The X Games have done night and day for snowboarding and action sports.

I go to all of the trade shows, know a lot of the people making marketing decisions, and I want to keep my finger on the pulse of snowboarding.

Schweitzer is where I found snowboarding; it will always have a special place in my heart and is a top-notch ski resort. It has some of the best bowl tree skiing in the world and breathtaking views of Sandpoint and Lake Pend Oreille.

Summertime is my favorite time of year in Sandpoint, reason being, Lake Pend Oreille is warm and ready for action.

I try and find fun activities like mountain biking, hiking, or water sports for a workout rather than pushing weight in the gym.

Every day all day, every night all night, cars, planes, trucks, trains, motorcycles and even pedestrians flow through that sprawling intersection like blood coursing through the arteries of the heartland, of which Chicago still reigns as the square-shouldered capital.