I can seriously sympathize with that concern, Jerry. But, there are some thing that might help.
You mention hoping that during your trip around the USA you'll be able to find places that sell mogas. I'm sure you can. There are online websites that can help you with planning your stops. Consider this, too: if you are not greatly time limited, you might try slow-cruising instead of drill high-speed holes in the air. At 2400 rpm with my flat, climb prop, I'd get 5.4 gallons per hour at almost exactly 100 mph. Some have mentioned using up to 6 gph when getting speeds around 108. These numbers do vary based on the drag of the particular plane. All these planes will get substantially better miles per gallon if they slow down. This is discussed in detail in chapter 19, The Working Speeds of an Airplane, in the book Stick and Rudder. A plane that gets 19 mpg at what we mostly think of as "cruise speed" can get near 30 mpg when flown at the "speed of best distance." I just plotted out a circumnavigation of the USA, touching the corners more or less and it came out about 8200 miles. At 19 miles per gallon that's 432 gallons at $5/gallon = $2,150 and 82 flying hours. The same trip at 78 mph could get approaching 30 mpg - I'll use 27 mpg in my calculations: 304 gallons at $5/gallon = $1518 and would take 105 flying hours. The slow cruise takes 28 flying hours longer. It saves $630 in fuel but you'd spend some of that on extra motel costs if you aren't camping or staying with Coupers or other relatives along the way. And, this applies equally to local flight costs when you are just up drilling holes in the air, enjoying being off the ground. It could cost $14.4/hour slow cruising versus $26.2/hour at high speed cruise. The price differentials get bigger when fuel prices go higher than $5/gallon. I've enjoyed many slow flights. Just thinking. Ed
