#Apache trail

[bignaz8]

Fish Creek Hill, Apache Trail, Arizona

[pulpsandcomics2]

Apache Trail #1-#4 1958

[lostyet]

Rediscovering the old Apache Trail

Photo taken circa 1910. Arizona State Library The Apache Trail has re-opened, and one hot September 2024 Sunday, my son and I found ourselves with no obligations we could not avoid. Being too hot to hike (daytime highs never sank below 95 the entirety of September in 2024) (God – I hope that’s a remarkable sentence in the future) my son suggested that I should drive. Because the AC in my 2015…

[juhnkit]

Home Building & Construction Floorplans Appalachian Log Homes, The Apache Trail Blueprint

[areadersquoteslibrary]

“The soul would have no rainbow if the eye had no tears.”

- Native American Proverb, or 'dicho'

[nicolefordphoto]

Whether you’re hiking solo, with the kids, or just need a low-effort or quick adventure, these five trails are known for being easy, fun, and full of scenic charm — and I can’t wait to check them out! Especially during the heat of this upcoming Arizona summer!

[spazposts]

[autotrails]

American Auto Trail-National Park to Park Highway (St. Johns to Holbrook AZ)

American Auto Trail-National Park to Park Highway (St. Johns to Holbrook AZ) https://youtu.be/W2J0JQQKiqw This American auto trail follows the Little Colorado River past the Petrified Forest National Park, from St. Johns to Holbrook, Arizona.

[afloweroutofstone]

By all accounts, the Americans virtually ensured their own defeat [in the Waygal Valley of Afghanistan]: They repeatedly bombed their closest supporters here, showing just how little the United States understood about the war it was fighting… The Americans killed and maimed the very people who supported them most, swelling the Taliban’s ranks by turning allies into enemies. Convinced that Nuristan would become a transport hub and hide-out for Al Qaeda and its allies, the Americans built bases and aggressively patrolled an area that, for the better part of a century, had been granted autonomy from its own government… Only the Americans dared to encroach into the region, and in doing so created the very insurgent stronghold they feared most. The United States dropped more than 1,000 bombs in a place it never needed to be. Instead of winning hearts and minds, the Americans unwittingly sowed the seeds of their own demise here in the Waygal Valley — just as it did in much of Afghanistan — then stayed for years to reap the harvest. “You have to know when you are the problem,” said retired Col. William Ostlund, the commanding officer of the men who fought the battle in Want (sometimes referred to as Wanat)... In October 2003, the C.I.A. launched an attack against a suspected terrorist in a mountaintop village, sending a trail of fire and smoke into the ink black sky. Gunships strafed the forests where residents had run for safety. A cluster of wood-frame homes and a mosque were decimated; seven people were killed, some while fleeing. The Americans declared the strike a success, a refrain that would become so common it would lose meaning. In reality, the attacks had failed. Not only was their target not there, but the homes and mosque they struck belonged to a staunch American ally, a former governor of Nuristan named Mawlawi Ghulam Rabbani. Mr. Rabbani’s political party, Jamiat-e-Islami, detested the Taliban — so much so that it had partnered with the Americans to overthrow them. In fact, that very night, Mr. Rabbani was in Kabul as part of a delegation of pro-American forces. The only people sheltering in the mountainside home were his family and friends. Of the seven killed, most were women and children, and they included Mr. Rabbani’s son and daughter… Though the attack barely resonated in Kabul, much less in Washington, it changed the dynamic in the Waygal Valley. If people were not yet ready to give up on the Americans, they no longer saw them as infallible liberators. A creeping sense of resentment, and injustice, opened a crack for the Taliban’s message to grow… Perhaps the only person who stuck by the Americans was [Afghan villager] Rafiullah [Arif]. But his loyalty was growing untenable, and even the money his family was getting increasingly wasn’t worth it. Rafiullah and his family couldn’t even go to their local market without worrying that [Taliban fighter] Mullah Osman’s men would kill them. Now, with the Americans preparing to leave his village, he and his family would be completely unprotected. The Americans were coming under mortar fire for the second day in a row. Rafiullah and his family decided to leave for good. They packed up their belongings and fled in a pair of trucks with other civilians, including several doctors who worked at the local clinic. The fleeing vehicles caught the eye of the Americans, who mistakenly believed the Taliban were marshaling forces for another attack. U.S. officers called in an airstrike, sending a hail of gunfire from two Apache helicopters at the convoy, destroying them and nearly everyone inside. Rafiullah lost his father, mother, brother and nephew, along with his arm, an eye and any semblance of support for the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The Americans, once again, declared the strike a success… “They say they came here to help us, but they wound up killing us,” [Rafiullah] said, squinting into the sun with his good eye. “We supported their mission, and they betrayed us.”

[thelostcanyon]

Mexican Gold Poppies (Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana) on the slopes of Bronco Butte above the Apache Trail, Arizona.

