Road Trip to Tasha's - Part One

   Earlier this summer, I read an entry in my journal about a dream that I had last July in which I met Tasha Tudor, the famous illustrator. I forgot all about that dream until my daughter Claire began making plans a writing project in Saratoga Springs, NY. Tasha Tudor lives in Vermont, which I knew was somewhere near where we were going to be staying. As I looked on Tasha Tudor’s Family and Friends website, I read about a Secret Garden Tour that was to be held on Sunday, July 24^th, with a rare appearance from the illustrator herself. It was the very weekend we would be arriving in Saratoga. I told Elizabeth, my ten-year-old budding artist, that if I was going to see Tasha, she was coming too! When I called to order tickets there was only one adult ticket left for the afternoon tour. I couldn't believe it! My dream was coming true.
      The tour was scheduled from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. so we left Saratoga at 12:15 p.m. I figured that ought to give us enough time to make it there. However, Claire had accidentally given me the wrong directions. I didn't think to get a map because I was relying on what she had printed out from Mapquest. Actually, the directions were correct, but she pointed me in the wrong direction when I left, telling me to take interstate 87 heading north.

At the start of the trip, I prayed to the Lord to protect us, to keep us from getting lost, and – as an after thought – that we wouldn’t have any problems. But as I drove along, making what I thought was incredibly good time, I began to have a nagging sense that I’d better find out where I was. Halfway past Lake George I pulled over to a rest stop and looked at the map outside the restrooms. I couldn’t find the state of Vermont. I asked the rest stop worker if I was in Vermont. He looked at me kind of surprised and said I was in New York. My heart sank. I asked him how I could get over to Vermont. He said there was only one land bridge about thirty-three miles away, or I could take a ferry. Now I knew I was in big trouble! I hadn’t realized that there was a rather large body of water to my right and that it was separating me from the state of Vermont and my destination.
   I asked the rest stop worker if he had a map that I could look at. Slowly he walked over to his office and came back with an atlas. I peeked over his shoulder as he looked in the index. I thought I would die if it took him any longer. “Vermont? Yup, page 104.” He thumbed through the worn out book. 101,102, 103…at the same time we both saw that there was no page 104. Vermont was missing! It must have been ripped out by some desperately lost person other than myself!
     I told him I needed to buy a map NOW, so he gave me directions to the Sunco gas station, six miles up the road (still in the wrong direction). I found the station with no problem (that was a surprise since it was down another road and hidden from view)! I grabbed a roast beef sandwich for Elizabeth and tried to decide what Vermont map to buy (I never saw so many choices). Should I get a Vermont atlas, a recreation map or just the good ol’ regular Vermont map? I grabbed the recreation map and stood in line while the locals made small talk with the young ladies behind the counter. Those girls looked so bored. Maybe they needed to get out of New York and take a little road trip with me. My life is anything but boring. In fact, sometimes I can barely keep up with it!

Finally, it was my turn. I paid for my precious map and waited for what seemed an eternity for the debit card to clear…I drummed my fingers on the counter and stared into space. A scene from the movie White Christmas played in my head where Danny Kaye says to Bing Crosby, “Vermont is beautiful this time of year. All that snow!”… Chuga. chuga, chuga…The cash register slowly spit out the receipt...wake up! I hurriedly scratched my name on the dotted line and rushed out of the store. I tossed the sandwich at Elizabeth through the open window, and with shaking hands I unfolded the map on the hood of the car. Try as I may I could not find the town mentioned in the (confidential) directions “if you’re coming from the east.” I tried finding the other town mentioned “if you’re coming from the west.” Yes! There it was. What? I couldn’t believe it. It was southeast of Saratoga! Oh, no! This couldn’t be happening! As I got into the car the sickening realization hit my stomach. The only way to get to Tasha Tudor’s Secret Garden Tour was to BACKTRACK the whole way! 
      

2:51 PM - Oct. 3, 2005 - post comment

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