Congratulations Tim!
Yeah, picking a rig is so hard that most hams can't make up their mind and aimlessly wander around buying rigs until they own at least 3. I went the "one size fits none" approach and got an FT-857. It's 100W, all modes, HF plus 6meters, 2meters and 70cm. It's my base station and moves to the car for long trips. It's no $2,000 base rig, but it works just fine and it's not the size of a briefcase. iCom, Kenwood and others make equivalent does-it-all mobile rigs.
If you go with wire antennas, a slingshot with a fishing reel hoseclamped to the writst support plus a 1oz weight gets my lines 60' up in trees. Bow and arrow works even better.
{BTW, owning and using slingshots is perfectly legal in MA. You just can't make or sell them so go to NH or just mail order one.}