[mutant-distraction]

Apache Trail, Arizona Monument Valley, Arizona

credit: Travel With Me

[iamrunning-low]

Part two of the grainy pics of all the parts Deforest Kelly has played

Vince Grayson - Fear in the night (1947)

Bill Rile - Waco (1966)

Guy Tavenner - Town Tamer (1965)

'Medic' - The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)

Bob Kirby - Variety Girl (1947)

Charlie - House of Bamboo (1955)

Jim Breck - Tension at Table Rock (1956)

Viking 1 (voice) - The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998)

Sam King - Black Saddle, S2 Ep8 Apache Trail (1959)

[lost-boy-into-the-upper-heavenly]

Apache Trail, Arizona 🇺🇸

[jeffambrose]

Apache Trail, between Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake.

[bum-tan]

So I read the comic "Wanted : Lucky Luke," and I just wanted to pop up here to rant and comment about it.

I'd recommend you read it first if you don't want to be spoiled, but if you don't want to, I'll still explain the plot for context.

The official synopsis:

"Riding peacefully along a western trail, Lucky Luke is suddenly ambushed by an unknown assailant. After a quick gunfight, the cowboy loses his mysterious attacker but happens upon a lone wagon beset by Apache raiders. Another quick fight later, Luke is surprised to find that the occupants of the wagon are three lovely young women! Three sisters on their way to start a new life, and who all find the lonesome cowboy ... quite interesting."

Here is a short explanation of the overall plot for better context :

In "Wanted: Lucky Luke," the famous cowboy finds himself on the wrong side of the law. After being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Lucky Luke is declared an outlaw with a bounty on his head. The tables have turned, and now, instead of chasing criminals, he must evade capture by both lawmen and bounty hunters. Along his journey, he must clear his name, uncover the real culprits, and help a group of sisters he has encountered on his way.

I'm sure some of you may have recognized the artstyle as it was made by Matthieu Bonhomme; The same person who made the comic "The man who shot Lucky Luke", which is great in on itself, but I won't be talking much about it in this rant.

Regarding the art ? I enjoy it for the most part. It feels very fitting to the world of old western, but I understand the people who may not like it as it's not suited for Lucky Luke's stories that are usually more light hearted.

I personally don't really like the way Luke is drawn in Matthieu's art style. But I digress.

Moving on, here are some of my favourite panels from this comic that I'd like to comment about (please click on the pictures to better see if need be) :

For context, this was when the girls were being held hostage by the criminals, who then forced them to sing and dance. The girls were defenseless against these men. And as they were being harassed, I feared something explicitly bad would happen to them.

Thankfully, this guy (Big Jack) stepped in and stopped the other men. I know he is a bad guy and the only reason why he protected them was because he was enjoying their performance, but still. It was nice to see.

Next set of my favourite panels :

Sadly, I couldn't put all the panels, but basically, this was when Lucky Luke was catching the criminals late into the night, after he managed to escape from them.

It was very entertaining and badass, the way he hunted them down when they were the ones chasing him earlier that day. Doesn't he look so cool ?

Love the colours and art as well, making for an intimidating atmosphere. Very nice.

Now, here are a few sets of panels that I find hilarious:

This was when Lucky Luke was being teased over the wanted posters that were displaying him with a flower in his mouth. Need I say more? Just look at Luke's reaction !

It's especially funny when you consider the fact that the legendary cowboy used to smoke in the past, but now he just sucks on a piece of grass like a bum.

The duality of this man, going from formidable foe in front of his enemies to a lightweight when teased, is just too good.

And finally, these panels :

This was when the comic hit its climax. Everyone was fighting over who could get Lucky Luke, including the outlaws, the Indians, the ladies, and the cavalry. Everyone wanted him !

As expected of our dashing cowboy.

And speaking of the outlaws, I was pleasantly surprised to see some of the iconic villains, from the original comics, make their apparitions to do Lucky Luke in.

But I was pretty disappointed that the Daltons weren't included amongst them. However, they were still mentioned by a character named Dick Dalton, a distant relative of the Daltons. Which I originally did not like, but his presence ended up making for quite a treat.

When the outlaws caught him, Dick felt strangely familiar to Lucky Luke, who unconsiously stared at him. But he didn't care much about engaging with Dick, even after the guy spilled out his story.

It was later revealed, near the end of the comic, that Dick was the one who put up a bunch of wanted posters of Lucky Luke, to make him suffer and hand him over to Joe (who is actually individually mentioned by name, unlike his brothers !) so Dick could be recognised as a Dalton.

Coming up with a plan like that, it's on brand with the Daltons. However, Luke is simply unimpressed and condescending to Dick. He calls him nothing but a pale imitation, clearly implying that Dick could never be at the same level as Joe Dalton.

