Not being in the big chain ring does not necessarily mean being in the "granny gear." In fact, one definition of "granny gear" is your lowest gear. Yet another is the lowest gear on a triple. The latter definition is typically what those of us who tour mean by "granny gear." My touring bake has a 26x34 granny gear. I used it numerous times during a recent trip with no feeling of shame or inadequacy.
When/if you ever do a lot of climbing, you will learn to embrace lower gears. They certainly save wear on your muscles and joints.