CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #9

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

Status
Not open for further replies.
charminglane said:
Let me hear it.
Might be the same as mine, as a DEVOTED dog owner.
Click to expand...
In my experience, dog owners who are also campers love to take their dogs with them on their camping trips. I have several friends who are campers and dog owners, and they always take their dogs with them when camping.

It struck me as very odd that BT took her dog to the kennel ahead of this trip. MOO
 
bronbaby said:
Maybe it’s already been discussed - why didn’t they take their dog with them on this holiday?
I have a thought on why not.
IMO
Click to expand...

IMO, I believe they were responsible dog owners who recognized the high temps and the potential danger to the dog. The dog sits this one out. Instead of having the dog home alone, they brought he/she to a kennel to be looked after. Good on them. Thats how I personally saw the dog kennel drop off.
 
Is camping in the desert when temperatures are highest, a popular hobby?
What do people do in the afternoons?
Is it known what the Thomas’s destination was on this camping trip?
Apologies if these queries have previously been discussed. I have no experience of deserts or extremely hot weather (coming from Ireland)
Thanks xo
 
Last edited:
bbm

July 21st - The search for Barbara Thomas, age 69, is continuing in the area of Kelbaker/ Hidden ... from SBSD - Colorado River Sheriffs Department : Nixle
UPDATE #2:
The search is moving into the third day for Barbara Thomas in the Mohave desert. Barbara was last seen in the area of Kelbaker / Hidden Hills near the I-40. The search involves numerous Search & Rescue members, deputies, K9’s, Sheriff’s Aviation(helicopter) and Park Rangers.

There have been no sightings of her at this time. The temperatures today hovered around 104 degrees.

Updates will be issued as new information becomes available.
Anyone with information regarding Barbara's whereabouts is urged to contact the Colorado River Station at (760)326-9200 or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760)956-5001.
***************************************
UPDATE:
The search continues for Barbara Thomas in the Mohave desert approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway east of Kelbaker Rd.
Numerous Search & Rescue members, deputies, K9’s, Sheriff’s Aviation(helicopter) and Park Rangers.

There have been no sightings of her at this time. The temperatures are above 100 degrees today.

Updates will be issued as new information becomes available.
Anyone with information regarding Barbara's whereabouts is urged to contact the Colorado River Station at (760)326-9200 or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760)956-5001.
***********************************

SUMMARY:
On July 12, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., Barbara and her husband Robert were hiking in the Mohave desert approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway east of Kelbaker Rd. During the hike, Barbara and Robert got separated and she has not been seen since.
Barbara was last seen wearing a black bikini, a red baseball cap and tan hiking boots with black socks.
Click to expand...

I can only speculate that LE released information indicating the hiking area was "20 miles north of I-40 and east of Kelbaker Rd" to keep and amateur searchers away from the actual, relevant area. Subsequent reporting changed to include what we now believe to be the actual area; why the change? I guess because initial searching turned up no evidence of BT having wandered off and gotten lost so there was no longer a need to keep the area a 'secret'.
 
K9Enzo said:
IMO, I believe they were responsible dog owners who recognized the high temps and the potential danger to the dog. The dog sits this one out. Instead of having the dog home alone, they brought he/she to a kennel to be looked after. Good on them. Thats how I personally saw the dog kennel drop off.
Click to expand...

Dogs may suffer heat stroke and may sustain brain damage in temperatures equal to or greater than 105º.
 
bronbaby said:
Is camping in the desert when temperatures are highest, a popular hobby?
What do people do in the afternoons?
Is it known what the Thomas’s destination was on this camping trip?
Apologies if these queries have previously been discussed. I have no experience of deserts or extremely hot weather (coming from Ireland)
Thanks xo
Click to expand...

Well, as with most people who do this a lot, they had a brand spankin’ new Cougar RV that has its own generator and A/C, that comes on at the flick of a switch. I’ve watched people sit and play cards or watch DVD’s and I know one person who has a satellite uplink for his RV.

My neighbors go out there occasionally and just sit and drink wine and watch the clouds. I drove on the edge of the Mojave today, as an alternate route from a work site, and the clouds were just amazing.

No one knows where they were headed (well, I guess RT does) but there was an unimproved campground not too far from where they stopped.

My view on the dog is that most people with A/C in their 5th Wheels take their dogs, but check on them frequently. There are also heat sensors you can get. But if their ultimate destination was The Strip (as it is with so many desert/river lovers), a dog doesn’t fit well into that scenario.
 
ChuckMaureen said:
Dogs may suffer heat stroke and may sustain brain damage in temperatures equal to or greater than 105º.
Click to expand...

I have literally seen a dog (not mine) collapse and die from heat stroke. Temps were even lower but the dogs physical activity was pushed beyond his limits, not conditioned, by the well meaning owners.

