We drove out there yesterday and took a look around. After joking with the hubby about driving out alone to see what he would say, he said he wanted to go for a drive anyway...so we went and he actually is getting into this sleuthing thing! lol Some things we noticed...
1. At Valle Vista Rd & Ranch Rd (where her car was found) a car drove past approx. every 5 minutes.
2. There were some houses scattered about in the area, but mostly open space.
3. Just west of there, at Valle Vista Rd & Utah Trail, we saw approx. 1 car per minute.
4. Slightly west of that, at the NE corner of Valle Vista Rd & Adobe Rd, there were several parked, unattended cars (made me wonder if that was the location that someone mentioned buy baby clothes when she lived there). There were some out of state plates, and also a U-Haul. Wondering if these were cars not allowed on base due to expired insurance or registrations or some other military rule???
5. Didn't see a single LE vehicle anywhere in 29 Palms.
6. Drove through JTNP, from 29 Palms to Joshua Tree (on the very well maintained, paved road, with lots of people on it), and saw no LE vehicles of any type...until just after we exited JTNP. A sheriff was parked on the road (but wasn't paying attention so missed a chance to ticket my speeding hubby lol).
7. Saw lots of photographers in JTNP, and once again I was struck with how hauntingly beautiful that place is when you see it in person. A cousin of mine once told she read a quote that went something like this, "Instead of color, God painted with texture in the desert." Sooo true! Don't write off the entire desert if you've never been there - even out near Gold Crown Road where it's desolate, it can be so peaceful to hear nothing but the sand under your feet and know you are completely alone with creation.
8. Drove east on Hwy 62 to the old Star's Way Out building (just past Gold Crown Road), and didn't see any LE vehicles.
9. MOST DISTURBING OF ALL: Didn't see a single poster about Erin, including at the 2 grocery stores (Staters & Save A Lot), the Circle K, or a gas station.
My husband wondered if LE was so intent on searching JTNP because they found a park map in her car. They give you a map at the entrance and, even if she didn't make it there the day she disappeared, it's likely she's been there previously since there's not a lot to do in the area, so she could have a map from a previous trip with notes on it of where she wanted to go. (Or something she printed online, or a just a written list of places.) There are certain places that look best at sunset, so maybe there are some that look best at sunrise and that was why she wanted to scout locations.
Of course, now I see the activity was on Amboy Rd so we missed that - maybe my hubby will want to go for another drive tomorrow! lol I encouraged him to visit Websleuths but he's not big on the computer so not sure that will happen. He did ask what name I use, so if you see a new person named Nick Charles (I'm guessing he would play William Powell to my Myrna Loy) give him a big welcome!