Same spot, different sky

Pure blue or patterned gray...

I continue to be amazed at differences in images due to the sky. Of these two photos, I prefer the older, grayer image, taken on my first visit to Valley of Fire State Park in February of 2009. Yes, I know, the vantage point is slightly different, and my preference is for the composition of the first image. The sky color and its effect on the overall image makes a big difference, doesn't it?