I really enjoyed self-contained touring -- both the camping and motel variety -- back in my motorcycling days from about 1970 - 2000. Crisscrossed the country solo or with friends many times. On bicycles I never got back into real touring, but did miss the feeling of the open road, riding in the wind (could do without the wind part these days!) on new-to-me roads for more than a single day, so have been doing paid-type group tours for a number of years now. These are all trips where the tour operator carries your gear, makes the hotel/B&B reservations, etc. Last year I did the GAP-C&O ride from New Boston, PA to Washington D.C. on my trail bike and this year it will be Cleveland to Cincinnati on my new road bike.