I read your post a couple days ago, but as I reread it, it struck me what a blessing and privilege it is to be able to make a trip like you just did. Not many people in the world ever get to do anything even remotely resembling a trip like that. Sometimes I tend to take flying for granted
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I didn't comment on them before, but your pictures are really beautiful! What a great job with your photography. I hope you really, really enjoy owning your airplane and I (selfishly) look forward to many more pictures!
Our 172G didn't like 100LL fuel much. We always had trouble with lead-fouled plugs, even though I was religious about leaning while taxiing. I started using TCP in the fuel, which seemed to help. The 150H we have now is not bad about fouling plugs, but I have had 3 or 4 stuck valves, always the same cylinder.