What a great story!

The bike was so much quieter without that derailleur.. I marveled at the birds singing and even the sproing of the tires when we hit a small stone...
You just described why I never seem to ride my road bikes anymore. The single speed is so much more fun because it is completely silent. Not that my Bianchi is particularly loud or anything, but my old Allez is like a freight train compared to my SS.