dont let those fatties stop at a donut shopnb haha :|
After serious thinking tman wrote :
Flown C172's for quite a while, and never had anybody in the back.
Now I'm planning on quite a trip, with 2 pax and luggage.

When I fill the fuel to the *tabs*, calc everyone's weight honestly and
consider baggage -- I'm 75 lbs over the 2450 gross on departure. Maybe 100
over gross if I assume a "lie about weight" factor or some inaccuracy with
filling the tanks. Now I'm scratching my head about just how risky this is.
I know (others) have pushed over gross in these planes way more under worse
conditions, and have almost always gotten away with it. I'm inclined to just
do it, and be cognizant that it will perform differently, i.e. don't expect
the same picture on climbout that you would when solo.

Risky? Or just roundoff error on the weight? Here are some other factors:

This is the 160HP C172, standard.
Departure runway is 5000'.
No steep terrain to climb out of.
Plenty of alternates along with the way with 3000 runways.
Not particularly hot, humid, or high. 50 degrees at 1000 MSL for departure
or any point of landing.

I'm figuring I'm 3% over gross, causing most of my V speeds to increase 1.5%,
so say -- instead of flying short final at 65 knots, I'd fly at 66 knots...
OK wait I can't hold airspeed to +/- 1 knot on most days anyways.

I'm thinking through many of the factors, and it is only a "little" over
gross, only on the first hour or so of the trip. What else should I be aware
of? Am I dangerous?

T