Hey Aquamach - welcome from another newbie!
I'm about the same age as you, so your story resonated with me.
My first bike was a Royce Union (20" wheel I think) . It started out as a very staid upright machine, but like all the other kids on my block, I converted it to banana seat and high rise bars, basically a "Stingray".
Hope you enjoy your new bike. I found that adding an off-road companion to the road bike I've had for 30 years rejuvenated my enthusiasm for biking. Change is good.