Day 64: Matalascañas to Cádiz | 82km
4 August 2026
Oh no… the nine hours of sleep was not enough to restore my health. I knew it as soon as I opened my eyes and felt as if someone was sitting on top of my stomach. My head hurt and my belly was cramping. I’m still not sure what happened, but I sat up on the bed and, again, wondered how I was supposed to bike anywhere today. Despite having proved to myself many times that my limits are far beyond what I believe, it’s not always fun pushing those limits. Waiting for the low tide meant a later start, so I was able to take my time getting ready. My stomach didn’t really let me eat solid food, but I drank some yoghurt and as much water as I could, desperately hoping my appetite would return and my cramps would go away. The sky was bright blue and the sun was beaming, which I normally welcome, but today I wished it would stay away.
I left the hostel at 10 to swing past the pharmacy and see if there was any miracle drug to help me through the day. The pharmacist gave me something to dampen my nausea and ease the stomach cramps. In broken English, he suggested I rest and stay still for the rest of the day. “Yes, I will rest,” I replied. I had no intention of resting.
The low tide would peak at 2pm, so the Doñana National Park guides had suggested I leave Matalascañas around 11 for maximum time to get through the beach while the sand was packed. I was a bit nervous about the 35km of riding in the sand ahead, mainly because I was feeling so ill. I started perhaps a bit too early, as the sand was still pretty soft, but I found some footing after letting some air out of the tires to roll more easily. It may sound counterintuitive to a non-biker, but when riding on soft surfaces like sand, mud or gravel, it’s often better to deflate the tires a little to increase the contact patch and help the tires absorb bumps. The first 30 minutes or so were a mix of packed sand and occasional soft patches that brought me to a quick stop. I had to push my bike through some sections. Like the other days on this journey when I didn’t feel too well, I put my head down and just carried on.