Morgan Humphries is a bridge engineer with Adams & Smith. Ever wonder what it's like to build a bridge? Check him out.

Episode Highlights 02:21 - Settling in Saratoga Springs 03:52 - Unique unique profession of bridge building 06:12 - Heavy lifting in bridge construction 09:10 - Infrastructure failures and maintenance issues 14:30 - Traffic solutions and challenges 19:00 - Favorite bridge projects 21:05 - Iconic bridges and personal connections

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation

Tommy Petersen, Coach, West Lake Rolling Thunder Mountain Bike Team joins us to talk about his experiences coaching the West Lake Rolling Thunder Mountain Bike Team.

Episode Highlights

• Enthusiasm for outdoor activities and mountain biking.
• Overview of the Westlake High School Mountain Biking Team.
• Inclusivity in mountain biking - financial aid and scholarships.
• Mountain biking season schedule.
• Details on race logistics and team organization.
• Balancing safety and thrill in mountain biking.
• Emotional and inspiring stories from races.
• Logistics of managing a large team during races.
• Emphasis on clean and fair competition.
• Promoting mountain biking as a lifelong sport.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Tommy Petersen
• https://www.westlakemtb.com/

Lawrence Christiansen from Reviv Agency, an amazing graphic artist, joins us to talk about his gaming collaboration with Jeff, coming soon to Desert Books!

Episode Highlights

• Designing Games for Desert Books.
• Innovative Game Series Branding.
• Unique Mechanics in Game Design.
• Engaging Box Design for Player Experience.
• Release Plans for Multiple Games.
• Fast-paced Game Design Process.
• Lawrence's Graphic Design Insights.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Lawrence Christiansen
• [email protected]
• https://www.revivagency.com/

We welcomed Robyn Chavez and Kyle Howell from R&R Tactical to talk about their huge, new 32,000 square feet building, expected to open in February, 2025.

Episode Highlights

• Environmental Benefits of Indoor Ranges.
• Developing Classes for Shooting Safety and Skills.
• Addressing Female Comfort in Shooting Courses.
• Community Engagement and Supporting Local Economy.
• Building Expansion and Entrepreneurial Journey.
• Plans for Grand Opening and Community Involvement.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Robyn Chavez
• [email protected]
• https://rrtacticaldesign.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@rrtacticalLLC
• https://www.facebook.com/RRTacticalLLCRange

We talked with Kristen Jones. She helps people with anxiety and other issues by offering hair cuts in either their homes or her home.

Episode Highlights

• Teaching husband to style hair.
• Moving to Saratoga Springs in 2004.
• Winning at Utah State Fair for painting.
• Career journey in hairdressing.
• Opening a home salon.
• Color blends for men.
• Hair styling trends and client preferences.
• Horrible hair mistake story.
• Advice on finding a good stylist.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Kristen Jones
• https://www.instagram.com/haircuts_by_kristen_ut/

We talked with Matt Goodwrench, owner of Game Grid Saratoga Springs about how he came to open a Game Grid and his passion for creating a space for people to come together and play games.

Episode Highlights

• The impact of Utah's booming economy.
• Housing price paradox in Utah.
• Moving from country lifestyle to HOAs.
• The inception of GameGrid store idea.
• Overcoming business plan challenges.
• Importance of distribution pricing for retail.
• Game store as a community hub.
• Unique board game products and indie companies.
• GameGrid as a place for community gathering.
• Invitation to explore new board games.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Matt Goodwrench
• https://gamegridssprgs.com/

We talked with Tana Cofer about her amazing new company, Glitter Faced. This brand new product, just released in 2024, is an edible glitter that you add to your drinks. It makes your drinks look fun and amazing, great for parties!

Episode Highlights

• From corporate to small business ownership.
• Adventure and Jeep trails in Saratoga Springs.
• Leaving Pattern to aid small businesses.
• Launching Rosie Ray agency.
• Glitter Faced: Edible glitter for drinks.
• Essential online marketing strategies.
• Influencers as a marketing tactic.
• Importance of finding a niche market

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Tana Cofer
• https://www.glitter-faced.com/

We talked with Jorge Sanchez from the Utah National Guard about his career and upcoming retirement.

Episode Highlights

• Enlistment and service timeline.
• Deployment experience in Iraq.
• Transition from Marine Corps to Army.
• Recruiting for Army, pilot program insights.
• Career opportunities and education in the military.
• Unique civilian skills in the National Guard.
• Utah's linguist advantage.
• Preparing for retirement.
• Language assumptions and mission experience.
• Advice for military hopefuls.
• Differences in age waivers by branch.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation

We interviewed Samisoni "Soni" Finau about his MMA career and his current job teaching wrestling at Westlake High School.

Episode Highlights

• Soni's MMA journey and move from Alaska to Utah.
• Discussion about training at high altitude in Utah and its benefits.
• Childhood and early fighting influences: Boxing with family.
• The unique benefits of Jiu-Jitsu and its role in MMA.
• Humility and trust in martial arts training.
• Starting professional MMA career and first experiences in the ring.
• Debut professional fight: Victory with a pre-fight notice of 12 hours.
• Effect of COVID-19 on Soni's fighting career.
• Returning to MMA after hiatus and the emotional challenge of fighting in front of a crowd.
• Coaching the West Lake Girls Wrestling Team and their achievements.
• Future aspirations: Bringing the title back and training opportunities.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer
• Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Samisoni Finau
• https://www.instagram.com/theycallmesoni/?hl=en

We talked with Doug Marriot from SurfacePix about his cool new printer that makes high definition, photo quality art right on your walls.

Episode Highlights

• Doug discusses moving to Saratoga Springs.
• Doug introduces his company, SurfacePix.
• Explanation of the types of ink used - UV cured, vegan-based.
• Comparison between printed murals and traditional mural artists.
• Doug talks about the DPI (dots per inch) for prints.
• The need for high-resolution images for large prints.
• Examples of images printed by SurfacePix.
• Discussion of inkheads durability with different substrates.
• Adjusting for wall variances when printing.
• Cost considerations and pricing of murals.
• Applications for printing on various surfaces like brick and glass.
• Preparation and substrate considerations for different wall types.
• Doug shares experience with notable clients like FedEx and Provo Town Center.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Neil Bryce, Jeff Beck and Greg Spencer Left of the Lake Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/288869046622439/?ref=share
• https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/leftofthelake/
• https://www.saratogasprings-ut.gov/284/Recreation
• Connect with Doug Marriot
• https://www.surfacepix.com/