Originally Posted by
tarwheel
A final option would be to ride in a supported tour, where all you have to carry is a normal seat bag, water bottles, etc. I have ridden a number of supported tours over the years and it's a great way to travel by bike if you don't have a touring bike, panniers and other gear.
+1 on this recommendation. There's a bunch of operators who will set you up, and all you have to do is ride from one town to the next. Equipment cost: $20 duffel, if you don't already have one.
The other way to dip your toe into the water would be credit card touring, going from motel to B&B. Frame bag(s), saddle or bar bag, just enough to carry spare clothes.
I did it the other way, using a touring bike for commuting for years before I loaded it up and headed for the road. Since then I've enjoyed having someone else haul my gear from place to place. But since OP has a nice carbon bike, finding out if riding 4-8 hours a day for a week, or several weeks together, is something he enjoys makes a lot of sense BEFORE investing in a loaded touring setup.
Kind of unfortunate OP has a carbon bike, I'd be willing to try more options with titanium, or steel...