Recovered/Located NV - Ronnie (found deceased) & Beverly Barker (taken for med care), RV trip, Stagecoach, 27 Mar 2022

[coalminer]

i meet the GPS Silver Peak travelers often... in S.P. they turn left... go to Goldfield & hiway 95.... we have no gas station.. i often sell them 5 gallons.... but... at night the left turn is in town and is next to impossible to know it is there... so it is easy to keep driving straight... (your GPS route is lost signal)... you are still in town, Main St... Main turns into Coyote Road, Coyote Road is a great road... so you keep driving... next thing you know.. you are on Coyote Summit.. headed to Dyer... still a great road... at Coyote Summit starts the tree line.... BUT.... why did they ever turn off the good county road.????? onto a very rough bad dirt road......

 

[DeDee]

Herat said:

"I have to think that by 6 pm, when captured on that CCTV footage north of Luning, they were both exhausted..."

Isn't that the grainy footage of their vehicle passing by? If so, I can concur that the white travel home passes by from some distance but I cannot attest to the fact that it was the Mr Barker driving.

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RSBM
I've no doubt every decision seemed perfectly reasonable to them at the time...

I have empathy for their decisions leading to such a terrible outcome. But I don't think deciding to travel off the main highways - for any reason (GPS or whatever) can be viewed as anything but a gross error in judgment. I find it shocking.

I am seeing a lot of criticism on Facebook of the various LE agencies because the search took more time than some deem reasonable. But LE did the best they could with the info they had considering how remote the Barkers were located.

I have empathy for them, but the Barkers are responsible for the entire dilemma created. We can feel terrible for them while still acknowledging serious, avoidable errors were made.

I look forward to hearing how what started as a vacation turned into a nightmare.

JMHO

"I look forward to hearing how what started as a vacation turned into a nightmare.
the Barkers are responsible for the entire dilemma created..."

That's not all that kind toward the victims, moo. You look forward to learning how Mr Barker's death occurred. I'm sure it has been a nightmare since they entered Nevada.

Getting stuck in the earth while maneuvering an RV in the middle of nowhere, flat, dry, desert, country with dusty roads and then their rather nice car is driven several miles when over the top type problems happen and they're stuck again with their vehicle. Then, consider their ages and her health. She depended upon Ron to take her places. Blessings for everything she needs and Ron's soul to have peace.

We'll learn their travel avails and frailties, possibly. I wish it could hv found them both safe and well yet nearer their destination. Considering the locations of the multiple mishaps, it's a miracle Beverly survived. Yay for her! Head bows to Ron. Heard he was a well-liked great guy.
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[otto]

They strike me as the type to be prepared so I would think that they did have paper maps but didn’t realize they’d need them until after they were already in trouble, then couldn’t get turned back around. I’m just sorry that it took so long to get to them and that the lack of cell service hampered locating them.

Surprising that they didn't think to bring water bottles, juice and snacks in the car ... since the RV was stuck in the mud (be prepared) ... and weren't they both on medication for diabetes? Nine days away from the RV, or did they stay put for a couple of day and wait for someone to use the "find my phone" app? Was it nine days in the car?

 

[Planet 9]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Let's keep his family in our thoughts - don't worry about me. He was really a great guy and early in my career, he really helped me gain some perspective. I probably didn't appreciate it as much then but as I've gotten older, I certainly do. Ron and Bev were both prolific travelers and as such, I didn't get to meet up with him as much as I would've liked. I remember the last lunch I had with them and we talked the usual things - our love of tech (we are both fans of the old Commodore Amiga computer) and gadgets and events in our lives. At the time, he had just come off a major battle with cancer and had lost parts of his lungs but he still looked good given what he had just gone through. I think the last time I saw him was around Christmas or so a few years ago, and we ran into each other at a local Italian place - he was at a corporate dinner and I was with my wife. I jumped up, he saw me, and we had a great big hug. I overheard him at his table telling his coworkers about me and our relationship and how I was probably the best tech person he ever worked with. It meant a lot to me then and maybe even more now.

I guess the only solace we can take from this - and it does sound cliche, I know - is that Ron really loved exploring the world and he died following his passion, with the love of his life by his side. Speaking for myself, the wife and I have talked about retiring with an RV and I'm going to take some practical lessons from this incident if we go down that road.

Thank you so much for posting this. I just listened to the newscast with his nephew. It sounds like he passed peacefully and with God. As an older RVer, the best advice I have (should you embark on the RV life in your retirement) is truly to leave your campsite around 10, and arrive at the next by 3ish.

