I'm still reading all the great replies, thanks so much.

It appears that some people really look down on an SS bike in favor of a fixed gear bike. Why?

What does a FG bike provide that an SS bike doesn't? Besides the obvious differences, between freewheel and fixed, I don't really get the bias.

Perhaps an SS doesn't make sense, I really don't know, but the idea is intriguing.

Someone asked about the elevation gain in my commute. I don't know, but it's slight, maybe 150 feet total in 14.5 miles. The biggest rise are a couple bridges that span apx. 1100 feet.