Thanks all again for your continued engagement :-)
I took a look at the VO Piolet, that really does look exciting.
I also like the Sequoia (I had no idea it existed; I think I'm not quite in the hype train vanguard and didn't realize, from some poking aroud, how popular this bike is on the web). But I really do think that I need to not have drops. I just took the LHT out for a ride yesterday and hated being in the drops. I think I'm all hoods now (on drop bars) or on flat bar. My troll's h-bars are pretty great, but sometimes they feel sluggish. I know I'm being picky, but still appreciate all the thoughts I'm reading here...
Does anyone have experience with the Soma Wolverine? That one also looks like it might be a nice hybrid "adventure" upright that I can confidently run unloaded and pretty zippy...