Well, the whole point of the show was to get Hera to earth so her hybrid DNA could mix with the natives and “It” could run yet another human/Cylon experiment. Their giving up technology bugs me. So, here’s my possible alternate ending:
They find earth, and discover native humans. They take a vote and resolve to not let the natives eat of the forbidden fruit, as it were. They realize they are no longer the last hope of humanity. After voting, a few (maybe a 100 or 2) decide they want off this ride, particularly Helo, Athena, Hera and our tired, spent main characters. They agree to live off of food supplies until they adjust to the simple, wilderness life. They agree to use nothing but very simple tools that will degrade with time.
The main characters can do what they did.
Anders still flies the Galactica into the sun, along with any other ships that are close to failing and can’t be repaired. The rest of the fleet, free from the burden of being humanity’s last hope, agrees to keep the fleet, and their technology, and continue their journey (free from Cylon pursuit now) to find a virgin home without sentient people to corrupt. There is the understanding that once they leave, they may never return, and it will be written into their new scrolls that earth is forevermore inviolate.
We see the fleet leave, we never know what becomes of them, but we’re left with hope they did finally find a new home.
Hera’s or Hera’s descendants’ DNA still gets into the gene pool.
There’s no sense trying to fanwank how Greek mythology makes it 150,000 years, 50K years, or even 30K years. I think Ron Moore has said he likes to think there’s some sort of genetic subconsciousness that gets passed down leading humans to reinvent things that are mysteriously very similar to the Colonials.