Can long distance relationships work?

I've been seeing this amazing guy for a while, and we seem to be absolutely perfect for each other. We were friends for 6 years before we started anything.

I was just getting out of a sketchy relationship, and he confessed his feelings for me.

Our issue is, once either of us starts getting too attached, we kind of back off a bit. He's planning on traveling the country for a while, and it's not something I would be able to do with him.

Am I wrong for thinking we might be able to keep things going after he leaves?

Any insights you have would be so appreciated!!