You call your present bike junk ok but analyse why you don't like it. That may help getting a bike you like.

Look at some of the pictures in the cyclecross fourm, they have drop bars and wide tires.

Try as many bikes as you can find espicially tose of friends so you can ride with them and see what features you like.

You've gotton good advice here on the drop bars being good because of the varing positions and you can set them so the top bar is higher than the seat.

Welcome

Joe