I totally understand. You must be like me and be over 30
. I may not be able to give a great answer but I will give you want I do. When I buy a map, it is more for the backup & keepsake. I always buy the GPX files and download them onto my Garmin BaseCamp map program. While I believe the newer Tracks have much larger Sections (many Map Panels even Map Sections in one track) than previously, it really is not too much to be concerned with.
For instance say you load all your tracks onto your device. You start riding and are following the track Section 1 and start with Map (the paper map) Section 1, Panel 1. After say 30 miles, you get to the end of Map Section 1, Panel 1 and flip to Map Section 1, Panel 2. The track still shows where you are even if the track goes to say a mid-panel of Map Section 3, Panel 4. before the track stops. You start riding again and this repeats until and then you get to the end of track as noted above in Panel 4. At this point, just load Track Section 2 and continue on your merry way.
The big thing is to keep in the back of your mind where the track ends. You can cross reference that by looking at the track on BaseCamp and then make a written note on your paper back. Otherwise what can happen (speaking from experience), you just keep pedaling down the road until you eventually realize 10 minutes later that "Hey, where did the track go?" Then you realized it ended and when you load the next track, you realize you missed the turn about 1 mile back but then you see and ice cream store and the world has righted it self.
If you turn off the device, and then turn it back on. It "should" come back on as if you had done nothing. Worse case is you reload the proper Track Section and continue on your way.
Remember that Tracks do not reroute back onto the track if you go off of it for whatever reason. If you zoom out, you should be able to see and and then make your way so you are on top of the track again.
ACA has gone away from using Routes. I am an old fart who still likes them but to each their own.
As far as chukking it all, just take it easy for the first few days with miles you KNOW you can do. I typically start almost any tour with 25-30 miles days and build up 5-10 miles per day until I get comfortable with riding 50-65 miles each day. My reason is I rarely ride when not touring so I have to "train" while on tour. If I push it, my knees start to complain a bit. If in doubt as to stop at hotel at say 35 miles or 50 miles, I usually take the lower miles the first week. A bonus to the lower miles is that you have more time to eat ice cream or drink beer while you contemplate ways to get back at the !@#$$% people who build GPS and such.
Tailwinds, John
