pull just an image from the_content

Can you use get_the_post_thumbnail?

interesting. giving it a shot but it isn’t coming through.

<?php $temp_query = $wp_query; ?>
<?php query_posts("category_name='specials'&showposts="); ?>

<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
  <li>
    <div class="post" id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>">
    <?php echo get_the_post_thumbnail($page->ID, 'thumbnail'); ?>
    <?php the_title('<h3>', '</h3>'); ?>
    <?php
	global $more;    // Declare global $more (before the loop).
	$more = 0;       // Set (inside the loop) to display content above the more tag.
	the_content("Read More...");
    ?>

</div>

</li>

<?php endwhile; ?>

https://dev.calbike.com/specials/

i ended up using this: <!–more–>
https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Template_Tags/the_content

but thinking your way may be a better way to go

You must use WP 2.9.0 or later, and did you see this Note in the article?

To enable post thumbnails, the current theme must include add_theme_support( 'post-thumbnails' ); in its functions.php file.