tony roberts wrote in news:nospam-271FBE.19453002092004
@shawnews:

Hi Ben

If you lived where I live, cruise altitude on almost any crosscountry
trip is based on altitude required to clear terrain.

That usually takes care of anything between 7500 and 11500ft.
After that, can we get a decent tailwind?
Can we dodge turbulence/weather?
Controlled airspace we usually fly over, or ask permission and fly
through.

So it all depends what you are calculating - time enroute , see tailwind.
Fuel burn? All I calc is that I have lots. I really don't see any great
monetary saving by selecting anything except tailwind, and I'm landing
in 2 - 3 hours anyway. That's as much as I want to handle in a 172
without a walk/washroom/coffee ion that order

HTH

Tony


Around here (Ohio), pattern altitude will clear pretty much any obstacle
for many miles.