Like already mentioned... a few shorter tours will serve you well. Even if you only go for the weekend. It will really help you realize what you do and don't need. And besides, it's fun. While I did tour down the Pacific Coast this past summer I also did tours less than 4 days and 2 less than 10 days. I enjoyed them all.

I was also a guy who passed people all the way down the coast... never had a single person pass me while riding and I still averaged only 70 miles a day. Most touring cyclist soon realize that more than 70 miles can suck the life/fun right out of a tour. Granted, flatter country you will ride further and may ride 100 miles many days... there will also be those days where you are doing 5000 feet of elevation gain so 100 miles isn't really possible unless you spend a ton of time in the saddle. And besides.... it's about the journey and not the destination.

my2cents