Like a hoarder who has banker boxes full of tax returns from thirty-years ago piled up to the ceiling, the F.A.S.T. Corporation just can’t let anything go. In the field behind their workshop in Sparta, Wisconsin are leftovers from almost every job they’ve ever done; the huge and colorful statues that are usually found in amusement parks and restaurants. F.A.S.T. stands for Fiberglass Animals, Shapes, and Trademarks so we’re talking about a bunch of creepy molds of every shape and size littering (or beautifying some would say) the surrounding landscape. And don’t forget some of these giant fiberglass figures have been outside in the elements for quite awhile, so their decayed appearance is somewhat reminiscent of ancient fossils…or something. Some of the “animals” look like they’ve been left for dead. But don’t worry, they’re not. Apparently there is an actual reason for saving all this stuff. Reusing old molds saves money, and even in the middle of winter all one has to do is pour some salt on the ground, loosen it up, then dig the molds out. The company more than welcomes visitors to stroll their grounds (just watch out for the hornets’ nests). So your dream to see a strange collection of hundreds of partially abandoned and unpainted fiberglass reinforced resin plastics is possible to achieve after all.
Oh, and Sparta isn’t just a graveyard of old fiberglass molds. It’s also the Bicycling Capital of America. Visitors can check out 101 miles of state trails (the Elroy-Sparta Trail was the first official bike trail in the U.S.), a bicycling museum and…what a surprise…a tall fiberglass statue of a bicyclist.
