Why not undertake this flight in the system from the outset? The sketchy WX ahead could have been penetrated without feeling like you were behind the airplane and with all the subsequent steps to a safe landing already mapped out in your head and loaded into the navigator. I understand the reluctance to make a sightseeing/joyriding flight under IFR with all the comms and rules that must be adhered to, but this trip seemed like a good candidate for filing...?
Bill, I have always enjoyed your posts and your contributions to the forum. Your question is such a good one, and in hindsight I should have done exactly that. But here was what I knew at the time...
Ceilings in Farmington NM were 7,000 agl. Weather in Page AZ was reported at 6,500 AGL. Both had plenty of height to accomodate a lower level VFR flight to view the beauty of Monument Valley. The clouds had been at 7,000 AGL for about 2 hours of the flight already. I anticipated more of the same. I wanted the freedom to circle and go lower if I wanted to see more detail of the beauty of the Valley.
BUT, here's the issue, in between those two points there is 158nm of terrain with NO WEATHER stations. I simply didn't anticipate that the clouds just past Monument Valley would get so low and that the terrain will still be rising. There was simply no way to know in advance that the weather would get "that sketchy". Once clouds lowered to about 1,000 agl, I had to make a decision with more rising terrain ahead. I could see "sunshine" through what looked like a very thin layer. I could still see the ground, even though I could not see the horizon, so, I pressed on THINKING it was very temporary. Then, before I knew it, the ground disappeared and all I could think about was rising terrain ahead. Again, I THOUGHT by climbing, I'd get through a thin layer soon. At 10,300, no joy. That's when I got "behind the airplane" and my abilities deteriorated GREATLY!
I realize in the comfort of my home today that my decisions were dumb and there are multiple ways it could have been avoided. If I had any way of knowing the ceilings would get to 1,000 agl, I absolutely would have filed IFR and stayed ahead of the airplane.
I hope this helps explain what was going on and how I got caught in this bad decision-making chain of events.