Fresh out of my 1st year of college I found myself in Merced. I had missed the last Via bus to the Valley, and didn’t have any extra money for a motel. I started out hanging at an all-night diner to kill some time until morning. I would buy something every hour or so. I finally fell asleep in the booth after midnight and was politely asked to leave. I was only eighteen and was a pretty green Kansas boy when it came to dealing with cities and city folk. I walked out onto the streets of Merced with a big backpack and a duffel and headed back to the bus station. I met some guys on the street and they took me back to their motel room where they were living with their girlfriends who were the breadwinners through the oldest profession known to man. I had a couple off beers and got talked into giving them $20 for weed. The pimps took off to buy weed. I was alone with their girls. Needless to say, I felt a little uncomfortable with the situation but ended up spending the night with them anyway. I was cautious and only kissed one of the girls at her request. The pimps never came back. The women one who was pregnant apologized for their pimps taking my $20 and seemed upset with the pimps. I could only shake my head in disbelief at the whole scene. I made it to the bus station and caught the early bus to Yosemite for my summer job.

I was sent to the village hamburger stand for a sanitation janitor position. It wasn’t a bad gig as I was able to walk around outside and pick up trash or make rake marks in the dirt next to the village store.

I usually had a one hour lunch break which was plenty of time for a quick jaunt up Indian Canyon or a scramble around Sunnyside Bench. On one of my scrambles up I ended up on the Regular Route. Now at this time I had to have black polishible shoes for work. I had picked up a pair of dress shoes with a leather sole not great for Yosemite scrambles. Anyway I ended up taking a good slide coming back down but stopped before it got to serious. I went back to work a little bloody.

Late one evening after reading Royal Robbins Rock Craft books I found myself at Swan Slab. I started up the 5.6 crack on the right side and felt super solid with the jams and found myself at the top in no time. It was becoming dark and I realized I had made a big mistake. I was fiddle faking around trying to find a way down when a ranger hollers up to ask if I am OK. I reply down to her that I am in a bit of a conundrum. She tells me to stay put and goes to get a rope.
The ranger solos up the Swan Slab Gulley, sets an anchor and belays me as I downclimb the Gulley tied in with a bowline around my waist. I didn’t fall.
I thank the ranger after she gives me a short lecture about safety.

In the morning I go to the mountain shop and buy a pair of Boreal Fires so the silliness can really begin in earnest.