Classic Cars Gathering at Royu

Lately, I’ve been going to the Royu Driveway about once a month on Sunday mornings. Especially on sunny Sunday mornings, the lookout is filled with a stunning array of classic and modern sports cars, creating a unique and exciting atmosphere in the area.

Just the other day, there was a gathering of rare cars you hardly ever see in town, like the new Porsche 911 (992), some rare air-cooled Porsches, and a BMW Z8.

We parked at the lookout and chatted with some of the owners, and I was struck once again by how truly passionate everyone is about cars. Of course, other topics come up, but still, about 90% of the conversation revolves around cars—discussing things like “How does that model actually drive?” or “This shop is really great.”

You’d think after talking every week we’d run out of things to say, but that never happens (laughs).

While everyone wants to sleep in on their day off, these folks willingly get up early and make the effort to gather here. The power of a hobby is truly incredible.

The Behavior of a Car-Loving Husband

Needless to say, my husband is a car fanatic who lives by the motto “No Car, No Life.” Usually, when he’s at home, his “switch” is off (sorry, lol), but when it comes to cars, his motivation switch flips on instantly, and he transforms into a completely different person.

It’s like the difference between “551 pork buns being available or not!” (Only Kansai locals might get this…) To summarize, it goes something like this:

① He Wakes Up Early for Cars

On weekdays, my husband usually wakes up just in time to take our eldest daughter to kindergarten, quickly eats a rice ball in about 30 seconds, and rushes off to work. On weekends, he tends to sleep in and often dozes off on the sofa during the day.

But on days when he goes touring or to the Royu Driveway, it’s a different story. He sets an alarm, and no matter if the family is still asleep or not, he’s up and out the door before 6 a.m.

I’m always amazed—actually, I laugh—at how a hobby can change a person’s behavior so much.

② He Never Finds Car-Related Tasks a Hassle

My husband is pretty lazy, and if I suggest going somewhere on the weekend, he usually says:

Nope. Looks crowded and it’s a hassle (-_-)

and usually doesn’t go. Even if I mention, “Hey, I heard a new place opened nearby,” he replies:

Oh, really? Didn’t know. Not going (-_-)

and the conversation ends there.

But when it comes to cars, not a hint of laziness shows up… he carefully washes his beloved car even on hot summer days and cold winter days, puts on the car cover properly, and reads every car magazine about his car so thoroughly that the pages get worn out.

When I say, “How do you manage to do such a hassle-filled thing?” he replies with a line that sounds like a Tamori quote:

“Of course! This isn’t work for me! I’m serious about it!”

③ His Memory Improves When It Comes to Cars

My husband struggles to remember people’s faces, which causes him trouble at work. But when it comes to cars, he can instantly identify the model even from a distance.

Even models that look identical to me, he can spot subtle differences and has an excellent memory for car information.

I think it’s usually easier to recognize people’s faces than cars, but for him, it seems to be the other way around.

Cars Are Not My Hobby

On the other hand, I don’t really have a hobby, so sometimes I’m amazed by my husband but also a little envious.

“Wait, Mina, isn’t your hobby cars? Isn’t it a shared hobby for you and your husband?”

Some might ask, but for me, “cars” are not really a hobby.

Going to Royu, buying and practicing with a manual transmission car myself, researching various car topics… it’s all for this Porsche blog. To put it nicely, it’s more like a journalistic investigation.

Because I want to make this Porsche blog better and higher quality, I dig deep into questions like “What does this mean?” or “How is this car?” But honestly, if I weren’t writing this blog, I probably wouldn’t go that far.

I’ve tried snowboarding, golf, bass guitar, scuba diving—anything I was invited to—but I quickly lost interest and stopped.

Also, in my private life, I don’t drink alcohol, don’t like the outdoors, don’t know much about watches, bags, or fashion, have no particular food preferences, and am not interested in interior design or DIY.

Sigh… what a boring person I am… (-_-)

So, I honestly envy my husband and other car lovers who have something they can be truly passionate about in life. That said, by striving to improve this blog, I’ve learned more about cars and Porsche, and my world has expanded, so maybe this is good enough for me these days.