The last verified contact by FJ was the 22:19 July 21 video sent to friends/family, in motion, northbound on N. Adobe Rd, -1.2 miles (2 km)
N of Highway 62.
Ostensibly on the way to the marine base to purchase fuel? The fuel pumps, at the northern edge of the sprawling base, were still nearly 9 miles (14 km) away. The commissary closed for three hours.
Interestingly, fuel seems to be one of few products on base not exempt from taxes.
![No tax breaks at the pump for military bases.png No tax breaks at the pump for military bases.png](https://www.websleuths.com/forums/data/attachments/427/427897-174783393d538af85b3520f4417faa6c.jpg)
Gas taxes in CA are 78 cents a gallon, highest in nation. According to gasbuddy.com prices at the base pump do appear to average 15-20 cents cheaper than in town.
Would JRF make a 20-mile detour (recalling my younger self making 20-mile detours to avoid 50c tolls when gas was 70c/gall but JRF is no kid), late at night, to save a coupla bucks? What was he really up to that night?
Now the weather report. 100 deg F (37.8 C) in Borrego yesterday, prolly last triple digit with six month high-season (Nov-April) approaching. That two-month stretch mid-July-to-mid-September, when JRF disappeared until recovered, punctuated with a hurricane in the middle, dropping a years worth of rain in two days, was brutal.
(Finally the traffic report and a fun fact: the aforementioned last contact 22:19 7/21 video appears to capture traffic exiting southbound from Smith’s Ranch Drive-In Theater, 2 km north of vid, a uniquely-American experience and one of the last (actually ~300) remaining venues.
Believe the latest Indiana Jones flick in the middle of a three-night run was being shown that Friday evening. Bring the lawn chairs, the desert comes alive at night. Showtime 19:30, runtime 2:34. JoBob sez check it out. I know, tmi).
ETA: “What was he really up to that night?”