It makes sense how Randy Allen Taylor was familiar with Alexis Murphy, despite not personally knowing her. The area was described as a small town where everyone knew each other, and both Taylor and Murphy frequented the gas station where she was last seen alive. Taylor would always go to the gas station alone, at least three times a week, to purchase cigarettes, a meal at the attached McDonald’s, or to sit in the parking lot for hours and gawk at the young females who went in and out of the station. Murphy was also frequently seen at the gas station. It is close to her home, and her family described her as a creature of habit, who would purchase frappes from McDonald’s and gas, often the same days at the same times. It’s understandable Taylor saw her enough times to get her routine figured out.
So to give you a picture of this area that the news can't really explain. That stretch of 29 from Amherst County to that Lovingston gas station is empty. A scattered house here and there, one very, very small community called Thomas Terrace, but other than that nothing but trees. The same goes for Lovingston to Charlottesville. So This tiny town/area sits right in the middle of a 2 hour stretch of scenery. Across from the gas station and Food Lion is a little bit of a town area that turns off of 29 and this is where the people live but from 29, you only see a small store and a road that seems to lead virtually nowhere but actually goes into the town. There is a stoplight at this crossroads. At the woods mill area just up from there you have a wayside area where people can go to the river or turn off toward all the vineyards and see more scenery for a while. Very near to the corner of of River Rd and 29 in the woods mill area is another small gas station and the parking area I've previously mentioned I think RAT was dropped off at. That gas station sells fried chicken, homemade biscuits, and home-cooked type gas station food and they also have gas. I think it's still an Exxon if that's even important (76 has been buying up Exxon's around here so I'm not sure). They stop serving food at 4 or 4:30 I believe and they were likely closed by the time RAT got dropped off that night.
Outside of that, if you want food or entertainment, you have to go to Lynchburg, Amherst county or Charlottesville or turn on your TV. There is a scattered attraction or two between Lovingston and Charlottesville, a whiskey museum and a vineyard that does tours or has a restaurant (never been so I forget which). There's 2-3 mom and pop stores, a flea market/antique store and maybe 20 houses visible from Rt. 29 - and not necessarily close to the road - and some side roads that lead to more scattered homes.
Honesty, every time I go through there I think, if I wreck out here how the heck will I explain to a tow truck where I am and will I even have signal to call someone. There's no mile markers, landmarks or really anything to tell you where you are along the path. You just have to know. So it's no wonder the 'good ol boys' find this so easy a place to stalk women and hide bodies.