Pedernal Backroads

One day, Jeff & I decided to explore some backroads around the Pedernal.  We tried to see if we could get up close to the top, but that’s not possible with a Jeep. Maybe hiking, but definitely not with a Jeep. Still, we did get to see some beautiful and charming sights.

Hay Bales in a Row

One thing that sort of surprised us was the fact that there is a “back in the country” type of community here!  Mostly farm/ranch type of homesteads and little towns, but much more of it than we thought there was.

Old Homestead

I’m not certain if this is currently being used as a homestead, but it had the look of one in the past.  It may now be used as a sort of storeroom and corral for the house that is directly across the road from it.

Russian Orthodox Church

This had the look of a Russian Orthodox Church and Jeff & I were surprised, at first, to see such a fancy structure so far back off the main roads.  However, we later saw a sign that indicated this is part of a monastery, so it then made a bit more sense, I guess.

Along the Country Road

The scenery was quite lovely and charming along this back road.  However, after seeing such a fancy church, we weren’t quite sure what may lay around the bend…..

Eye Contact

What we didn’t expect to see was a horse on the wrong side of the fence!  He just casually looked over at us as if it was perfectly normal for him to be in the road, looking in toward the pasture, rather than the other way around.  We couldn’t see how he managed to get himself into this situation, tho!

Sandstone Bluffs

 A bit later, it seemed like the road sort of cut between some sandstone rocks or bluffs.  Jeff had to get out to check it out, and the sandstone easily broke off into his hand.  I loved the patterned texture of the rock.

Valley View

As we climbed, the view was just spectacular.  Such lovely colors – wouldn’t a room be wonderful finished off in these colors?  And, this image could hang on the wall, pulling it all together!

Flowers on the Pedernal Backroads

We did see some lovely wildflowers along the way, too.  The Indian Paintbrush blooms were actually in the meadow where we stopped to have lunch.  The wild irises were also at our lunch spot, but also in a rocky field, as you can see from the bottom photo in the collection.

Lunch and After

And, here’s the view of our Jeep as we sat perched on a log among the pines (in the semi-shade).  It was such a nice meadow.  There were some Jeep or truck tracks leading to about this spot, so we imagine this meadow would be used for livestock as a summer grazing spot.  I think we may have timed this right, and arrived here just before they did!  The second photo in this collection is off a spot just off the road that had the most interesting cut outs or carve outs in them.  Jeff thought there might be signs of some ancient folks who may have lived there, but none of them was large enough for a human.  However, he did say there were lots of nests in them, so the birds must like them!

Laguna Madrid

Based on how green the depressed area is, I would imagine that during the spring and in summers that have a good monsoon season, that area really is a lagoon.  For now, tho, it’s just these lovely shades of green!

Pedernal Views

And, yes, on these backroads, we did manage to drive around to the backside of the Pedernal.  That’s the bottom view, altho many might argue it looks like the front view.  What definitely looks different, tho, is the side view (top image).  I had always imagined a sort of mesa on the top, but as you can see from the image, it almost comes to a sort of wedge like peak.  Interesting!

Enjoy!