I agree that the sooner you can leave the better your chance of success.

I don't really think that high end lighting is very easy to use on a tour. High powered battery packs are heavy and charging is a hassle. Solar panels are big and bulky and heavy. In addition the limited daylight and low angle of the sun make them less effective. I say use your led headlamp that is your flashlight around camp (a little thing that takes AA or AAA batteries) and a cheap blinkie if you get caught in the dark and just try to maximize use of the limited daylight hours.

If you need a place to stay in Virginia Beach I can PM you some contact info for a nice couple who help touring cyclists when they are not touring themselves.

I am not normally big on training with a load, but the longer you wait to leave the more you will need to hit the ground running. I think that starting easy and building mileage is usually the way to go, but if you wait 3 weeks to start...

That is what worries me most, I have to doubt if you are allowing enough time. You really want to leave as soon as you can.