Congratulations on your trip. I have also found Google Maps to be wildly optimistic about times for traveling. Anyone in LA knows better by now after seeing 25 minutes for a trip they know takes at least an hour.

Don't be surprised if the answers to your questions span a wide range of solutions. Backpacking isn't a "one size fits all" activity. It sounds like your bag wasn't warm enough. I know you asked about bags in another post. One thing to note is that bag ratings can be like Google Maps-no relation to reality, especially for less expensive bags.