Hi Mike,
I reckon its a fine way to start - easy to transport and you can find a lot of stuff. Rob_K on this forum has been using a more modest scope for years and doing astro imaging with it. His web site is
http://robsastropics.googlepages.com/
My beloved got me started with a 114 mm Tasco relfector - I got a lot of enjoyment out of it before upgrading to something bigger when I knew i was hooked.
I would recommend some type of guide to the night sky and what there is to look at. I like "Atlas of the Southern Night Sky", but that would be no good to you! Maybe someone else can point you in the direction of a Northern book. Most commercial telescopes also come with some software to help find things to look at, but a book is a little simpler and usually has some lists. Magazines like Sky and Telescope are useful - their web site is quite helpful -
www.skyandtelescope.com