Reflective Pants and Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown, WV, is clearly turning into our (well at least my) favorite nearby getaway destination. It was only 2012 when The Mechanic and I first participated in the CASA River Ride, and then two years later, we got married at the Bavarian Inn. This past weekend we decided to go stay at the Bavarian Inn again, and just relax. Every trip to Shepherdstown since our engagement a year ago has been for wedding-related meetings and appointments – not a bad thing, just not casual, random fun. So it was nice to return and be random!

Conveniently, I had just finished my latest reflective fashion project – Butterick 6028 Katherine Tilton pants made out of snakeskin-print corduroy (my favorite fabric of all times!) with of course reflective bias trim in the seams. They were trickier than they should have been – I’m pretty sure the pattern instructions were wrong regarding the zipper fly and the facing. So the inside is not perfect, but whatever. They fit pretty well, despite the high waistline, which I am not used to, and are very comfortable. I wore them to get dinner Friday night, but they officially debuted on Saturday.

Butterick 6028 Katherine Tilton pants

With my North Face jacket

At Hillsborough Winery

At Hillsborough Winery

In the Bavarin Inn Schwartzwald Haus lobby

In the Bavarin Inn Schwartzwald Haus lobby

It is not quite full autumn colors, but there were enough, plus coupled with some cooler weather and rainy clouds, it felt like fall. So we were appreciative of the fire in the fireplace at Hillsborough Winery, where we stopped for wine tasting. This winery is on the road to Shepherdstown, and every time we have driven past, I have said, “We should stop in some day.” So this time we made a point of starting our trip there. The wines were different and good, but the scenery won the prize.

We watched a bit of the Shepherd University football game, where The Mechanic coined the phrase “artisanal football” – small, local, excellent, not found all over. Come on, you know it’s the next hipster thing! Then an excellent dinner at The Press Room, and a stroll around town in the dark (ooh spooky…), then going to bed early and sleeping late. Ah…. relaxing….

“Artisanal” Football – Shepherd University smashed UVA Wise, 51-0

Once again, we miss being able to go inside the Little House!

Love the fall colors

Tasty butternut squash pasta!

Spooky!

Sunday highlights were stopping at the farmer’s market so I could buy flowers from Megan Webber Flowers, who did our wedding flowers, and whose work I really truly love (She just has such an eye for flower arrangements!), as well as biking on the C&O Canal. We were a bit dismayed to find some construction along the trail around Mile 74, and really hope it is not going to be parking spaces. No cars! Keep it wild and wonderful, and free of too many people! I got a flat tire as we were headed back to Shepherdstown, but luckily I married a bike mechanic, who happily patched up the tire.

Megan Webber Flowers – LOVE!

Edgar (who rules my Instagram account) goes on his first C&O Canal ride

The Mechanic

NO! No construction!

Oops, flat rear tire.

Happy Nature!

It was so nice to feel relaxed and peaceful and very zen, but after our dee-lish vegetarian sandwiches and a WV beer at Domestic, we sadly loaded up the bikes and dove back into the traffic to return to our normal lives. Time to face another week.

C & O Canal zen