Stimbo
in your case, filing on the ground will not work for you. the problem is
that when you leave the sector of your FSS then the flight plan you filed
is gone. After you enter the new sector, you either have to call the FSS
and file again, or if you had done a composite then it will be available
at where you wanted to pick it up. In this case, you would need to use an
intersection or some type of navaid as the place to pick it up. to
activate it, when your near th espot you chose, you just call center and
tell them you have a IFR flight plan you would like to open.

but if your expecting good weather, it may be easier to file in the air if
you find you need to do it.

Stimbo wrote:

Thanks to EVERYONE for such great suggestions!

You provided me some new ideas, and some that were just plain common
sense, I must admit.

I, of course, know that I can simply FILE IFR from the get-go and just
not activate it until I need it. However NJ to FL is a 9-hour flight
in a Cessna 172 plus 2 stops totalling 10 to 12 hours. I don't
remember how long the IFR plan stays active in the system (3 hours?)
before it's dropped. I guess this procedure makes me file every time
I make a fuel/potty stop.

I like the COMPOSITE flight plan idea. I had sorta forgotten about
it. I need to read more about it. Is this easy to
implement/activate?

Thanks to SNOWBIRD (Sydney) for such great detail and your anecdotes.

Yes - I should have originally stated that if VFR it would be with
Flight Following. That's too long of a flight without help of some
kind - especially these days (TFR's etc.)

My eventual goal is to the Bahamas. I may start a new thread for some
tips.

Thanks again!

Stimbo
Medford, NJ