I praise the Bianchi Volpe for that price range. I had one after a car hit and wrecked the Miyata 1000 tourer I was using. After another cyclist wrecked the Volpe I upgraded to a Cannondale touring frame using parts stripped from the Miyata and the Volpe. Finally I lucked into some $$$ and upgraded to a Bruce Gordon BLT. The BLT is his budget bike. I still have the Cannondale. Two years after I got the BLT I am discovering touring specific things Bruce built into it.

In a pinch any bike will do. I heard of a racer down to his last Masi. Threw everything in a knapsack and heard across the country.