Start on MAX!
I travel solo and I have mine turned up to max with the gear that I carry.
You can always back it off when you have ridden for a bit.
As for the chain why not get all of your gear loaded, get the misses on boerd, centre the bike and check for freeplay. Check to see how the centre of the swing arm, cente of the rear wheel and centre of the drive sprocket line up, then adjust. You can only really tell once you are riding the bike. If it's too loose you will feel the snatching when changing gear. If too tight you will feel the torsion in the chain. The permutations are endless as it also depends on how bad a life your rear spring has already had.
When you meet up with Chris you can also ask him to check the tension when you are both on board and loaded.
Of course you will have the tools to adjust these things when on the road won't you!
