If I'm doing circuit practice I'll turn crosswind at 500ft (750 indicated) and yep then am usually abeam the strip pretty quickly. But if heading out to training area, usually climb to 1500 and turn right off R36 or left off R18. In both cases, we're lucky at YLIL that we have good landing spaces within 30 deg. But I'm going through the thought process of 'what if' in various situations, especially if around that 1000ft decision point do I still maintain runway heading or in what circumstances have I got safe margin to go back to the nice big runway? As I'm in that early low hrs solo phase - ie low esp but no instructor there to say "no power", am trying to ask myself those 'virtual instructor' questions! I just read that whole discussion thread too - really good stuff.