A PVT PLT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN DEVIATED FROM THE AIRWAY WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFTS. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED BY INFORMING THE PLT OF THE MINIMUM ENRTE ALT FOR THE AREA IN WHICH HE WAS HEADED. DEV FROM CLRNC RTE.

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I WAS IN VMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN BTWN LVS AND SAF. ATC GAVE ME A BLOCK BTWN 12500 FT AND 14000 FT. SINCE I HAD TAKEN A MOUNTAIN FLYING COURSE IN THE PAST; I DECIDED TO PREPARE FOR A 'RIDGE XING' AT A 45 DEG ANGLE; AS THE COURSE HAD TAUGHT. THIS ALLOWS THE PLT TO MORE EASILY TURN AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINS IF A DOWNDRAFT IS ENCOUNTERED. IN ORDER TO BE ON A SOUTHWESTERLY COURSE 45 DEGS FROM THE RIDGE; I FIRST TURNED TOWARD THE NW. THEN AFTER FLYING A FEW MI I TURNED L TO THE SOUTHWESTERLY COURSE DESIRED. ATC CALLED AND ADVISED ME THAT THE MEA IN MY AREA WAS 15000 FT. I DIDN'T HAVE OXYGEN; THEREFORE COULDN'T CLB TO THAT ALT. I RETURNED TO V19-263 WHERE THE MEA IS 12500 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY I HAVE TAKEN A SECOND MOUNTAIN FLYING COURSE; IN WHICH THE CFI STATED IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO BEGIN MANEUVERING FOR THE 45 DEG RIDGE XING UNTIL ABOUT « MI FROM THE MOUNTAIN. THUS MY COURSE DEV IN VMC FOR 'MOUNTAIN XING' WAS NOT ONLY ILLEGAL; BUT UNNECESSARY. EARLIER ON THE SAME FLT I HAD REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 6000 FT MSL. I WAS HOPING TO GET INTO IMC FOR INST CURRENCY. I WAS BTWN LBL AND DHT. I LEARNED THE UNDERCAST CLOUDS WERE BELOW 6000 FT. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT; ASKING ATC FOR CLRNC TO 5700 FT (THE MEA). BY THE TIME ATC REPLIED 'NEGATIVE;' I WAS ALREADY AT 5700 FT. I CLBED BACK TO 6000 FT. NEXT TIME I WILL WAIT FOR THE CLRNC BEFORE CONTINUING MY DSCNT.