Since i cant seem to get registered for and pilot forum groups (they all want to know that you already fly...i want to learn), i figured that some of my fellow kilties who are pilots can answer me a question or two.....

So here's the deal: I signed up for flight lessons with an official cessna training center here in denver. My goals were mostly to learn something new as well as occasionally visit places that would be too far to drive over a weekend with the wife and baby.

Then i got into my head that I could visit my parents-in-law over a LONG weekend (weather permitting). From denver to pittsburgh it's about 1100 nautical miles. Is it practical to bring the wife, baby and myself in a single engine rented (at $120/hour to $170/hour) airplane to a place like pittsburgh? I am still too new to figure out all the gas costs, but the way it looks, most rental planes burn about 10-12 gallons per hour ($5/gallon these days) and most rental planes go about 120 miles per hour. So i ask again, is it remarkably stupid for me to contemplate that a private-plane ride is a practical idea for this kind of trip? Or should i just fly the commercial airlines for long distances?

Thoughts, ideas, comments, web-links and such would be greatly appreciated.