FIVE THINGS WITH CYCLIST GRACE POOLEY
FIVE THINGS is a weekly feature on the Banjo Brothers Blog. It’s a short interview about life and bicycles with a notable person. This week's notable person is cyclist Grace Pooley.
Grace is a chemist and a materials engineering grad student who lives and rides bikes in the Washington, D.C. area. Her passions include riding bikes, running, camping and drinking beer. Grace is the former Warranty Manager and Senior Sales Associate at BicycleSPACE.
We hope you enjoy this week's Banjo Brothers Five Things.
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU RIDING?
GP: I’ve been riding my road bike, a 2005 Oregon-made steel Burley Mackenzie to rock climbing a lot lately. But my favorite is my trusty, daily commuter/tourer; a 2013 Surly Cross Check I built up that has been through several iterations. First, it was a fixed-gear before my knees started to protest. Now it’s a 3x8-speed with front & rear racks and a Dynamo! Oh, how could I forget my late 90s Santana Rio tandem that I share with my boyfriend? It’s an unruly steel contraption that brings a smile to my face like no other bicycle; I just wish it was more practical for commuting.
BANJO BROS: WHERE ARE YOU RIDING?
GP: As a DC-area native, my go-to for a quick 24-hour bike camping trip is up the C&O Canal out of Georgetown. It’s a beautiful, poorly-maintained tow-path with the Potomac river gaping on one side and the forgotten canal on the other. You can take it for a longer ride up to beautiful camping in Harper’s Ferry, WV or even 320 miles all the way up to Pittsburgh, PA (thanks to the Great Allegheny Passage!) It’s the best game in town for any semblance of bike touring.
Oh, how could I forget my late 90s Santana Rio tandem that I share with my boyfriend? It’s an unruly steel contraption that brings a smile to my face like no other bicycle; I just wish it was more practical for commuting.
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU READING, WATCHING OR LISTENING TO?
GP: Oof, I’ve been inundated with textbooks from my master’s program, so I’ve been stupid busy. Currently reading Sandor Katz’s The Art of Fermentation and Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Currently listening to (read: loving!!) Janelle Monaé’s new album Dirty Computer and Ljova & The Kontraband. And I’m looking forward to seeing Deadpool 2 & Ascension (show on Netflix).
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU EATING/DRINKING?
GP: Pesto-ricotta mixed with anything… pasta? Yes! …farro? Yes! …sweet potatoes? Yes! …asparagus? Yes! …salmon? YES PLEASE. Also because it’s spring-time delicious rhubarb tarts, crumbles, cakes, and pies. Honestly, anything that is in season at the moment. Most looking forward to crawling around my blueberry bushes in another month or so, having my breakfast outside!
BANJO BROS: WHAT'S STUCK IN YOUR CRAW?
GP: I met the Banjo Brother’s crew & Brianna Lane several years ago when they brought the Banjo Brother's Tiny Bikeshop Concert Series to my old bicycle shop, BicycleSPACE in DC. Those Minnesotans were the loveliest group of folks I’ve ever met! Made me think that frigid Minnesotan winters and friendly Minnesotans is the origin of the phrase “cold hands, warm hearts”!
MORE ABOUT THE FIVE THINGS INTERVIEWS FROM BANJO BROTHERS
A big Banjo Brothers thank you to Grace for participating in this week's edition of Banjo Brothers' Five Things.These short interviews about life and bicycles will appear every Friday on the Banjo Brothers Blog. If you liked this FIVE THINGS from Banjo Brothers you should check our our full series of past five things interviews.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR FIVE THINGS?
Use the contact form on our website to send us a note. See you next Friday. Also, since you're here, we do need to mention, Banjo Brothers makes a whole line of tough, practical and affordable gear for cyclists. Thanks for reading.