Ha ha yes, I got one but not sure I like it. To cut a long story short I scrapped the dual-purpose idea and went with a cheap, rubbish, won't-get-nicked bike for everyday and a decent one for 'proper' riding. I was introduced to the idea of a cyclo-cross bike being a good option for a long-distance ride and after trying some out I got some sort of Cannondale one (the model escapes me) which I've put slicks on.
Not really enjoying the drops though and feel the pedals are too far forward of the saddle for comfort now I've ridden it a fair bit, so am now looking at getting a different bike which is more of a hybrid style (straight bars and put bar ends on) and paying better attention to the fit now I know a bit more about what I'm looking for. Have not yet zoned in on an actual bike though, finding the choice overwhelming...
Thanks for the blog link, will take a look.
Was planning on 10 days (I think the distances entailed are manageable, looking at the itinerary and what I've done recently), but may up it to 14 depending on work factors.