Drove above the city on a clear night and saw more stars than I knew existed

There's a pull-off on the Cypress Mountain road, about 20 minutes from downtown, where on a clear night you can see the Milky Way in a way that doesn't feel real when you spend most of your time in a lit-up city. We brought a sleeping bag, a thermos of tea, and a star map app that we half-used and half-ignored. The cold arrives faster than you expect — bring more layers than feels reasonable. We were back home by midnight and talked about it for three days. No setup, no booking, no budget — just timing, weather, and the right person.