My Husband’s Porsche Touring

My husband, who is well-known to love cars and driving, always does one thing before going on a touring trip. That is to thoroughly research the route beforehand. While route research before a tour might sound obvious, my husband’s preparation is exceptionally detailed.

This is because it’s not just about getting to the destination quickly, but about choosing the best roads where he can enjoy driving his Porsche to the fullest.

For example, when he decides, “We’re going touring next Sunday,” he first studies the Touring Mapple guide, checks the blog of wata-san, a Boxster owner whom he deeply respects and believes to be Japan’s top Porsche touring enthusiast, and reviews Google Maps routes he has driven before, all while carefully planning the route.

Also, depending on whether he takes the 911 Cabriolet (992), the Boxster GTS (981), or the air-cooled 911 (964) (or previously the 911 GT3), the ideal speed range and road characteristics for a pleasant drive change, so he takes all that into account during his thorough route research.

Seeing him prepare so meticulously, I said, “Wow, I could never be that thorough,” and he replied:

Well, since we’re going somewhere we normally can’t drive to, and we’re doing it in a Porsche, it only makes sense to pick the most enjoyable roads. If it were just about getting from A to B in a regular car, I wouldn’t bother so much. But since it’s a sports car, it’s natural to prepare so we can fully enjoy the drive.
I hate regretting later, thinking, “Oh, we missed that great road.”
Of course, sometimes I spot a road that looks fun and take a detour, but mostly I stick to the planned route.

It’s impressive… As an ordinary person, even when I go on a long drive, I don’t usually research the route that thoroughly. I just hope to find some nice roads along the way, but I’m not that determined.

Also, when we go on long drives as a family, preparing for our three kids—diapers, clothes, and things to keep them entertained—takes priority, so I rarely think about the roads.

…Or maybe it’s because I’m a “rain woman” that I’ve already resigned myself to the idea that no matter how good the roads I find, it’ll probably rain or storm anyway (laughs).

Touring Is Entertainment

For his route research, my husband always uses a map called “Touring Mapple,” which is actually designed for motorcyclists.

When I asked him, “Why do you deliberately use a map for motorcyclists?” he said:

Because right now, it’s the only map that shows “good roads.” Car maps focus on destinations, highlighting scenic spots or restaurants with good lunches. That’s normal.
But roads leading to popular tourist spots usually have heavy traffic, and they don’t consider how enjoyable the drive itself is, so driving there can be stressful.
I love driving, so I don’t care much about the tourist spots. I want to know the best roads to enjoy driving, and for that, Touring Mapple is the best resource right now.
That said, since it’s a motorcycle map, some roads are ridiculously narrow for cars, so you have to be careful.

Listening to him, I realized his route research is like someone planning a trip to Disneyland, simulating the most efficient and enjoyable way to get around in advance.

For most people, driving somewhere is just transportation, but for my husband, touring is entertainment on the same level as going to Disneyland.

We have also published touring reports that include the routes he has driven, so I hope you’ll find those helpful as well.