IFR rating?

It's certainly a longggg way from a blank check, but it adds greatly
to the utility of the plane and like you, it allows me to make quite a
few flights that I'd not otherwise be able to try.
...
To me it doesn't make the go/no go decision more difficult, but it may
require much more input that for VFR on many occasions.

Different way of saying the same thing? On an obviously VFR day,
going is a no-brainer. On an obviously IFR day (without the rating),
nogo is a no-brainer (modulo those who *gasp* run the scud).
When it's IFR, you need to think about a lot more things.

It goes from (usually) an obvious yes/no to a continuum. At what
point do you decide it's a nogo?


Morris

If you're current, if the forecast at your destination is well above your
personal minimums, if you have a solid gold alternate, no imbedded
thunderstorms, no icing, no unusual turbulence reported, why whouldn't you go?

IFR in those conditions is a lot easier IMO than VFR.

The undlying assumption is that the PIC is both current, competent, and
confident, of course. If you haven't shot an approach or two to minimums, even
under the hood, in the past few weeks, your personal minimums should be a lot
greater than the published ones.