Posted for Lorn H Olsen <lorn@dynacomm.ws>:

 John,
 
 I was immortal until I was about 50, now I still fly at night but not  as
often. Sounds like the same thing is happening to you.
 
 All night flights should be flown like IFR flights except that you  should
look outside to avoid the clouds and make sure that nothing is  between you
and the distant ground lights.
 
 I purchased a Garmin 296 last year in order to help avoid the ground
 (mountains) when not on an instrument flight plan and as a backup instrument
panel. I now have a Garmin 396 which also helps with the  weather.
 
 By the way, my Garmin 296 (with automobile maps of the US and marine  maps
for the Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast) is now for sale as is an  iPaq 2210
with current Pocket Plates and a fast 1 GB SanDisk SD card.
 
 If anyone is interested, please call me at 248-345-0500. For some  reason my
signature and associated phone number are being erased most  of the time.
 
 Lorn