overshooting your mash temp should help with your conversion efficiency since that is largely determined by a-amylase activity and starch gelatinization.
I always mash out with a 168F rest since my RIMS makes that an easy chore. I observe several points increase in wort gravity with this step and feel it is worth while in my brewing.
I see that a Congress mash has temp steps of 113F and 158F, so those Congress mashes never get to the temperature that I mash out at. I see that the temperature ramp from 113 to 158F is performed over 15 minutes, so there is a little residence at intermediate temps. One thing that the Congress mash includes is a finer grind that should liberate more starch since lauterability is not really a consideration in that testing. I'm assuming that the higher temperature mash out that I perform helps alleviate the limitations of my grind and get my extraction performance closer to the high level set in the Congress mash.
I don't typically mash at anything less than a sacharification temperature (say the 140s), so I'm not sure that there would be an improvement in overall extraction with lower temperature rests. Would a very low temp rest as with a Congress mash improve the extraction? I'm sure it improves the fermentability, but not so sure with the extraction. I feel that the mash out is a good practice with no downside.
Kai, I see that the enzyme chart is set up in a relativistic format, so I'm on board with your conjecture. I wish we had more data to make the chart more factual.
Enjoy that long trip. I know that Palmer is going too.