50.
Nice to see a fellow NJ rider here. I am in Morris County.
The Gran Fondo NJ is on 9/11 this year and is out of Morristown. Check it out online or go to Marty's Cycle for more info. Great shop in Morristown. They have a very active weekend ride schedule also