Reposting for clarity -
Please understand I am not snarking at you, I had absolutely considered the abduction taking place away from the lake...it still may have...but this would mean specifically discounting Mr G's sighting.
I get strong indications that this witness is very solid. It appears I am alone in this on this forum. I do not believe for one second he "confabulated" the sighting, made it up, embroidered it, got his times or days wrong.
I do not believe it was a stranger abduction, at all. Never have. I believe the girls knew their abductor.
Add in Mr G, Mr C and Mr P, also Mr C's wife, and Mr G's daughter, and there are just too many (in my mind) CREDIBLE witnesses to the girls being at (or at least very nearby) that lake.
The dogs tracking their scent into the wooded area tends to confirm this.
All opinion only.
I actually said AT or NEARBY that lake....not definitely AT THE LAKE.
Credible witnesses being - Mr Gamerdinger who saw the bikes, his daughter who confirms the timing as he spoke to her on the phone at the time, Mr Carpenter who lives in Lake Ave (very nearby) who saw the girls go past, his wife who confirms he saw the girls go past, Mr P who has stated he cannot see how they got "that far in 8 minutes" thereby implying (to me at least) that LE have suggested they did indeed go that far in 8 minutes.
I can post links to all of the above if required but this is common knowledge.
My point is that these CREDIBLE individuals all had something to say regarding the girls, the bikes, and the timing.
My point was ALSO MY OPINION ONLY.