I may be out in left field here, but has anyone thought that maybe he wrote the notes then drove his van into the ravine? It was publicly stated that he had mental issues so that can't be too far out there of a theory right?
Just spitballin here though...seems pretty wild that he took off, no cell, no credit cards, health issues and ended up being able to travel halfway across the US and end up in a wreck where his vehicle fell over 50' into a ravine. How did he eat or buy gas or sleep? Just bumming in his van? THEN, to top it all off, he had enough consciousness to find something to write with and something to write on and write notes to his family. I'm just saying that it's a hard, hard story to believe.