What I did was buy a 20xx Lemond Zurich. It has 20 different gear ratios, brifters, clincher tires (and I swap pedals around to ride with cleats or running shoes, depending on what I'm planning to do).
Craigslist is filled with very serviceable behind the curve, high quality bikes that never got ridden much...
If you're comfortable wrenching, it's relatively inexpensive and solves the jump on the bike and go problem. Now, having been back in the saddle for a while, I seem to ride my downtube shifting bikes much more than the others. Muscle memory is a funny thing. Besides, they're prettier. *** My rides are usually 10-25 miles, I don't know if longer rides would change what I choose to ride.

That bike is a beauty. I have my Ron Cooper and others I had bitd, but they were all pirated for parts back and forth during those years, and since then have gotten lots of scratches and scuff marks, even without being ridden. My Witcomb track bike is still not done. (Probably 'cause then I'll have to think about selling it).

Ride, and enjoy your riding, that's really all that matters, in the end.
Cheers, and welcome!
Eric