Lone Star Loop makes Gonzales pit stop

Gonzales was treated to visit from approximately 60 out of town classic cars on Friday, Oct. 16.  The group of colorful coupes and antique rides were parked on the lawn near the Eggleston House for two hours during their lunch pit stop at Guerra‘s Grill.
“We’ve passed by here (Gonzales) before but never stopped until now,” said Paul Fort, coordinator for the 2009 Lone Star Loop 1000. “I’m glad we did.  The people are very friendly and the food is great.”
This year’s 1,000 mile trek is also known as the “Twisted Texas Two-Lane Tour.” The drivers began their trip in Weathersford, about 30 miles West of Fort Worth, on Oct.15. They traveled through Granbury, Hico, Hamilton, SanSaba, Lampasas, Burnet, Llano, Fredericksburg, Luckenbach, Blanco and San Marcos, before reaching Gonzales.
“Not everyone does the whole 1,000 miles, but we picked up some more drivers along the way, so it’s exciting to see who shows up to join us,” said Fort. “This has been a dream of mine because I grew up working on classic cars with my dad.”
He started a car club with his friends, and since then, other car clubs have teamed up with him, creating the “Lone Star Loop.” The Loop is a four day, non-competitive, drive-at-your-own-pace, scenic tour route of Texas. All antique and classic vehicle makes, vintage hot rods, and pre-1973 “muscle cars” are welcome and the tour includes: 36 counties, 85 towns and no interstate highways. This is the second year of the event. In 2008, 12 car clubs participated in the Loop.
Fort said his mission was to have a moving car tour in the State of Texas, instead of just a static display of classic cars, this way more people can see them and appreciate them as works of art and pieces of history.
Fort says it’s hard to pick a favorite because he admires all of the cars and the time and care it takes to restore and maintain them.  In fact, he’s working on his own labor of love.
“I have a maroon 1932 Roadster that is being restored.  I’ve been putting it together piece by piece for about ten years now,” said Fort. “It’s called The Snakester.”
The local vintage car group, the Gonzales Classic Cruisers, hosted the event and helped organize it for the visitors, including arranging lunch at Guerra’s Grill.  While the public enjoyed checking out the parked classic cars, across the street the drivers enjoyed a meal and sharing stories with other car enthusiasts.
Fort said the road trip was about more than just fun behind the wheel. Several fundraisers were arranged to coincide with the group’s pit stop schedule, including a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club in Marble Falls.
“It means a lot to us that we can help the communities that we visit,” said Fort. “And in between towns, we try to stay off the interstate and just enjoy the scenery.”
For more information about the tour contact Paul Fort at (817) 401-5558 or paul@lonestarloop.com. The tour’s website is www.lonestarloop.com.