I ran a double for a while, first 34/50 and then 34/46, and finally scrapped the derailleur altogether and got a 38. The standing sections, I was climbing slightly slower than usual, since I was riding with Kelley and she intelligently maintains an easier pace. When I climb mountains on my own, I tent to really pound through them.
I figure I have the holy grail of 1 x 10 traits, by chance or by self-fulfilling prophecy:
1) I travel light. When I overnight with Kelley, I have about 18lbs of gear and when I tour alone in the summer I have less than 10lbs.
2) I'm strong. Still young, with good strong legs and no knee problems whatsoever. I figure I have the muscle to protect my joints if climbing is arduous once in a while.
3) A 38 front with a 36 rear (which I'm waiting on order from the LBS) should be pretty close to my old setup of 34 front and 32 rear. So, I'm not actually making a huge sacrifice at the bottom. And 38 x 11 is still a good enough ratio to keep up on a group ride, assuming I brought my road tires...
I will look into the cross chaining and derailleur issue. I'm actually learning how to build bikes, and I did the conversion myself (under supervision of my mechanic). Since all the cabling and derailleur adjustment was done by me, it might need an extra set of eyes.