I also firemen carried a dog to a stream for an immediate, rapid cool down. The dog had no snap it’s neck when pulled and released, eyes bulging, tongue floppy, etc.

Different topic but I don’t play around with this one.
 
ChuckMaureen said:
Dogs may suffer heat stroke and may sustain brain damage in temperatures equal to or greater than 105º.
Click to expand...
Yes, even exercising too much in 90 degree temperatures can be dangerous for dogs. They don't sweat, and they have fur so they can't release heat as well as humans. That's why they are more susceptible to heat stroke. Panting only cools them down so much.
I would think the desert temperatures would be too dangerous for them. There's no water to cool off in. Wouldn't the sand be too hot for their paws?

They must have left the dog at the kennel for trips before, since the kennel staff seemed to be familiar with Barbara. Imo
 
Kapua said:
In my experience, dog owners who are also campers love to take their dogs with them on their camping trips. I have several friends who are campers and dog owners, and they always take their dogs with them when camping.

It struck me as very odd that BT took her dog to the kennel ahead of this trip. MOO
Click to expand...
My daughter and husband and kids never take their dog with them when camping. For BT's dog, this was the desert, not a good place for a dog.
 
bronbaby said:
Thank you all for the education. I only know rain and cold weather :)
Click to expand...

To be fair, the majority of my hiking/camping season is Fall & Winter. I love the snow, that’s my jam. Hats off to those in desert regions! Many know what they’re doing and enjoy it fully. But regardless of the terrain and environment, Mother Nature while beautiful, can be wicked.
 
My mom grew up out that way, at least in her early childhood. The whole family was desperate to move someplace cooler. Of course, no A/C in those days. No A/C when I was growing up (and we still don’t have it at our house; when I lived in the desert for a while, with small kids, we’d get in the car and go someplace just to cool off because car had A/C and while the house had a swamp cooler, it was expensive to run - we were just out of school at the time).

I avoid the really hot weather out there like the plague. It exacerbates some illnesses (especially neurological ones) and yes, it’s really hard on dogs. I’m guessing the previous RV also had A/C (for the Thomases) or that they usually chose a different time of year, as their beautiful collie looks fine in the camping photos.

But if you know your A/C is working in your RV, then that’s a fine way to travel with Dog.

Just checked weather near Kelbaker - there’s some rain, it’s only about 86° at 5 pm.
 
Checking for an update and apparently no luck! :(
We always take our dogs camping and leave them in the AC if we have to do something not pet approved!
I thought that the desert was just a stopping point before their intended destination? Or is that not correct? TIA!
 
While there is little supervision in the Mojave NP, it’s not okay to sleep overnight in a turnout like the one at the trailhead. I would bet they were headed to a real campground.

Personally, I wouldn’t try to sleep at the side of a road in California, anywhere.
 
10ofRods said:
Well, as with most people who do this a lot, they had a brand spankin’ new Cougar RV that has its own generator and A/C, that comes on at the flick of a switch. I’ve watched people sit and play cards or watch DVD’s and I know one person who has a satellite uplink for his RV.

My neighbors go out there occasionally and just sit and drink wine and watch the clouds. I drove on the edge of the Mojave today, as an alternate route from a work site, and the clouds were just amazing.

No one knows where they were headed (well, I guess RT does) but there was an unimproved campground not too far from where they stopped.

My view on the dog is that most people with A/C in their 5th Wheels take their dogs, but check on them frequently. There are also heat sensors you can get. But if their ultimate destination was The Strip (as it is with so many desert/river lovers), a dog doesn’t fit well into that scenario.
Click to expand...
The RV and the truck have air conditioning and the dog lives in Arizona. MOO
 
kay74 said:
No summers in Ireland?!?
Click to expand...
O/T I'm not bronbaby. Ppl could search wiki for other Irish cities, but for Dublin:
Ave high temps in June July, Aug --- mid-upper 60'sF or ~17-19C.
^ per Climate data for Dublin (DUB)[a], 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1881–present _ Dublin - Wikipedia ^

Not like SoCal, US. Back on topic.
 
Kapua said:
The RV and the truck have air conditioning and the dog lives in Arizona. MOO
Click to expand...

Right. Every single person in my family has a dog (often more than one) and we’ve been traveling in the West since before A/C was standard. I do understand that some people would worry.

But, given that things can and do go wrong at kennels as well, we always choose to travel with the dogs. But we do not go out in the Mojave in July (and I do wonder if the Thomases chose that time of year regularly or whether this was a last minute decision based on her imminent departure).

I bet she was sad to leave Lexi in boarding care.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 168 more.
Total: 2,076 (members: 169, guests: 1,907)

Online statistics

Members online
169
Guests online
1,907
Total visitors
2,076
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
600,677
Messages
18,111,987
Members
230,993
Latest member
DeeKay
Back
Top