 

[spiritkiss]

This is such sad news. Red tape seems to get in the way. One day earlier. Just one. Life is preciou and sometimes you have to care about more than just rules and regs when a life is on the line. Because there are no second chances.

 

[airportwoman]

When my parents got older they always traveled with another RVer and their rig. They had a few close calls and they determined that things can happen quickly and dangerously when traveling. My dad always carried a gun in the RV and that made me extremely nervous.

I don't advocate carrying guns out of paranoia, but maybe he wasn't as fearful of people as he was of animals?

(Most people don't know this, but when an officer uses their gun, the majority of the time, it's to shoot an injured animal.)

 

[Kecharaeq2]

Surprising that they didn't think to bring water bottles, juice and snacks in the car ... since the RV was stuck in the mud (be prepared) ... and weren't they both on medication for diabetes? Nine days away from the RV, or did they stay put for a couple of day and wait for someone to use the "find my phone" app? Was it nine days in the car?

Travis Peters covered the incident in the interview he did this evening with WTHR. It’s about 20 min long and lays out the sequence of events pretty well.

 

[katydid23]

Google Maps

It would appear based on the images I was able to find. That they appeared to take a R turn from the Road coming from Dyer onto a road towards the top of Red Mountain. The coordinates on my map show that it was an intersection that goes 3 ways one north, back the way they came, and one towards the southeast

Wow. They were in the middle of nowhere. Truly frightening because there was no one to turn to, no way to get help. I wish they hadn't turned off the main highway.

 

[Lilibet]

Thank you so much for posting this. I just listened to the newscast with his nephew. It sounds like he passed peacefully and with God. As an older RVer, the best advice I have (should you embark on the RV life in your retirement) is truly to leave your campsite around 10, and arrive at the next by 3ish.

As an older former RVer I agree. Sometimes our travel days were even shorter. Daylight is your friend, as is not getting overly tired. The Barker’s misadventure is just heartbreaking. We can do coulda, shoulda, woulda all day, but we weren’t there and all it takes is one seemingly small decision to set off a domino effect leading to tragedy for any of us.

 

[DeDee]

Unbelievably, sadly, Ronnie passed away on April 4, just one day before they were found.

Indianapolis man missing in Nevada dies; wife taken to hospital | wthr.com

We thank them all for their coverage of this harrowing story, and we ask that they continue to follow us as we try to get things changed so that no family has to struggle for the help we were seeking. Ronnie Barker passed away on Monday 4/4. Beverly was rescued roughly 21 hours later. Had proper steps been taken from the moment they were reported as missing, my Uncle would be alive today. Your inability to deal with this situation cost my uncle his life. I hope that haunts you for the rest of yours

Hashtag #TrustTheFamily


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[spcagrl]

This is all just Monday morning quarterbacking now, after this terrible tragedy has happened to these nice people. But normal gps as used in cars and on phones just doesn’t cut it for those driving big RV rigs. In the past couple of years, the GPS manufacturers, notably Garmin, have released Big Rig and RV applications that are considerable more expensive, but allow you to enter the height, length and weight of the rig, and the routes provided to you will only include those that your rig can handle-no low clearance bridges, no weight sensitive areas. Of course even the best GPS will carp out if there is no signal/service, which paper maps never do. Hugs to the Barker family and godspeed dear Ron….

 

[Kecharaeq2]

This is all just Monday morning quarterbacking now, after this terrible tragedy has happened to these nice people. But normal gps as used in cars and on phones just doesn’t cut it for those driving big RV rigs. In the past couple of years, the GPS manufacturers, notably Garmin, have released Big Rig and RV applications that are considerable more expensive, but allow you to enter the height, length and weight of the rig, and the routes provided to you will only include those that your rig can handle-no low clearance bridges, no weight sensitive areas. Of course even the best GPS will carp out if there is no signal/service, which paper maps never do. Hugs to the Barker family and godspeed dear Ron….

I’ll need to look into that for my dad’s birthday. He’s still in great shape but he’s almost 80. It worries me when he goes out on mushroom and deer hunting trips by himself.

 

[Lillymac]

I have just begun to read here about the Barkers and this tragedy. But, I keep asking myself, why did they just stay in one place and not go for help. I realize the big rig was stuck in the mud, but obviously the car was mobile. Why didn't they turn around and go back. Did the car get stuck too? I know I'm missing some information because I don't see how you could just sit and wait for more than a day or two. Maybe Mr. Barker became ill or incapacitated right away, and she didn't know what to do. She surely didn't want to leave him. Were they out of gas? Any new details?

