2010 Lone Star Loop

On Friday, Oct. 15, a fleet of antique and classic vehicles, as well as vintage hotrods and muscle cars made their way into Crockett, just in time for dinner at Tchoupitoulas.

The 3rd annual Lone Star Loop 1,000 is a planned  four-day scenic tour of Texas. During the four day non-competitive scenic tour participants travel 1,000 miles in their antique and classic vehicles, or vintage hotrods and muscle cars along a planned route to take in the grandeur of the Lone Star State, at their own pace.

The 2010 tour, “El Camino Real De Los Tejas Tour,” followed a winding route throughout East Texas. The classic convoy followed  parts of the early Spanish routes of the “Royal Highway” and “Old San Antonio Road,” through early outposts and missions of East Texas. The 1,000 miles of scenic touring spanned through 28 counties, 81 towns, and steered clear of all interstate highways.

Approximately 30 participants pulled out of Weatherford, Wednesday, Oct. 13, and headed to Temple for lunch. The 2010 tour had a total of 52 participants, several of which they collected along the way.

The group then proceeded to Bastrop, home of the “lost pines,” where they stayed overnight, as they wrapped up day one of the tour.

Paul Fort, director of Lone Star Loop 1,000, said the group received a great reception in Bastrop. The city opened four restaurants downtown for the group, and locals gave the oral history of the city.

“It’s been kind of a slow year,” said Fort of the tour so far. “Chambers haven’t been very active.”

Fort contacts city chambers of commerce prior to the tour, and in turn chambers generally support the tour by arranging for tour participants to take in local scenery and history, or by providing gift baskets with memorabilia from the city. According to Fort several chambers did not participate even after they had initially agreed.

On Day Two the group pulled out of Bastrop and struck out for Hearne, where the local pee-wee football team and parents prepared barbeque. The group then headed north for Houston County, where they planned to have dinner at Tchoupitoulas, in Crockett.

The parade of classic cars turned heads in Crockett, and left locals wondering where the cars were headed.

Dennis and Patty Kaiser, and Dave and Nina Kirk, all of Grandbury, enjoyed the atmosphere of Tchoupitoulas, as well as their brief visit to Crockett.

“We’re having a blast and this town is delightful,” said Patty Kaiser.

The two couples from Grandbury were on their second tour with the Lone Star Loop 1,000. Last year the couples toured the Gulf Coast, as far south as Rockport.

The group did not have much information pertaining to Houston County or the city of Crockett when they arrived, but left Tchoupitoulas armed with a taste of  history from the first county in Texas, and historical sites to keep an eye out for along their journey to the next town.

“That’s what I love about these tours. You get to see things people don’t normally get to see, unless you are from that neck of the woods,” Kaiser said.

The group pulled out of Crockett Saturday morning and headed down the El Camino Real for San Augustine on Day Three of their schedule. After lunch in San Augustine, the group travelled to Jefferson for dinner, and an overnight stay.

On the fourth, and final day of the scenic tour, the group left Jefferson and headed for Athens, for one last lunch before returning to Weatherford.

“The beauty of this thousand mile loop is that you end up where you started, and not a thousand miles away from home,” said Kaiser of the scenic tour that her and her husband, and friends Dave and Nina Kirk have enjoyed being a part of for the last two years.