Gobi 2011 Trek:

It appears that the strategy of the Davenports was to a: create a fake backstory of Ripley as a famous explorer going active again after pausing to marry and have a couple of children, then b: Do the solo walk across Mongolia in 2010 to establish Ripley as an experty guide in Mongolia, then c: start making money by organizing groups of paying clients to be guided by Ripley in Mongolia. Thus, Ripley and Laura would remake Ripley into a profit center as a famous explorer and guide, leading trips, doing endorsements, speaking engagements, etc.