Where in the World is Mark Sanford? Not, it seems, on the Appalachian Trail

Or if he is, he must have parachuted there from an airplane that he caught at the Atlanta airport.

Joel Sawyer, communications director for the governor's office, then said the governor had been on the Appalachian Trail. Sawyer said staffers heard from Sanford on Tuesday morning and the governor plans to return Wednesday.

Sawyer said the governor is surprised by all the attention.

On Tuesday, sources told News 4's Nigel Robertson that a state vehicle is missing and was tracked down, not to the Appalachian Trail, but to the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta.

Sources told Robertson that a federal agent spotted Sanford in the airport boarding a plane. Robertson was told that the governor was not accompanied by security detail.

Sanford has been out of reach for more than four days, including Father's Day.

Sawyer has emphasized that the governor was hiking on the Appalachian Trail and that it wasn't something the staff or Jenny Sanford were concerned about.

But sources told WYFF News 4 that the federal agent who spotted Sanford saw him at the Atlanta airport, which is about 80 miles from the start of the trail.

I knew there would be another version of this story before the end of the day.

This latest turn might explain the terse response that a CNN reporter got from Mrs. Sanford when he tracked her down at the family's vacation home.

"I am being a mom today. I have not heard from my husband. I am taking care of my children."

Obviously, I hope that Sanford is well and unharmed. But I cannot wait to hear what he has to say for himself when he gets back home. He's due back on Wednesday, according to the most recent statement from the S.C. governor's office. We'll see tomorrow if that had any basis in reality or if it was just a frantic attempt to spin the unspinnable.