A true "cross-country" flight in the Cessna 172 to see family for Thanksgiving 2023. The trip commenced from Cleburne; the final destination was Pinehurst, North Carolina, Moore County Airport. Both legs to NC and the return Texas included fuel stops and overnight stops. There were a couple of weather delays to continue VFR. The Smoky Mountains require cruise altitudes above the peak elevations of 5,500 feet. The cloudy, IFR conditions around the Smoky Mtns caused delays and alternate routing. Airport fuel stops were Cleveland MS a few miles east of the Mississippi River and Dalton Georgia to the destination in Pinehurst NC and included a stop to watch weather at Cherokee County Airport just north Altanta Class B. The C-172 had a crankshaft seal leak requiring repair by Pinehurst Aviation Services. Luckily, the repair was painless with quick action & fair pricing from Paul Mullen at Pinehurst. They jumped on the problem and had the leak repaired the day before Thanksgiving; thanks again PAS. The return to Texas included a fuel stop at Lafayette, Georgia and overnight at Cleveland MS. The final leg began waiting-out low ceilings at Cleveland and there were strong headwinds home. It was a 900-plus nautical mile trip in a General Aviation airplane; expect the unexpected, be flexible on the schedule, and have a Plan B. The First Officer handled Foreflight and her duties like a pro; with some lively discussions. Enjoyed every minute of it, a perfect GA adventure !
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