A STUDENT PLT EXPERIENCED AN NMAC NEAR WLW; CA.

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DEPARTED WLW; TRUE COURSE 171 DEGS. APPROX 12-15 MI OUT; LEVELED OFF AT 4500 FT TO EVALUATE DISTANCE FROM; AND MOVEMENT OF SCATTERED CLOUDS. AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE CLOUDS WERE NO FACTOR; I LOOKED AT MY SECTIONAL CHART (LOCATED IN THE R SEAT) TO CHK MY POS USING LANDMARKS. I LOOKED UP OUT THE R SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND R DOOR TO SEE A SINGLE ENG; LOW WING; WHITE AND RED AIRPLANE PASS BY. THE PLT OF THAT ACFT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE TAKING EVASIVE ACTON WHEN I SIGHTED HIM; NOR DID I. I DSNDED TO 3500 FT AND THE FLT CONCLUDED UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS DISTR BY MY CONCERN FOR AVOIDING THE CLOUDS IN THE AREA; THEN BY BEING OVERLY CONCERNED WITH MY CORRECT POS ALONG THE FLT PATH. THIS WAS MY FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY. TO PREVENT A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE; I SUGGEST LEVELING OFF AT THE APPROPRIATE ALTS FOR THE HEADING BEING FLOWN; THE STEP CLBING TO THE NEXT ALT WHEN TRYING TO EVALUATE DISTANCE FROM CLOUDS; AS I WAS. THIS RTE HAD AMPLE SIGNIFICANT LANDMARKS THAT DID NOT NECESSITATE THE TIME I SPENT LOOKING AT THE CHART. I SINCERELY REGRET ANY REAL OR PERCEIVED DANGER TO THOSE IN THE OTHER AIRPLANE.