Your right, its very easy to land an airplane, the trick is to be able to use it again to take off. There are a lot of subtleties in taking off, and landing and also what takes place in between the as a general rule you will use up a lot fewer models with some experienced instruction. It would be well worth the 35 mile drive to get some club instructor help. Also you will learn an awful lot associating and talking with other fliers. By the way I drive over 50 miles (one way) to fly on a good flying field and to be able to be with other flyer's...I am not a beginner either... and I am still learning. It would be very difficult to give you any really meaningful instruction without being able to demonstrate and have you experience the procedures with hands on guidance of an instructor.

Good luck and good flying