It can be hard to generalize from one's experience to the entire bike touring universe.

For example, I use a camelback and, using your method, would have to wonder about why any would carry water bottles? There are people who don't carry cooking gear yet do just fine with keeping themselves fed. Why would anyone carry cooking gear?

Just because you were able to ride a bike carrying a heavy backpack up hills using your big front chain ring doesn't mean that others should/can do the same thing. I, for one, have no interest in carrying 35 pounds on my back for any reason, regardless of what kind of gearing my bike has.

What's more, riding up a meaningful grade with a loaded touring bike requires that I ride in the small front chain ring. Frankly, I couldn't care less what you use as I know what works for me.

While riding a bicycle 2800+ miles is a meaningful accomplishment, try riding from Sacramento to the top of Carson Pass in your big chain ring wearing 35 pounds in a backpack and then come back and tell us if the mountains in the west are any different than the ones in the east.