 

[WingsOverTX]

I have just begun to read here about the Barkers and this tragedy. But, I keep asking myself, why did they just stay in one place and not go for help. I realize the big rig was stuck in the mud, but obviously the car was mobile. Why didn't they turn around and go back. Did the car get stuck too? I know I'm missing some information because I don't see how you could just sit and wait for more than a day or two. Maybe Mr. Barker became ill or incapacitated right away, and she didn't know what to do. She surely didn't want to leave him. Were they out of gas? Any new details?

Unfortunately, they ran out of options due to being on a mountain. The RV got stuck and they were able to drive the car away but it got stuck a couple of miles away from the RV, still in the back country.

They did not take any survival supplies from the RV with them in the car. One of the main complications they both endured was dehydration although Beverly was able to get some snow to melt.

A wrong turn had tragic consequences in an unforgiving, remote landscape.

Ronnie died the day before SAR arrived. He taught his wife to sound SOS with the car horn, which helped her be rescued.

MOO

 

[spcagrl]

I have just begun to read here about the Barkers and this tragedy. But, I keep asking myself, why did they just stay in one place and not go for help. I realize the big rig was stuck in the mud, but obviously the car was mobile. Why didn't they turn around and go back. Did the car get stuck too? I know I'm missing some information because I don't see how you could just sit and wait for more than a day or two. Maybe Mr. Barker became ill or incapacitated right away, and she didn't know what to do. She surely didn't want to leave him. Were they out of gas? Any new details?

Umm….well, stuck means STUCK. You go nowhere. From the most recent accounts, they got stuck with the rv on the 27 at night, then spent that night in the motorhome. The next morning, Monday the 28, they unhooked the car and tried to move on to a garage or other help. It is unclear if they continued the route they were on or if they turned around and went back the way they came (which would have been my choice, but with the gps out they may have thought they were closer to the end of the route and chances were better further on). They probably thought it was an easy fix, they would not be too far from help in the car, but tragically the car became stuck too, about two miles from the RV. Clearly the terrain and location were underestimated, and since both had health and or mobility issues, they really could not go on foot. Just terribly sad.

 

[WingsOverTX]

I have just begun to read here about the Barkers and this tragedy. But, I keep asking myself, why did they just stay in one place and not go for help. I realize the big rig was stuck in the mud, but obviously the car was mobile. Why didn't they turn around and go back. Did the car get stuck too? I know I'm missing some information because I don't see how you could just sit and wait for more than a day or two. Maybe Mr. Barker became ill or incapacitated right away, and she didn't know what to do. She surely didn't want to leave him. Were they out of gas? Any new details?

Upthread an interview with their nephew with details from Beverly was shared by Kecharaeq2.

 

[Lillymac]

Upthread an interview with their nephew with details from Beverly was shared by Kecharaeq2.

Thank you so much. Wow! Tears are flowing. What an inspiring testimony. It's good to have a comforting end result for the family and for Mrs. Barker. "Go Rest High on the Mountain" Mr. Barker.

 

[drama_farmer]

In the interview linked above, the nephew said they had their GPS set to "shortest distance" instead of "highway." I've made that mistake before, but luckily was in town and figured it out quickly.

 

[wary]

Folks, one thing to remember when you are stuck is; START A FIRE

You have all sorts of combustible materials: Gas, engine oil, tires. You may have a hubcab that can be used as a bowl for gasoline. You may have clothing or blankets that can be soaked in gasoline and spread over a bush. They would have had some scrubs trees / brush from the location they were at. Their trailor would have been full of flammable items: bedlinens, towels, paper goods. They likely had perhaps 10 or more gallons of fuel in that vehicle.

A burning tire or an engine oil fire is very smoky and will attract the most attention.

Anything to get someone up there to find you.

This advice makes me cringe. Check out the Cedar Fire of 2003, San Diego County. It was started by a hunter who thought he was lost, and followed this advice.

As a result, 15 people died, 2200 homes were burned. From what I’ve heard of the Barkers, I don’t think they would have wanted to cause that sort of destruction.

I think we’d honor them more by sharing less destructive advice. Never completely trust your GPS. Stay on the highway. Don’t take shortcuts. When in doubt, stop. Take plenty of food and water, specially water. Always let people know where you’re going, and make sure that they know that if they don’t hear from you, there’s trouble.

 

[logical]

So tragic that it took so long to get the search going on the roads out of Silver Peak.

It seemed obvious that needed to happen and sleuthers on here were stating that fact days before Ronnie passed.

When people get lost, it is LE and groups like this that can save them, and in this case... they both should have been found alive without a doubt.

Satellite based emergency communication devices also would have saved them... everyone should ensure their parents have a Garmin In Reach or something similar with an easy to use Satellite based SOS button.