Originally Posted by
SeventySeven
Biking is the only thing I have in my life, excluding friends, I guess. I don't play video games, etc. All my money goes to bikes, and equipment.
You definitely can spend your money on thing worse than cycling. The physical fitness of kids these days ain't what they used to be when I was a kid. My mom used to have to physically drag me in for dinner. Now, parents have to push the kids outside to get fresh air.
As you probably know, bicycles are a very personal experience. Trek puts together some pretty decent packages; also your Trek dealer probably sells Gary Fisher (owned by Trek) and one bike that I've been eyeing is the Fisher Hi-Fi, which is within your budget.
I agree with Little Leo - buy a complete bike now, and "upgrade" later. Also, realize, you are still growing, so that'll give you an excuse to buy in the near future. It's hard to make sweeping generalizations of "best equipment", but my preferences:
fork: Fox (consistently well made products)
pedal: Shimano 520's (easy in/out, adjustable tension, great mud clearing)
brakes: Avid Juicy (pretty refined system)