For bikes available from an LBS, I'd look at Jamis Aurora, Co-motion Americano (I think that's their touring model).

Also are you looking at full on touring with the full camping gear everything or more like credit card touring? Might want to think about that too.

Not sure if he has any left but check out this Bruce Gordon special.. Bruce specializes (specialized?) in custom touring bikes but he had a production bike made to his specs as an affordable alternative. He's closing out that biz and only focusing on custom.

http://brucegordoncycles.blogspot.co...1_archive.html

If you go custom you have a lot of great builders up there too. Hear lots of great things bout Davidson...