A change of scenery (Bischofsheim)

Considering the flatness of the Main floodplains I was crossing only yesterday, it seems incredible that all of a sudden all around me there are steep hills, deep forests and lush mountain meadows. I had anticipated some uphills based on the markings on my cycling map, but the total change in scenery really took me by surprise.
Planning the route to Prague took some creativity, as it stretched across three maps. I was using pebbles as pointers of where I was heading.

As a result of some teenagers partying until wee hours at my last night's campsite, plus a search and resque helicopter hovering right above from 6 am, I woke up feeling slightly cranky from the interrupted sleep and, for the first time on this trip, lonely. Perhaps it was also due to having spent my birthday on Monday alone, as usual, but today I really had to fight for a positive attitude. Fortunately, when the mountains started (highest ones around me reaching up to 1 km which I think qualifies as a mountain, especially after traversing the plains for weeks!), I quickly found my mood changed in the face of the challenge.
The highlands just before reaching Bischofsheim.

Despite using all my gears and my strength today I had to resort to something I had managed to avoid completely on last year's 10 week trip: I actually had to push the bike on a couple of occasions. Still, it was an exhilarating day with truly fantastic views and lovely weather, despite the wind that had now turned and came straight from the front, making each uphill even harder. I am going to bed feeling exhausted but a million times better than this morning.

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