Which I find fun as hell.

The next thing that I'd like to talk about is the sisters' interactions with Lucky Luke. More specifically, with Cherry (the blond one).

Because you see, in his journey of trying to hide from his enemies, Lucky Luke encounters and saves a group of 3 sisters (Angie, Cherry, and Bonnie), who need to reach the nearest town with their herd of cattles, all without being scalped by Indians.

Of course, Lucky Luke volunteers to help them. And obviously, the 3 sisters end up being interested in him and are aiming for his heart. Competing with one another.

They all attempted to flirt with him, naturally with no success.

So far, no suprise, until a tangible romance subplot seemingly formed between our hero and Cherry !

I initially kind of disliked that development. Especially how there seemed to be a reciprocated attraction on Lucky Luke's side.

Because it doesn't fit with his character, as in the comics and cartoons, he never shows any interest towards women or their advances.

However, as I kept reading, I realized it made for a compelling storyline, as well as a good introspection on our beloved hero. Explaining why he may be the way he is.

One of the many reasons why Lucky Luke is a lonesome cowboy who won't form long-lasting connections is because he has never received love in the past. So he doesn't know how to receive or give any back.

To me, this panel could be interpreted as him also wanting to learn how to love from Cherry, but he refuses to give in because of his convictions.

And since he has never known love, how could he know what it's like to be in love with someone?

So while she may harbor love towards him, he appreciates her in return, but it's more of a friendly admiration than romantic love. Because he could never reciprocate her kind of love.

In the end, he still ends up leaving, choosing independance over love.

But at least, now he knows that there are people who do love him.

All in all, I quite enjoyed this comic and I recommend any Lucky Luke enjoyers to read it as well.

P.S :

-I think the name of the comic is "Wanted: Lucky Luke," not only because he was being hunted down, but also because there are people who love him. Meaning he is quite literally wanted. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

-The whole Dick situation shows how irrelevant he is to Luke compared to Joe. And if i'm not reaching, this also implies how much Joe wants Luke, to the point of being mentioned in a story about wanting Lucky Luke without even being present !

So fun ! So yeah this is all pretty neat.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Mountains Made of Fossils

Rocks that formed beneath the waves of an ancient sea now make up some of the loftiest peaks in Texas. Rising above the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas and southern New Mexico, the Guadalupe Mountains are part of one of the best-preserved fossil reefs from the Permian Period. The cemented accumulation of plant and animal material constitutes a revealing record of aquatic life before a mass extinction event at the end of the Permian.

The Texas portion of this range is part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, established in 1972. The park is outlined in the image above, acquired with the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 on July 7, 2024. To the northeast, where the exposed fossil reef stretches into New Mexico, sulfuric acid has eaten away at the rock to form the massive caves within Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

In the Permian Period, which lasted from about 300 to 250 million years ago, this area was situated on the edge of a shallow inland sea on the supercontinent Pangea. The Capitan Reef formed in this coastal environment and was composed mostly of sponges and algae. Other fossilized marine life found here includes ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, crinoids, snails, and trilobites.

Global sea levels fell toward the end of the Permian, and Capitan Reef became buried under thousands of feet of newer sediments. It remained preserved this way for more than 200 million years. Within the past 20 million years, tectonic forces moved the rocks skyward. Softer rock layers then eroded away and left the more resistant reef exposed. Along with the Guadalupe Mountains, uplifted portions of Capitan Reef also comprise the Apache and Glass Mountains in Texas.

El Capitan (above) is a striking display of the fossilized reef and one of the more iconic vistas in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Its sheer, 1,000-foot-high limestone cliff tops out at 8,085 feet (2,464 meters), making it one of the 10 highest peaks in the state. Most of Texas’s highest mountains—including the very tallest, Guadalupe Peak at 8,751 feet (2,667 meters) above sea level—are also in the park.

People seeking a more immersive encounter with the deep past may find it in the park’s northeast corner. The Permian Reef Trail brings hikers close to fossil beds and serves as a tour through the former marine environment, from seafloor to reef, as it ascends the north side of McKittrick Canyon. The canyon itself is sometimes referred to as the “most beautiful spot in Texas,” and a trail winding through it (below) is popular for viewing autumn colors.

The western side of the park offers an entirely different sort of landscape. There, piles of bright-white gypsum grains form dunes up to 60 feet (18 meters) tall. The dunes are located in a low-lying basin with no outlet; water that intermittently flows there evaporates to leave behind these mineral deposits. Today, with significant rain, an inches-deep lake may form temporarily in the basin. Otherwise, the deposits are left to be shifted about by prevailing westerly winds.

Editor’s Note: Explore satellite imagery of other national parks for National Park Week.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photo of El Capitan courtesy of NPS. Photo of McKittrick Canyon courtesy of Matthew Lee High. Story by Lindsey Doermann.