Rob,
I have just the oposite experience. I live in the Phoenix area and fly to SOCAL at least once a month. I have two trips scheduled this week. I can regularly get flight following by asking Ground Control or Clearance Delivery at many SOCAL airports. This is very nice and not available in Phoenix. I have never entered SOCAL airspace without the wonderful folks at SOCAL approach helping me out. Getting in and out of SOCAL IFR can test your patience but it is always very professional as you state.
Craig Berland
I agree that flight following is a valuable service. However, last time I asked for it in the Southern California area the controller responded: "Unable flight following -- multiple targets, all altitudes, all quadrants -- good luck!"
Of course, it was a pleasant Saturday afternoon, I was about ten miles from Torrance, and it seemed like every airplane in the basin was up flying. When I flew IFR in my Cessna 150 on a Tuesday morning a month later I seemed to have the entire airspace to myself.
Flight following in SoCal? It's great. Except I can't get it when I really need it...