I'm like you Sonny - I like a little space between me and the ground!!! Don't think I ever took a 'cross country' of any length less than 6500'.. Usually up around 8500 to 10500 - it's cooler up there anyways!!
And again like you, in over 40 years, I had ONE incident that I can say brought the "p-factor" up a little!!! Coming back from Florida one time heading home to New Hampshire I pulled the power back to decend and all of a sudden I had a stuck valve!!! Needless to say I had a 'one shot deal' to land - it just so happen it was Bader Field in Atlantic City and it was at NIGHT!!! Had one person on board!!!
When we got out, we both kissed the ground!!!!!
Bill