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THE GREAT CROSS-COUNTRY CAMARO TOUR

By Susan Wade. Photo by Ron Lewis.

DAY 2, continued

A delivery glitch delayed the arrival of the throw-away cameras at DRO headquarters for photo processing, so we're a bit late in getting the next part of the story.

On we went to Normal, Illinois, where we caught up with a young fellow who might not be. Whodathunk that the world's largest ball of yarn would have gotten its start in Normal, Illinois? It did, but it, too, is traveling. Kyle Massey, a junior geography major at the University of Illinois, has taken it to his apartment near the Champaign campus.

When he was a bored high-schooler, Kyle fashioned the fist-sized sphere into a 72-pound monstrosity that, at 55.7 centimeters in diameter and 175 centimeters in circumference, dwarfs a basketball. Each piece of yarn is tied to the end of the previous piece. If it were unwound and stretched into a straight line, it would be more than 20 miles long. Perhaps its most redeeming feature is that it isn't endorsed by Nike.

Its dimensions aren't listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, either. "There's a Largest Ball of Twine," Kyle said. "Guinness isn't accepting any new records, just improving existing ones."

Sadly, this nameless wonder, which measures midway between Kyle's knee and hip when he's standing next to it, has fallen into neglect. Kyle no longer feeds, waters or walks it. "It's lost its appeal," he said. "I'm thinking about making into a table." Is nothing sacred anymore?

In Normal, we also ran into Illinois State Police Sergeant Bill Emery. Like us, he was visiting and was on a mission: to demonstrate the importance of seat-belt safety to students at Illinois State University. In tow he had a specially rigged Chevy S-10 cab containing a crash dummy (which, like the yarn ball, had no name). Too bad Bob Panella, Jr., Randy Daniels, Johnny and Mike Coughlin and Greg Stanfield couldn't have seen it. Might have inspired them. After all, they have to find something to do with their Chevy S-10s, now that the NHRA has phased Pro Stock Trucks into the sportsman ranks. Any of the Pro Stock Truck folks whining and crying about the move could use the infant seat Sgt. Emery also had inside the cab.

Sgt. Emery said his department has unmarked 2002 Camaros like ours -- complete with Interceptor engine -- for "dealing with aggressive drivers." Did I only imagine that he cocked one eyebrow at me when he said that?

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