Tomorrow I turn the rental in. I've enjoyed trying out a single speed. Single speed did not make my wish list of bicycles to own one day.

I've been using it the 3 or so blocks to get to the lab. It seems silly to bike such a short distance, but it really helps, in terms of conserving my energy in this heat so that I can focus on the lab work, since I'm only here for 2 weeks and I want to get as much done as possible. It was lovely to have the bike to make a couple trips to the grocery store. I also used it for a 20 mile round trip to visit a friend in the suburbs, and that was nice, at least the return trip when it was dark and not quite as hot was.

Yesterday I went to Tempe to meet a couple friends. The first 8 miles was ok then I got overheated. I stopped in a patch of shade--Phoenix just has NO shade-- and drank water, took off my helmet. When I put my helmet back on I thought I was going to throw up. I hated to do it but I biked the last 2 miles with no helmet. I took the train to go back! The station is a few blocks from my hotel so it was nice to have the bike for that. Phoenix makes me super nervous with crime and I'm really uncomfortable walking around here in the dark, but I don't mind biking. (That's a bit silly, but it's about risk perception not actual risk.)

My own bike back home is being used by my daughter while we wait for a new shifter. She called me and said "The back wheel makes a funny thump thump thump." When our mechanic (who makes house calls!) had come by to see what was up with her shifting, he had put my new rear wheel on. I figured the brakes needed adjusted. I texted him and he stopped by to check it out. It had a flat tire. She had never had a flat tire before and didn't know what it feels like!

I will remind her about the ABC Quick Check, which would have caught it. But I'm glad she now knows what it feels like when your tire goes flat.

Coincidentally, at the time her shifter went out, the car was (and still is) at the auto mechanic getting a new transmission & clutch. Her shifter is a heck of a lot cheaper than the car's.