FIVE THINGS is a new weekly feature on the Banjo Brothers Blog and it's a short interview about life and bicycles with a notable person. This week’s FIVE THINGS is with Guitar Ted, a.k.a., Mark Stevenson. Guitar Ted is, among other things, an Iowan, a seasoned bike mechanic, guitar player, and as you will find out, an accomplished, inventive home cook. Guitar Ted stated Gravel Grinder News in 2008 and is now one half of the website ridinggravel.com. He is the race director of Trans Iowa, a self-navigated, self-supported, 300-plus mile gravel road event held in late April primarily on Iowa gravel roads. Enjoy this week’s FIVE THINGS.

BANJO BROS: WHAT ARE YOU RIDING?

GT: With the change of seasons to Winter I have moved to riding my fat bike, a Salsa Cycles Titanium Mukluk. I am a bike mechanic and longtime "bike nerd", so I have a LOT of bikes, but wintertime commuting and fun riding works best on the fat bike for me. People always ask, "Isn't it hard to pedal?", and you know, the answer isn't an easy one. It is and it isn't. I like it when I have to work a little harder against the wind, or to climb a hill, because it makes warmth. That's a good thing in winter...