Oh come on now Jay! ;-)
I just flew 6.5 hours in beautiful VFR weather today on IFR flight
plans. There was the possibility of fog at my initial destination, but
it burned off before we arrived.
For this trip, it was more expeditious to file IFR due to transiting
Class B airspace enroute.
Takeoff, climb, cruise, set the autopilot, descend, land.
Two weeks ago, I took off in VFR conditions but had to air-file to
continue to my destination. I then shot an approach, breaking out 200
feet above the MDA. Had I not been instrument rated, I would have had to
turn back and return to my departure point.
With as many long cross-country trips that you make, you would have
greater flexibility in your travel plans.
You do not fly exclusively in Iowa, so to say that ice and thunderstorms
are the reasons you choose not to complete your instrument rating is
not as valid as you would like it to be.
A family trip to and from Florida promted me to get current four years
ago. We were in Savannah GA, got up at 7 am, the air was thick with
humidity and with no wind. By the time we ate, checked out and got to
the airport, the fog was thick on the ground. We waited four hours for
it to finally lift sufficiently and break up for a VFR departure. Had I
been current at that time, I would have waited only an hour for it to
lift above approach minimums (you always want to be able to get back in
if something should arise) and depart IFR.
JUST DO IT!