Welcome to Val in Real Life! I was a geologist in my pre-kid life but now I’m a roadschooling mom. I believe travel and exploring are vital to kids and adults alike. We spend a lot of time camping, outdoors, in museums, geocaching and just seeing “in real life” all the things we read about in books. That means we cover a lot of ground in pursuit of experiential education and this is where I chronicle our adventures. We call Atlanta home and collectively our rag-tag group is known as Camp Granola.
If you’re just getting started here, there’s few tidbits to help you get started:
- The Camp Granola category houses general travel thoughts and tips as well as the goings-on around Camp Granola HQ.
- The Rolling Granola category is where you’ll find the tales of our adventures.
- The Granola Talk category has changed over time but has settled into a more philosophical discussion of travel and lifestyle issues.
- The Granola Reviews are exactly what they sound like…reviews of products, generally camping or travel related gear, but also an occasional campground or place.
- The Postcards from Camp Granola category is home to a weekly quote and photograph with a related short musing which will hopefully inspire you.
- The Friends of Camp Granola category holds the profiles of people we’ve met who have impacted our outlook on life and will forever have a place in our memories for having helped shape our lives.
More Val in Real Life…
That’s us in a nutshell. If you ever have any questions, comments, ideas or the like, please feel free to ping me at val(at)valinreallife(dot)com. And be sure to follow me on your favorite social medium.
Check out those handy buttons up top for quick access!
Also…
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And…
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Elizabeth
September 17, 2011 at 7:48 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Nice to meet you Val! Happy to have found your blog! Love your photos and your links; TED talks are so fascinating!!
Val
September 19, 2011 at 2:10 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Thanks! I’m very happy to have such a wonderful tribe of adventurous families.
Tiffany
October 18, 2011 at 11:03 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Hi, Val. Love your blog! Your photos are amazing. And I noticed you are from Georgia. So glad to meet you. I am a transplant to Georgia (12 years now). Anyway, so glad to meet an outdoorsy, Georgia mom and blogger.
Val
October 19, 2011 at 1:21 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Thanks Tiffany. I was quite tickled to discover another Georgia camping mom too. Looking forward to following your adventures!
Amy AmyOandThePipster
November 17, 2011 at 3:52 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Heya!
I thought I misplaced your pathtag for a moment! I am so happy I found it. It was such a pleasure meeting you at Going Coastal. My free time during the week is very limited but I will get through your blogs and will be in touch as soon as I can. I have a feeling I am going to have a great interest in your writing.
Amy Davis (of “AmyOandThePipster”)
Val
November 17, 2011 at 10:32 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
So glad you found me Amy. Wonderful to meet you at GC. It does seem we’re of the same mind on many of these suburban issues. We’ll have to chat further soon! Of course, we’ll have to plan a cache date too.
Donna
December 17, 2011 at 3:27 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Love your spirit. Your pictures are awesome.
Val
December 17, 2011 at 4:03 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Ah shucks….thanks mom!
Marjorie
March 13, 2012 at 2:06 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Hey Val,
LOVE your site! I am hoping to get the best email contact to be in touch with park news, updates, events, tips, etc. Please email me with the best way to reach you.
Best,
Marjorie
Val
March 14, 2012 at 2:48 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
That’s easy Marjorie…just val@valinreallife.com. Drop me a line anytime.
Hal Herring
April 2, 2012 at 7:02 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Awesome sight! Very nicy done.Great pictures.Cherish the moments with your family. Looks like an real adventure.Ya did good!
Terry Tyson
February 7, 2013 at 12:19 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Just a quick (okay, longish) comment regarding pooches, their humans and the responsibilities that the humans must assume when taking pooches in the outdoors. A very large number of folks don’t understand the importance of taking a dog into the wilds. All too often, I’ve encountered a dog on the trail, seemingly alone and extremely unleased, who is just as suprised as I was and, as dogs are want to do, growled, barked and became agressive/protective. On one occasion I had to use my trekking pole to keep the dog at bay as he attempted to bite until he heard his human call out to “back off.”
I wasn’t sure if the human was referring to me or the dog, but the dog did indeed run back to join the errant human. “Sorry, about that…he’s really friendly…he wouldn’t have bitten you…,” the human explained. Settling down, I reminded him that the dog needed to be, “on a fucking leash” to which he responded, “whoa, man…chill out.” I reminded him again, this time more slowly and calmly, “you’re right…my apologies…please put your dog on a fucking leash…now, please.”
Silently, he complied and just as they were out of sight, I heard the dog once again bark agressively, likely to another passing hiker.
Last year, I was taking a sunset stroll along the Parus trail in Zion, the only one on which dogs are allowed. Emerging from a tree-lined curve, a large dog came sprinting at full speed towards me but then veered suddenly into the brush to chase a deer. The dog’s bicycling human was in full pursuit, yelling at the top of her lungs in a vain attempt to call back the frenzied canine.
We also gave chase as it was getting very dark by then and helped her find and finally leash her dog. Fortunately, neither deer nor dog were harmed, but it could have ended otherwise.
In summary; Humans who have dogs, keep them on a leash while hiking with them. The regulations are there to protect dog, wild critters and others enjoying the trail. Also, pick up the dog waste deposited by your four-legged family member and carry the little blue bag out with you. Animals who are on the lookout for predators often mistake dog poop for that of an actual predator (especially if your dog eats meat) and will begin to avoid an area previously used and traveled.
Full Disclosure: I am a longtime dog owner and lover.
Val
February 12, 2013 at 8:56 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Well said Terry. Obviously I’m a dog owner and lover as well but you know what? My dog is always on a “fucking leash” as you put it, and a proper one at that. Inconvenient at times? Yes. Is everyone, including the dog, better off? Yes. And a 20-foot extendable doesn’t count… you have little control and certainly none quickly. I’ve seen both well-behaved and ill-behaved dogs both on and off the leash but the bottom line is that leash regulations are not arbitrary and they need to be heeded. It’s also important to be realistic what you and your dog can handle. Don’t bring them if you’re not prepared to watch them constantly. And that’s not just for protective dogs, even a super-friendly dog can be over-enthusiastic about meeting new folks and bowl over little ones.
Val in Real Life- Camp Granola's Own Outdoor Explorer and Mom
January 17, 2012 at 5:30 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Val is a former geologist who now spends her time as a wandering homeschooling mom. She believes travel and exploring nature are vital to kids and adults alike. She chronicles the adventures of her family (aka Camp Granola) at Val in Real Life. [...]