Get high and go far!

Get high and go far!
Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
I'll even go one step further. If you're like most XC pilots -- and I know, because I'm one of them -- I'll bet that if you examine the depths of your soul you'll find that you really have only one goal. This goal can be summed up in two simple words:
Go far!
There's nothing wrong with this. Distance is a fine and glorious goal to pursue, and I've pursued it myself. Like the rest of you, I fantasize about taking a summer off to try and break Tudor's record. Like the rest of you, I'm impressed by pilots who can make the commitment, accept the exposure, head out low over unlandable terrain, and pull it off. If nothing else, this can make for some incredible stories. Still, before you go out to collect stories of your own, you should ask yourself this question: