easy to throw out easy answers for this, but given that you have never bike toured before, I'd really suggest doing some short, planned trips, an overnight, or two nights or whatever, just to see if you even like being on a heavy bike all day and all that jazz.
As a beginner, you need to sort out all kinds of stuff before heading off willy nilly. Well, maybe not need, but the experience will be a lot more pleasant for you if you ease into it.
but hey, we aint your mom, so you'll do as you wish.
have fun, thats the main thing.