@Jacob Lewis If I did not have an online group I would be looking into online play. Smiteworks, the people that do FantasyGround host some virtual cons every now and again and if I recall correctly they open the licences so that you can run games even on the demo version over that time period. It may be a way to dip a toe in that waters if Roll20 is not your cuppa.
As for 4e, yeah a retroclone build from the ground up would be a way to go.
Now I was a big fan of 4e but I am not sure I would go back to a pure 4e clone. Now if some one was to produce a version with bounded accuracy, scaling powers and only one reaction per turn I would be interested.
I do think that Mearls and co were overly conservative in 5e's design but I can see why and do not blame them overmuch.
Unfortunately, I think we are stuck with it. I think that WoTC/Hasbro now see D&D as more of an IP engine and thus they will not mess with the base game. Tinker around the edges somewhat but nothing sudden.
Of course, I am getting old and my appetite for learning new mechanics is diminishing.
As for the lore, well I still have the books so as far as I am concerned I still have the lore. I have never felt obligated to follow the official lore.
I still use the Shadowfell and the Feywild and I never used Nerath and so far the Astral sea has never come up but as far as I am concerned it is still out there.