Advice on lights in series

[dave w]

PS: I still prefer Solar Freakin' Roadways. 

Dave, I have converted. The cloud is the answer. 

[dhouston]

If I'm barking up the wrong tree here please let me know.

If you are looking for a project more than a solution, you could consider constructing your own mesh network using ESP8266 (or some other WiFi enabled MCU) to create your own mesh network.

Take a look at this.
https://www.itead.cc/smart-home/sonoff-wifi-wireless-switch.html

It looks more like a solution than a project and it uses the ESP8266 which has been reported to have range somewhat in excess of 100m.
http://hackaday.com/2014/09/26/esp8266-distance-testing/
The documentation on the site I linked is a bit spotty but it appears you can also pair it with 433.92MHz remotes for local control (perhaps avoiding Amazon Weather Service). Off-the-shelf remotes may not have the needed range if they were made for the world market.