a better idea

Julianna
Bouncing down the dirt road through the Trust Land south of Cave Creek it occurred to me that I wasn't sure where I was going. I knew what I was going to do, but not exactly where. By law, I could hunt here but I couldn't shoot unless I was hunting. To make matters worse, I wasn't aware of any season being open at the moment so if I was caught shooting, then what was I hunting? Thoughts thus preoccupied, I missed the turn and slid sideways over unstable gravel into the pinions and cactus below. It was six miles back to the paved road and another thirteen into cave Creek.
I'd walked only a few hundred yards when she appeared on the crest of the hill in front of me, going about sixty on her Honda TRX450R-ATV. Her helmeted head and body armor hid her gender, but I could sense it was of the fairer variety as she slowed to a stop. As she removed her helmet my heart nearly stopped and I developed an instant case of cotton-mouth. As I mumbled a few words about my predicament and asked for a ride to the road she said, "I have a better idea."
Her name is Julianna Kaye from Ahwatukee, AZ. She stands 5'10" tall. She coaches girl's soccer at Manitas Elementary in the afternoon and slings beer in San Tan Flats in the evenings. She sleeps and swims in the nude and her "better idea" is that we go swimming before we figure on rescuing my truck.
Juli knows of a spot in the White Tank Mountains about fifty miles to the northwest. It's a cool, spring-fed waterfall into a basin surrounded by junipers, wildflowers and hummingbirds. It's too far for the ATV so we double back and grab her GMC Sierra King Cab and load the ATV on the trailer. At this point, I can't even remember I own a truck myself and that it's stranded in a wash on Trust Land south of Cave Creek. Right now, it's all about Juli. And swimming.

The White Tank Mountains encompass a large swath of desert and mountain environment wilderness. A number of local, indigenous species inhabit the park and are often spotted by visitors who may encounter mule deer, coyotes and javelina as well as several species of small rodents, and more rarely, mountain lions. A number of birds are also common, including the roadrunner and the cactus wren and many reptiles. Although normally dry, the area is subject to sudden and sometimes severe flash flooding in the narrow canyons that run through the mountains, particularly during thunderstorms that are common in the late summer. While this creates a potential hazard situation, the appearance of temporary waterfalls in the rugged terrain is a seasonal attraction. The mountains are also home to a number of archaeological sites including 7 Hohokam. More readily apparent are a number of petroglyphs scattered throughout the area, with some evidence suggesting that some might predate the Hohokam civilization.
The white tanks are a reference to the rainwater accumulation pools. Used by cattlemen in the early part of the century to water their cattle, they now provide a respite for hot, weary hikers and the adventurous swimmers like Juli and now, me.

By noon, we're in Surprise stocking up on ice and beer. I'm in a zone. This hasn't happened to me since I worked at Wall Drug in High School and summers during college. I wonder if I'm dreaming or having an acid flashback. Either way, I don't want it to end. By now it's into the 80s, the spring sun is burning; no clouds and a bright blue sky. And then it dawns on me - this is April Fool's Day.