The start of my journey has begun, not only am I trying to follow Stevens as closely as possible but I'm also going to try and live off £1 a day. Because I'm not hardcore this is only day to day living costs. Food , accommodation etc and does not include travel, bike repairs, or special interest items that happened in the book, ie having a shave at a certain barbers or trying the beer in a certain town (clever eh!) but other wise £1 a day
Day 1: All went well with the trains and indeed a space was available to me. Bike spaces are right behind the drivers door. I asked if I could sit in with him but he gave a scouse chuckle and sent me on my way. I fine dining experience was had on the train consisting of homemade goan tuna pitas and peach halves and custard eaten out of an old jam jar, classy. Fuelled up I arrive at Lime Street Station ready to start the search. First things first though and I make a quick u-turn back to the train to retreive my water bottle just before it zooms back to the London smoke. I leave the comfort of Lime Street Station and the statues of Diddy Men and it immediately starts to rain. Rather than get a soaking I hide in an alley and wait for it to pass and 15 mins later I'm off in the direction of Albert Dock.
I wrote to the Maritime Museum a while back to find out what dock a passenger ship would of landed at back in 1885 but I never received a reply so this whas my first port of call (pun intended). Sarah at the archive dept informed me that ships would of docked along side the foot of the liver building so off I went to officially mark the start of Stevens journey through England. Photo done I head off to the Anfield part of Liverpool, home of the Football club I have supported all my life. As I was born in 72 and LFC were winning a lot back then that is probably why as I hail from Hertfordshire, what a glory hunting 5 year old I was. However I have stayed loyal and still support them today. Although LFC hadn't been formed yet by John Stockdale , this happened in 1892. He was a member of the ABC, Anfield Bicycle Club and probably accompanied Stevens as he rode out of Liverpool with other members. This is a good enough reason to pay homage to the Kop and the 96 if ever I need one. The ABC met Stevens at St Marys Church Edge Lane and cycled out towards Warrington. St Marys was closed when I got there but I found an interesting plaque on the door, I'm not sure what to think of it:)
As I trundle off towards Warrington I can't help but feel the roads are perhaps newer than those in 1885. I wonder if checked my route against the wrong map?? Perhaps I should make it clear at this juncture that istorical accuracy is probably harder to acheive than I first thought. I am therefore changing my persona from Historical Traveller to Two Wheeled Gonzo Historian in respect for Hunter S. Thompson who never let the truth get in the way of a good story but in the same time never let you know which was fact and which was fiction." I was about 20 miles outside Knutsford and the bugs began to take hold"
Arriving in Warrington I head for The Museum / Library. Unfortunately the Local Studies dept is closed so I can't check my that my route is historiaclly correct. The lovely receptionists seem to think the A50 towards Knutsford is as good a route as any, so away I go.
I pass over the Manchester Shipping Canal and enjoy the sun settling on this old industrial artery of the North. Later I cross a smaller canal and decide this is the perfect place to find a pitch for the night. I find a spot with an old stone wall to have dinner on and enjoy a gourmet dinner of curry supernoodles (6 for a £1 in Pound City) and smoked sausage and out of date avacado cheap from Tesco. I Follow this wth a squashed (see cheap) New York Cheescake and I very happy. After dinner I push the bike further down the towpath to spot I had specced earlier and wait for it to get dark before pitching up my tent. I needn't of bothered. Up until now I have seen 0 people on my side of the canal and just as darkness starts to send a couple walk down the path with their dogs. We say hello and I think no more of it. Up with the tent , read a bit of Thomas Stevens Vol 2 on the kindle and to bed. Day 1 complete. The journey has finally begun.
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