Choose the life style that works for you!
That is something that folks often seem to not get. They say that they can't go because of their job or whatever, but don't seem to recognize that their situation is the result of their own choices...I have always considered my "spare time activities" to have a pretty high priority in my career choices. Yes I have had to compromise at times, but I have always valued leisure time activities and at least keep that in mind when making career and financial choices.
These are two very good points!
As for myself: I've been touring since 2005. I have been lucky to have a job that allowed me to take decent chunks of time off to do things like bike tours. It's in the travel/lodging industry, and it doesn't pay much, but I personally prefer time to money. Two years ago, my girlfriend and I did a long (4+ month) tour across the continent. I had to leave my job for that, as it was too much time off, and during the height of the busy season. Returning to town, I didn't have a steady job until last fall, when I got my old job back. I haven't had the itch to do a real long tour again (yet), so I'm planning on taking a couple one-two week tours that aren't during the height of the busy season. I'm sure that I'll want to do another summer-long tour at some point, and when that happens, I'll be prepared to do what it takes.
If your life doesn't allow you to do a grand, months-long bike tour, you can always do shorter ones. True, it's not the same as a grand tour, but I believe in working with what you got, until the urge to do the big thing overpowers everything else.
