The Ghostway (1984)

The most common substance used in the U.S. for paving roads. Asphalt concrete (also called tarmac) is produced by laying heated refined crude oils over a layer of aggregate materials such as sand and gravel. The mixture is then rolled and pressed onto the road to create a solid, durable surface layer.

The dissection of a corpse (dead human body) in order to determine the cause of death. Also known as a postmortem examination or necropsy. This method is used by a medical examiner or coroner when the cause of death is unknown or when death seems to have occurred under suspicious circumstances.

Also known as a mobile home, house trailer, or trailer home, this kind of trailer is a portable pre-manufactured living structure. Some trailers are smaller, have wheels, and can be easily moved by being hooked to a strong vehicle (usually a large pickup truck). Others are larger and require the service of a commercial towing truck for transportation. Larger trailers are normally not moved often, and are used as permanent residences often in designated mobile home parks. They present a relatively affordable alternative to buying a home but can carry a stigma of impermanence and poverty.

A telescope is a magnification tool used to visually enlarge objects. "Telescopic" refers to the ability of a device to visually enlarge objects. A telescopic sight, for example is a small telescope mounted on a firearm in order to increase accuracy of aim, often referred to simply as a “scope.”

Telescopic also refers to the mechanical ability of a device to extend or contract in length. Some ladders are telescopic, for example, and can be raised or lowered in height as necessary.

A police force maintained by a U.S. state and responsible for the territoriality of that particular state. The state police force has a higher jurisdiction than the subsidiary forces such as the county, city, or tribal nation police. State police jurisdiction includes highway safety, the safety and security of the state capitol and associated personal, and assistance during multijurisdictional investigations concerning regional crimes or emergencies. However, state police may at times be answerable to a sheriff or chief of police from a county, city, or tribal force, especially in terms of public safety, statewide transportation issues, and protection of natural resources.

Similar to a capacious envelope, a billfold, sometimes referred to as a wallet, is usually made of leather or other pliable yet durable material and is designed to carry paper money and credit cards. Billfolds are usually small enough to be shoved in a back pocket of a pair of jeans.

A four-door car design with three separate interior compartments: one for the engine, one for the passengers, and one for the cargo. The origin of the term is not certain, but it is likely to have developed as a derivative of the Italian word sede, which means "chair." It is probably the most common compact family car, as it comfortably fits at least four passengers.

Cottonwoods are tall deciduous trees of the genus Populus that are native to North America and Western Asia. These trees can reach up to 148 feet in height and can be identified by their triangular to diamond shaped leaves and deeply fissured bark. Their common name, cottonwood, is due to their cottony seeds. In the Southwest these trees are commonly found in the wetter areas near rivers, for example in the bosque riparian area along the Rio Grande, which runs from southern Colorado through New Mexico until it becomes the natural border between the states of Texas in the U.S. and Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas in Mexico.

New Mexico has a long and storied history due to the rich presence of living indigenous traditions that stretch back before European contact; its history of settler colonialism, specifically Spanish, French, and Anglo; and its itinerant border with Mexico. In 1680, the cultural and religious differences between the tribes and the Spanish settlers resulted in the Great Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which the usually peaceful Native Americans banded together and succeeded in pushing all the Spaniards out of their land. A decade later, the Spanish settlers regained control of the Pueblo peoples and their territory. The territory changed hands several times over the next three centuries as more people of Anglo-European descent moved out west to New Mexico due to the opening of the Santa Fe Trail and later the railroad. To this day, the white inhabitants of the area incorporate various Native and Hispanic and Mexican traditions and cultural elements into their every day lives and special customs, from architectural styles, seasonal and spiritual holidays, and cuisine.

A small community on the Navajo Nation Reservation in central New Mexico, located about 30 miles northeast of Thoreau (pronounced "through"). In Navajo, the place is called Tʼiistsʼóóz Ńdeeshgizh, meaning "Slender Cottonwood Gap." The town was founded in 1909 as a government settlement around the Pueblo Bonito Indian School. In 1935, the Navajo Central Agency at Window Rock assumed jurisdiction over the community and in the late 1950s it became known as the Crownpoint Agency. The Navajo Institute of Technology, an Indian health service medical center, a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, a Navajo police substation, and the monthly Navajo weavers’ rug auction are all located in the town.