about how heavy was your bike+stuff?
for every touring situation, light or heavy load, having a gear lower than what you think you normally "need" is always a godsend those times of coming upon a really steep hill happens. Or you are tired that day, or your legs are sore, or you are hungry--its these times that being able to dial the output back and spin at a cadence that makes everything easier on you, makes all the difference.
but its really only being out there on your own bike with a given bike weight and given hills that you personally see what works, and if you hardly ever use that low gear, thats fine, just snick snick up gears when needed.
I'm not sure about actual weight. I was too scared to weigh it.
Again, yes, at points toward the end of the ride I had no room to dial it back and had to mash. That's going to make for miserable trips.
Lesson learned. Learning is half the fun,
-Tim-