What would you recommend? I have about $4,000 available. I know, not much, but it's a start.
Look, I just want to cruise around in the mountains of Pennsylvania or WVA and have some fun.
I would have hard time making a good recommendation at that price as I'm stuck on Harley.
A nice cruiser 650cc or above should do what you want. My last mid size bike was a Honda Shadow 750cc. Comfortable, dependable, etc. A few of my retired neighbors have that size bike, (450cc to 750cc), in that price range, of various manufacturers and all are satisfied. All are cruiser style. And all of them have windshields. :-)
A little bit of looking around and you'll find something comfortable.
First recommendation: take riding lessons. And I'm not joking. Hubby and I were driving behind a guy who had gotten his first bike and he was going around a slight bend (and I mean SLIGHT) in the interstate. He could not mentally make his bike lean -- we were watching and screaming at him in our truck to LEAN! He didn't -- he was all the way off the shoulder in gravel and (luckily) had slowed way down by the time he got there and EVERYONE on the road had slowed down behind him. In between the two sides of the interstate was one of those cable guards that works great for cars, but can be death to a biker. I was shaking for a couple hours after that just thinking about how close the guy and his wife were to being killed. And I was ANGRY that he didn't know what the heck he was doing on a new bike and was on the interstate, 2 up. A riding class is a MUST!!
I ride dirt bikes alone, but I am only a passenger on the road. If I ever decide to get my own bike, I will take a safety class and do some track time before I get out on the road.
*Off soapbox*
That said -- welcome to biking! It's a hoot! :-)