I bought one earlier this year and I'm really pleased so far. It's a decent touring bike for us cheapskates.
http://www.nordicgroup.us/bikerec/#Touring

Very minor complaints:
The rear spokes were improperly tensioned. LBS re-trued the wheel and everything is OK.
The rear rack initially looked strong, but it flexes too much under load.
Seat was painful (for me). Swapped it out for a Brooks.
Probably a few pounds heavier than most, but once it's loaded, it's not a concern.

If there is a Performance bikeshop nearby, you might want to check them out. They usually don't carry the touring model, but I got lucky and found one my size off the rack. It was on sale for around $600 (including $60 worth of TeamPerformance coupons).