Mircea Oprea and Christopher Wheatley recording Roaring Fork Mountain Air in Basalt Regional Library
Roaring Fork Mountain Air with Christopher & Mircea
S:1 E:4Date: Dec 26, 2025
Join Mircea Oprea and Christopher Wheatley on Roaring Fork Mountain Air as they discuss Mircea's quest for the perfect Buffalo chicken wing, his evening with Kate Hudson, local skiing and stargazing outside in the winter, New Year's stories and customs, Mr. Wheatley goes to Washington, entertainment updates and local 'goings on' in the Roaring Fork Valley, the "Unpopular Idea of the Week" of redrawing western boundaries by watersheds and finally a "Moment of Hope" for reproductive rights and healthcare in Colorado.
Listen On the Following Podcasting Links
Roaring Fork Mountain Air - Fourth Episode 104 (text version)
Roaring Fork Mountain Air - with Christopher Wheatley and Mircea Oprea
AIR DATE: Dec 30, 2025
[MUSIC: INTRO]
CHRISTOPHER: Hello, this is Christopher Wheatley
MIRCEA: and Mircea Oprea
CHRISTOPHER: hosts of Roaring Fork Mountain Air, a positive, forward-thinking podcast for the good people of the Roaring Fork River Valley in Colorado and beyond. We have a great show in store for you where we talk about Mircha's quest for the perfect buffalo chicken wing and his evening with Kate Hudson, skiing and stargazing outside in the winter, New Year's stories and customs, Mr. Wheatley goes to Washington, entertainment updates and local goings on, unpopular idea of the week, and a moment of hope for reproductive rights and healthcare in Colorado.
MIRCEA: So sit back and join us as we present to you our fourth episode of Roaring Fork Mountain Air with Christopher and Mircea. And welcome back. Christopher, Did you have a great week? Anything interesting like local event that you went to or dining out experience that you'd like to share with the audience?
CHRISTOPHER: Well, it was Christmas. And so for the 66th consecutive year, I did receive a lump of coal. And otherwise, it was a nice, quiet dinner at home with family and the dog.
MIRCEA: Well, at least on the positive side, a lump of coal can provide some heating.
CHRISTOPHER: And extra CO2 for the atmosphere.
MIRCEA: There you go. As for me, I had a great week. My daughter came in, visiting from college, and we did a few things. But one in particular I did was on Saturday, December 27th. I had the opportunity to attend an evening with Kate Hudson at the Wheeler Opera House. She's a great performer and a great voice for belting out her original songs as well as a few covers. She started off with Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday, a favorite song of mine. Mixed in a couple of songs with her brother Oliver Hudson performing classics like Stand By Me by Ben E. King. Also on her list throughout the concert was Neil Diamond's I Am I Said, Fleetwood Mac's, Gypsy, Filter's Take My Picture, Cure's Just Like Heaven, another favorite song of mine, and ending the 2 1/2 hour performance with an emotional tribute to Elton John's Tiny Dancer. It was a great performance and fun to see so many friends and family of Kate Hutson showing up. But enough about entertainment. Let's cover dining experience.
I would like to give a shout out to Westbound and Down Brewing Company of Basalt, located in Willets. Last night, my wife, daughter, and I met some friends for a light dinner. They were heading back to Aspen coming from spending an afternoon at Avalanche Ranch Cabins and Hot Springs, which I think, Christopher, we talked about in our last podcast, episode 103.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes, we did.
MIRCEA: They had a very good time, and I knew all about it because I remember you talking about it last week. Anyway, we started off with appetizers. Part of that order was Buffalo chicken wings, and I have to say, they were the best and closest to real Buffalo chicken wings that I have found in the surrounding 50-plus mile radius. Perhaps there is some stiff competition out there that I have yet to discover, but as of last night, there is no place that can compare to Westbound and Down Brewing Company's Buffalo chicken wings, at least in the surrounding 50-plus mile area. If you are of different opinion, then shoot us an e-mail and I'll do some serious buffalo chicken recon throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.
CHRISTOPHER: I confess, I have enjoyed the Westbound and Down happy hour multiple times and would definitely recommend that. And the wings are fine, but you definitely must check out the dry rub, smoked wings at Home Team BBQ at the Inn at Aspen.
MIRCEA: Okay, I will. Of course, the rest of the meal was very good. I had a smoked turkey sandwich and smashed mashed potatoes on the side and a tasty beverage to wash this down with, to quote Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction, which was Westbound and Down Brewing Company's homebrew of Mexican lager. It's quite tasty. It was a great lively atmosphere and of course we were laughing and catching up the whole time while enjoying great food and great beer. Christopher, I'm going to put that on the list as well though.
CHRISTOPHER: I would. You'll enjoy both of them I'm sure.
