What wouldn't be unusual for Karr? Transporting Southern Cars?? Going to pick up a "snappy, high speed car"? That's under the table money.
The TIME of the pending phone call in the ransom note becomes more important....8-10 AM on the 27th. He would place himself neither home nor in Colorado but half way between and he'll have a receipt to prove it.
Scott Peterson did that with a phone call and remember, he kept the fishing place receipt. He also returned to the scene several times. Did I hear that the Karrs' car broke down in Boulder on the way to California?? And he wanted a poem read at the Ramsey house??
He told someone that he visited Ramsey's house while he left his family at a hotel/motel. (maybe that Wendy chick....who's another fruit-loop)