FIVE THINGS WITH MUSICIAN, POET, NATURE ADVOCATE AND CYCLIST, BEN WEAVER
FIVE THINGS is a new weekly feature on the Banjo Brothers Blog and it's a short interview about life and bikes with a notable person. This week we feature musician, poet, nature advocate and cyclist Ben Weaver. The St. Paul resident just released his ninth full-length studio album, "Sees Like A River." (Check out this music video for the track "Handfuls of Water" shot in Northern Minnesota.) We hope you enjoy our interview with Ben.
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU RIDING?
BEN WEAVER: Miles lately have been divided between my Salsa Cuthroat and Salsa Woodsmoke.
BANJO BROS: WHERE ARE YOU RIDING THESE DAYS?
BEN WEAVER: Having been gone for what feels like much of the summer and fall, I've been happy lately to run recon on my favorite bandit loops around the Mississippi and greater MSP area. In addition I was fortunate to get some beautiful fall miles up on the Keweenaw and out in Idaho/Wyoming on part of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and racing in Jay Petervary’s Gravel Pursuit.
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING, READING, OR LISTENING TO?
BEN WEAVER: Been reading the new issue of Dark Mountain, John Mcphee's new collection called Draft No. 4, and Robinson Jeffers. I’ve been watching old Mark Gonzalez and Natas Kaupus videos with my son.
I’ve been thinking a lot about change. What's the impetus for people to change? When I think about all my friends and greater community of riders I can’t think of a single person in there who hasn’t had some crisis which pushed them to ride harder or more often.
BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU COOKING, EATING OR DRINKING?
BEN WEAVER: I’ve been spending a lot of time with my wok lately, and finding a million ways to use all the Red Table pancetta that Mike Phillips recently gave me. I like simple peasant food. Carbonara, soup, pot pies. You know.. salt, fat and acid.
BANJO BROS: WHAT'S STUCK IN YOUR CRAW?
BEN WEAVER: I’ve been thinking a lot about change. What's the impetus for people to change? When I think about all my friends and greater community of riders I can’t think of a single person in there who hasn’t had some crisis which pushed them to ride harder or more often. It's becoming a bit of a mantra of mine that without crisis change is not possible. I am open for it to be otherwise but I can’t find much proof that it is. Take a look around the neighborhood for example.
More About the Five Things Interviews from Banjo Brothers
A big Banjo Bros. thank you to Ben Weaver for participating in this week's edition of Banjo Brothers' Five Things. These short interviews about life and bikes will appear every Friday on the Banjo Brothers Blog.
Want to catch Ben in action? His next big event is called "Ride With The Wolves." You can join Ben and the owner of Red Table Meat Co. Mike Phillips on December 3rd for a snow/dirt ride, lunch and concert in the urban wilds of the Twin Cities. The ride departs from Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop and Coffee Bar. The cost for the even is $25 and you can get tickets here.
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.