How to Sabbatical
By Guli Fager, MPH, CFP®, Financial Advisor
I’m taking March and April off next year to bike from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL. Between now and then, I’ll be blogging about training and planning so that others who might be interested in doing a cross country tour or sabbatical can learn from my experience and figure out how you can take — and fund — significant time off. This trip lives at the intersection of “can I physically do this?” with “can I afford it?” The physical elements of training may be relevant for some, and the financial and logistical elements may be relevant for others. Keep reading to find out how it goes :)
The word “sabbatical” references the Sabbath, when God rested after creating the Earth over the previous 6 days. My last sabbatical was in 2011, when I got put on a 10 1/2 month schedule at the University of Texas, and got 6 unpaid weeks off to do a road trip back East.
I’ve been fascinated by bike touring from a young age; my grandparents (below, in questionably useful hard hats — this photo predates commercially available bike helmets) toured Maine and Europe on their Schwinn Paramount tandem in their retirement. I recently learned that Nana and Papa rode this bike on route 76 to get to the Philadelphia airport for their Europe trip, and were stopped by an incredulous police officer who then escorted them the rest of the way. I have no idea if it would’ve been possible at that time to have the bike transported to the airport by, you know, a taxi service or a train, or simply shipped to their destination, but my grandparents lived by an ethos of, “Why spend money when you can build character for free?”
Far more glamorous than my frugal Quaker grandparents were Elizabeth and Jessica of the Sweet Valley High series, who were featured in a “Super Edition” called Perfect Summer where they went bikepacking up the California Coast and wore cute outfits and hung out with fun boys the whole time. When I read this book I had expanded my range on the W & OD rail trail, which began right behind my childhood home in south Arlington. I was allowed to ride as far as I could go and make it home in time for dinner (I think Falls Church is the furthest I ever went) and I was an experienced backpacker from several years at Catoctin Quaker Camp, but I had never had an opportunity to combine biking and overnight camping.
I thrive inside structures that I can figure out how to maximize (as a kid, this looked more like ‘challenging’). In triathlon, my training plan compliance is typically about 85%; that’s proven enough to get me to each goal but leaving me flexibility to still have a life (I’m delighted to place in my age group, but I don’t feel the need to actually win!). But if I don’t have the structure around me to bump up against, I get overwhelmed with trying to map my way to the goal. In The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, John Bogle quoted Carl von Clausewitz: “The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.” If I don’t have a good plan, I spin my wheels trying to figure out the “perfect” plan and get stuck. Especially when I’m hungry all the time!
I started to get the bug to do a cross country bike trip after completing my first Ironman in 2024; many triathletes experience a period of disappointment after finishing their first big race; you suddenly have a ton of free time and you’re not working towards anything anymore, and the constant flow of endorphins from 15+ hours of exercise each week fades away. It’s not uncommon for people to sign up for another Ironman right away to chase that high again.
I wanted something that would take up a lot of room in my life, but the thought of training for a challenge I’d already completed didn’t get me that excited. I began exploring cross country bike tours and the more I thought about it, the more it felt like the next right thing. I spent 7 months training for Michigan Titanium, but the race itself is just one day; a cross country bike tour would require at least as much training time and the tour itself would take almost 2 months--my biggest physical, financial, and planning challenge yet.
In my next post, I’ll detail how I answered three really important questions for taking a sabbatical:
Can I afford it?
Will my boss let me go?
Will I even like it?
Sabbatical and Cross-Country Bike Tour FAQ
What is a sabbatical?
A sabbatical is an extended break from work that allows you to focus on personal growth, travel, education, creative projects, family time, or other meaningful pursuits. While traditionally associated with academics, sabbaticals are increasingly common among professionals seeking time to recharge, pursue long-term goals, or experience something outside their normal routine.
How do you afford to take a sabbatical?
Funding a sabbatical typically requires advance planning, savings, and a realistic understanding of expenses. Many people begin by estimating the total cost of travel, housing, insurance, and daily living expenses, then build a dedicated savings plan. Some also reduce discretionary spending, increase savings rates, or schedule their sabbatical during a period when other major expenses are lower.
How much money do you need for a sabbatical?
The cost of a sabbatical varies widely depending on its length and purpose. A two-month bike tour across the United States has very different expenses than international travel or a year away from work. Creating a detailed budget and understanding both fixed and variable costs is one of the most important steps in determining whether a sabbatical is financially feasible.
Can I take a sabbatical from a traditional job?
Many employers offer formal or informal options for extended leave. The key is having an open conversation with your employer well in advance and presenting a thoughtful plan for your absence. Some employees use vacation time, unpaid leave, flexible work arrangements, or negotiated career breaks to make a sabbatical possible.
How do I know if a sabbatical is right for me?
A sabbatical may be worth considering if you feel drawn to a project, challenge, or experience that requires significant time and focus. Many people use sabbaticals to pursue travel, athletic goals, creative work, volunteer opportunities, or personal development. The most successful sabbaticals are often built around a purpose rather than simply taking time away from work.
What is a cross-country bike tour?
A cross-country bike tour is a long-distance cycling journey that spans a significant portion of the United States, often covering thousands of miles over several weeks or months. Riders typically carry their gear, camp or stay in lodging along the route, and travel at a pace that allows them to experience communities and landscapes along the way.
How long does it take to bike across the United States?
Most self-supported cross-country bike tours take between six and twelve weeks, depending on the route, daily mileage, weather conditions, and desired pace. Popular routes such as the Southern Tier, TransAmerica Trail, and Northern Tier vary in distance and terrain.
How do you train for a cross-country bike tour?
Training generally focuses on building endurance, increasing weekly cycling volume, improving recovery, and becoming comfortable riding for multiple consecutive days. Many cyclists also practice riding with loaded gear and experiment with nutrition, equipment, and pacing before their tour begins.
Is biking across America harder than completing an Ironman?
The challenges are different. An Ironman requires intense training and a single day of peak physical performance. A cross-country bike tour demands sustained endurance over many weeks, along with logistical planning, budgeting, navigation, equipment management, and adaptability. Many endurance athletes find that bike touring tests both physical and mental resilience in new ways.
What should I know before planning a bikepacking or bicycle touring trip?
Successful bike tours require planning for route selection, gear, weather, lodging, nutrition, bike maintenance, safety, and daily mileage. New cyclists often benefit from starting with shorter overnight trips before committing to a multi-week or cross-country adventure.
What are the biggest challenges of taking a long-distance cycling trip?
Most cyclists cite three major challenges: physical preparation, financial planning, and logistics. Questions such as "Can I afford it?", "Can I take time off work?", and "Will I enjoy being on the road for weeks at a time?" are often just as important as the training itself.
Why do people take cycling sabbaticals?
A cycling sabbatical combines travel, adventure, physical challenge, and personal reflection. For many riders, it provides an opportunity to step away from daily routines, experience the country at a human pace, and pursue a goal that requires sustained commitment and planning.
How do I start planning a cross-country bike tour?
Begin by answering three foundational questions:
Can I afford it?
Can I take the necessary time away from work and family obligations?
Do I actually enjoy the style of travel and daily routine that a long-distance bike tour requires?
Once those questions are answered, route planning, budgeting, training, and equipment decisions become much easier.