Recently, I happened on an interesting blog that has taken me in some very interesting directions, which articulate with my current thinking and which have provided multiple resonances.
One whimsical resonance continues to reverberate hauntingly in my mind’s eye and ear, viz., a video entitled, “Miss Sarah Chan’s Two-Wheeled Adventures.”
Perhaps, the reason for the persisting mental echoes is the sense of freedom that is induced by the image of a young woman flying happily along on a bicycle in an airy, summer frock and high heels. She smiles playfully as the wind blows up her dress to expose her thighs. This is all going on while the music whimsically describes a childlike experience of living in a pelican, “whose beak had opened wide” to reveal “a staircase that was winding down inside.” The singer then describes meeting an elephant that “never tells me that I peli-can or peli-can’t.” Then, the elephant “lifted up his trunk; he opened wide, and I could see a staircase winding down inside….And, thus he welcomed us, and we flew inside.” So, now the singer finds himself living inside a pelican inside an elephant, which he calls living inside a “peleckel” where his feet “never need touch the ground.” How more free can the imagination become?
Sarah Chan made this video in order to promote bicycle riding, especially for women. She set out to show that they can ride dressed in whatever fashion is appropriate for their day. No need to gear up in riding dress. She has a blog for this purpose. She writes:
I'm here because...
I believe people powered transportation can contribute to vibrant communities. Bicycles aren't just for kids and hippies. I'm a girl that likes good food, interesting people, and pretty dresses. I ride a bike.
So here I am. Up in Canada. Trying to change the way women think about transportation while enjoying each day with my urban and biological families.
She, certainly, hooked me. The video makes me want to resuscitate the experience of riding a bicycle so many years ago. How about you? Anyone for some true “freedom follies?”
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