rm -rf

I assume you are referring to following a route on a GPS device, not a digital version of a cue sheet list?

I recently went for a ride with my Garmin 1030 at a low charge level. It appears that it doesn't use a backlight in bright sunlight when it's set to Auto. (I first turned the brightness to 20%, then to 0%, and it was fine on a sunny day. It didn't look any different than when it was Auto brightness.)

Then, when it hit 10% charge, it proposed switching on Power saving mode. This turns the screen off completely, then it comes on for turns on the loaded route. It then times out in 15 seconds, with a 3,2,1 second countdown. I could tap the screen to turn it back on for 15 seconds. I only ran it this power save mode for an hour or so. You'd have to try it to see how much longer it could run that way. (I'm expecting that it doesn't save more than 30%, and probably not even 20%, as a guess. There's a lot of background calcs running to keep track of your position!)

I found this "blank screen except for turn indications" to be quite annoying. I want to know where I am along the route, how far the next turn is, and what the upcoming hills are like.

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Offline phone maps and routes
osmand+ stores detailed maps in the phone. No cell signal needed. Only a view of the sky for a GPS signal is necessary. I really like the app, it launches in a few seconds and has a lot of detail when zoomed way in. It can use GPS route files, but I rarely do that. There's General, driving, biking, and walking/hiking modes, with different types of map details.
It's very useful for hiking too. Many areas have the trails shown, even with trail names.

I launch osmand+ pretty often, since it's so fast to show my current location on it's map. (Even my old Galaxy S5 would take less than 10 seconds to show my position after clicking the app icon.) "What's that town across the river?" "Does this side road go anywhere, or just dead end?" "What's my elevation, and how tall are those hills?" "which fork of the trail do I want?"

raybo

You might consider a PedalCell rim generator. I've had one now for about 9 months. With a reasonable heavy load (strava real-time route tracking, cell connection, audiobook), it charges my iPhone about 10%/hour at an average of 10 MPH. With a lighter load (no strava), it charges the phone 20%. It isn't cheap ($300 in the US) but is easy to install and to move among different bikes.

It only charges USB devices. If you have to charge other types of devices, it won't help, though it can charge battery blocks.

Also, the generator can be disconnected easily to reduce drag on hard uphills or when the device is at 100%.

I wrote a detailed review of the PedalCell that can provide even more details.

John N

If I tour with a group within the bigger group (myself and say 2 friends riding in a large organized ride), one of us always brings an multi-outlet extension cord. It is NOT heavy duty and handles 8 outlets. If we find an empty power outlet, that one outlet now becomes 8 of which we plug our stuff into with 2 empty outlets left for others to use. Weighs maybe 1-1.5 pounds overall. It is considered part of the "group gear" which is all divided up amongst us.

indyfabz

Good idea. I just picked up my surge protector in my computer room. Not heavy at all. Has seven outlets.

staehpj1

Depending on what you are charging the load is probably pretty light. I'd think a piece of lamp cord with a plug and outlets of the type that that pierce the cord to make their connection. A foot of lampcord and the appropriate fittings would weigh just a few ounces. I have used something similar to charges a gew devices. Check what kind of loads you will require though.

Another oprion might be to use a usb charger with several outlets or more than one of them, assuming that the devices can be charged via usb. I have seen some that were a couple ounces that had 4 ports, also a bit bigger one with 6.

Tourist in MSN

Before I had a dynohub, I always carried a 3 into one adapter so I could put two or three devices into one outlet. Then if I needed an outlet but the outlets were all in use, I could briefly unplug somebody and stick the adapter in to make room for my device(s) while re-plugging someone else's plug back in again.

I have done a couple trips with a friend that always has to write up a blog every day on his travels, he carries an outlet strip for his laptop, GPS charging, phone charging, at one time he had such a bright taillight it needed a charge every day, etc.

For USB charger, I usually use a charger with multiple ports, like the three port charger in the photo where I am charging up a camera battery (Li Ion) and have two chargers, each charging up a pair of AA NiMH batteries. But the charger in the photo is in a European plug, American three into one plug adapters are not designed for European outlets.

indyfabz

The OP is talking about a supported tour with luggage transfer.

robow

Most organized rides today that accommodate a couple hundred riders or more, if they're worth their salt, will have several large charging stations, often custom made boards with countless outlets. I've seen them very elaborately made and others that made use of an over the door shoe hanger so as to keep everyone's phones well separated.

Pratt

Electrical needs in a large group ride should be lower since navigation is not an issue.
A question that has nagged me for years, why don't the charger cables have stackable plugs so the first one into the socket can be plugged into, et seq?