I envy your Merlin, northbend.
Here's my everyday ride, which has yet to be on anything longer than a metric century.
It's an '89 Schwinn World frame I repainted and built up with mostly the cheapest used and discounted parts I could find.
Its "dinglespeed" drive train allows for some versatility in a fixed setup, which is great for all kinds of things. I hope to do some 200 and 300k rides with it this spring when the roads aren't covered in slush and salt.