Around here, especially in SoCal, this is what I always do, I file at home, when
I get near the HEC VOR (the start of ziggy3) and if it looks like its below VFR
I call and tell them I have a ifr flight plan I would like to activate, they get
my N number, then come back with my clearance. Painless.

Maule Driver wrote:

"Stimbo" wrote in message
om...
I, of course, know that I can simply FILE IFR from the get-go and just
not activate it until I need it.

Well, not really. If you file, you need to open at departure. Otherwise,
down the line they won't know who you are and may not go look.