I live on the other side of Earth but can fully sympathize with your long drive. It’s a shame that the Milky Way is so difficult to see in most cities around the world. It is truly majestic: not only visually stunning but also awe-inspiring when you realize you’re gazing across the void at the next arm of our galaxy.
And I complain about having to drive 20-30 minutes to get real darkness, puts some perspective in there.