I've been doing a LVK or OAk to RAL flight on occasion lately and I've
been flying more easterly than directly over Gorman. It keeps me
closer to flat lands of the high desert in case the big wheel out
front has a problem. Although at night there's not much out that way
to allow for a differential between flat and rocky.

I'm not sure I would do the flight at night single engine, depends on
how much I trust the plane. Other than that I would do the usual
things, flight following if not IFR and stay as high as possible.

I have some new business in SD so I'll be making a similar trek back
and forth to SDM starting the first of the year, enjoy the flight.