the last couple of days were much better in yellowstone – so much better that it seemed like everything was a vivid blue. the sky was clear, the animals were out, the dogs were barking – wait – shhhhhhh – no bark! 
Yesterday I climbed Sawtell Peak on my mountain bike, which overlooks Henry’s Lake. I started at an elevation of 6400′ and climbed to the peak which is at 9900′! This 10 mile uphill climb started out peaceful and gradual, but when I got to the last 3 miles, the pitch became unbearably steep! It felt like I was trying to ride up a staircase after someone had punched me in the stomach! If you are up for some punishment I highly recommend this 3500′ climb. Or you can cheat and look at the panorama I took:
Click on the picture above for a closer look. (and see if you can find what I think is a ready-made golf course)
One thing I did not expect to find on the way to Sun Valley was sunflowers. The drive from Boise to Sun Valley is mostly high desert mountains with the prairies in between.
