Sport Comfort Bikes

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Most touring bikes are able to take wider tires (wider than 23c) to navigate on varied less-than-ideal surfaces. That means wider forks and wider brake reach.
They also have braze-ons & eyelets that you can attach racks, bags, and panniers to.
Their frames are made to carry the extra load of camping equipment.
They have the ability or put two or three water bottle cages.
Most have drop bars rather than straight handlebars, because over many hours of riding you really NEED to change your hand positions often.
They often have a longer base or longer trail which makes them more stable in handling and less 'fickle'.
They usually have a wider gearing range than typical road bikes and can climb mountains better.
A lot of people do like steel bikes for touring because they give a pretty comfortable ride. The least desirable frame for long distance would I think be aluminum.

You don't say what you mean by 'serious distance'....30 miles? 130 miles?

[Triskeliongirl]

The problem with the bike you have now (I know I had one) is it is very heavy and it has components of poor quality. So, once you get it loaded with stuff, it will be very difficult to ride, and you'll get quickly disouraged.

You are better off buying a used high quality touring bike, than trying to make due on this one. However, I just gave my raleigh SC to my daughter. Its a great college bike for a young adult.

[Tri Girl]

Oakleaf- the story about your grandfather is priceless. How great that they'd put it in the climbing gear, get off and put it in the descending gear. We're spoiled with our fancy derailleurs, aren't we?

Heifzilla- you'll get many various opinions on the matter.
I say just get out there and do it. Put your stuff in a backpack if you want and head someplace close for a short overnight tour. You don't have to have all the fancy equipment and gear to get started. Heck, you could just pack a change of clothes, ride to a hotel a town away, and ride back home the next day with very little gear to see if it's something you might like to do. I say try it on your current bike, and if you find that the bike isn't comfortable, or that your gears aren't right for you, or you don't like the handling- then start keeping an eye out on craigslist or your local bike shops for a touring type bike. You don't have to go all out- you just have to have the desire.
Last year at the cross state bike tour that I did, there was an older man, riding in jean overalls and boots on what had to be a REALLY heavy mtn bike with big, fat knobby tires, doing the 60+ miles a day. He did the whole week on that thing- including riding in the heat and rain with his bib overalls on every day (I can't imagine the chafing ). He lasted longer than me and I was riding my fancy carbon tri bike. It's all about the desire to do it...and he not only did it- he LOVED every minute of it. He said this year he's going to look into those padded short things. hee hee