Thanks for the replies!

You all have been touching on the issues I've been struggling with--road surfaces, distances, going into shops, weather concerns, etc.

So now the question is what type of bike to get, and then which specific one.

My dad has an old Bridgestone road bike (tension shifters and all that) at home (200 miles away) that he doesn't use, so that's an option. But I'm still weighing my options.

Oh, and don't think you've heard the last of me!