well, as jay schadler finds out tonight, it eelgs not always so trustworthy. reretraces a journey that was quite literally hell on wheels for one family. lost in the hottest place on earth. the one thing they were counts on to save them didn't. their gps. ♪ on a dark desert highway >> reporter: inside the little grey hyundai, sailing along with "hotel california" playing on the radio, is donna cooper. donna, her daughter gina and their friend jenny leeung visiting from hong kong are on a day trip to an old mansion turned tourist museum in death valley. >> i had never been to scotty's castle, i'd been saying for years i'd like to go, but i never went. it's a nice day trip. >> reporter: they recently returned to death valley to relive their memories. what was the day like? >> beautiful, gorgeous. >> hot. >> hot. >> reporter: so it was a good day to take a trip? >> yeah. >> turn left on california 190. >> reporter: also along for the ride, donna's trusty gps, nicknamed "nell." >> i named her after my mother, who was always telling me how to do things and where to

here's jay schadler. >> reporter: birds flocking and elephants herding to higher ground hours beforeutheast asia. >> animals have premonitions. they have abilities that scientifically we can't explain. >> reporter: a dog travels miles across streams, highways and neighborhoods to find his owner who's been taken to a hospital the dog has never seen. >> reporter: do you think there's any chance that this was a coincidence? >> he was on his way to the hospital. i don't know. where was he -- on his way to hollywood? i don't know. >> miracles associated with dogs are happening every day. >> reporter: there's a menagerie of animals who display some fascinating extrasensory gifts. during the 2010 world cup, a german octopus delighted the world by picking the winner of seven straight matches. >> spain has won the world cup. >> reporter: but we begin with oscar, the rhode island nursing home cat. >> oscar tends to come into the room shortly before somebody is about to die. that's where he'll sit until the patient eventually passes. somehow, this cat knew oftentimes before we as physicians or

here is jay schadler. >> reporter: doggone it, just when you thought you had seen it all on the internet and a razzle dazzle border collie on "britain's got talent." for diehard fans from texas to tokyo, it's rock and roll over a serious bit of dance competition called canine freestyle. >> this is my first competition and i'm a little nervous. and the nerves go right around the leash into the dog. >> reporter: in a moment we'll see who brings home the gold in this fredericksburg, virginia, contest but first, we must give pause, the furry kind to the grand dame and top dog of canine freestyle. you are two peas in a pod. >> we were. >> reporter: carolyn scott and her dog rookie are the fred astaire and ginger rogers of this world. and like that perfect pair, these partners prefer things free and loose. >> with freestyle, it opened up the door for me to teach behaviors no one had seen before. >> reporter: you're letting the dog improvise? >> absolutely. he had a say in everything i choreographed. we set the music and i had one spin and next thing i know he was spinning across the room. i ne