MIRCEA: Okay, great. And that's going to take us into Christopher's outdoor activities. And Christopher is going to give us an update on the outdoor activities 'goings on' that are going on in the Roaring Fork Valley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Yes, in fact, there are several 'goings on' that are going on in the Roaring Fork Valley. I'd like to focus on 2 today. The first is I'm proud to give a skiing report. Aspen Mountain with a 14-inch base, 37 trails open, and six lifts open. And Snowmass, which, interestingly enough, is actually Mount Baldy. Snowmass Mountain you can see peeping over the top while you're skiing at Snowmass, but they thought that Snowmass sounded much better than skiing Baldy so they don't call it Baldy, but that's what you're on when you're skiing it. Anyway, they have a 26-inch base and 39 trails and 13 lifts going. And Highlands has the largest 29-inch base with 46 trails, 5 lifts, and Buttermilk at 11-inch base with 35 trails, 5 lifts. And Sunlight with a 12-inch base, and that's at Mid-Mountain, but only one lift is open. So you got that.
Otherwise, there's our fifth mountain, as they call them, the Nordic ski, cross-country, Spring Gulch, which is outside of Carbondale. And you are advised both by my eyewitness testimony and by their website that you should wait for the next storm. It is quite bare. And the last snowstorm we just got, received 2 to 5 inches, but there was so much wind, it blew a lot of terrain bare and piled it up in corners and elsewhere. So, unless you're really adventurous and you have a dedicated set of rock skis, I would wait for that next snowstorm to come through.
Now, at the Aspen Nordic Center, which is the Muni Golf Clubhouse next to the Red Mountain Grill in Aspen, the loop oval track is still suitable for training. If you like to go around in circles, it's a great place to do that at. And it is also, they had a lot of wind with the last snowstorm and it created some bare spots. So please be aware of those. There is apparently some good groomed but not tracked trail at the high school course behind the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club headquarters. And it's mostly covered. And a real testimony and shout out to those guys that are snow farming out there and taking what snow we have and saving it up under trees and then bringing it out to cover bare spots in the trails. And it's just brilliant to watch them work and keep these places open for us to enjoy virtually the entire winter. If you have a question about the condition of the trails, I would encourage you to call the Nordic hotline at 970-429-2039.
Along with outdoor activities in the winter, such as skiing, you should also get out and maybe pursue some stargazing. As of January 1st, 2026, Colorado has more certified dark sky places than any other state in the country. And we should grab our star charts and our star books maps and get out there because it's really close. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is an hour and a half away. And it's not only is it one of the most spectacular national parks you can go to in the country, but it is a dark, certified dark sky area. And that's close by, as is Dinosaur National Monument. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Jackson Lake State Park by Fort Morgan, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which if you haven't been there, get there immediately. Curecanti National Recreation Area, Lake Fork Earth and Sky Center, just outside Lake City, Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park, the Top of the Pines, out by Mount Snuffles, and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, Browns Canyon National Monument, just over Independence Pass there, and Chimney Rock National Monument, also by Crawford, are all dark sky places that you can investigate and get the most spectacular views with even a minimal power telescope.
MIRCEA: Wow. Getting back to the ski report, real quick, does it look like things are turning around?
CHRISTOPHER: Well, I was told that they have a foot up on top of Aspen Mountain and maybe even a little more at Highlands, but I know they did close the main run at Buttermilk just because it was getting so bare.
MIRCEA: Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much for that update,
CHRISTOPHER: My pleasure.
MIRCEA: and we'll be right back.
[MUSIC BREAK]
MIRCEA: And we're back for a segment we like to call.
CHRISTOPHER: Things You Never Thought You Wanted to Know.
MIRCEA: So here's Christopher who's going to give us.
CHRISTOPHER: More about New Year's than you ever wanted to know. And we're going to start with our new year 2026. And it is 2026 on what we call the Gregorian calendar, which was given to us sometime in the medieval times by Pope Gregory. And it gives us our phrases AD. We always say it's 2025 A.D. Well, A.D. is Anno Domini, which is "in the year of our Lord". And then B.C. is "Before Christ", but now being correct, we often use B.C.E., which is "Before Common Era". And there are many other, at least there are other systems of dating or other chronologies.
For instance, in Islam, time begins with the event called the Hajira, which occurred in 622 A.C.E., our time, which marks when Muhammad left and fled Mecca and traveled to Medina. And so, we start all time in Islam from that day so the Islamic calendar today is at 4,718. Additionally, in the same general area, Judaism doesn't do the division of before or after Christ. They just claim they started from the first day. Actually, their beginning of time claims to be the day when God made Adam. And if you were curious, that happened 5,786 years ago. And so that is 5,786 on the Judaic calendar.
Now, New Year's often generates resolutions. Many people take the New Year as a time to start over and to perhaps eliminate old habits or bad habits and maybe pick up some good new habits. A recent issue of Newsweek mentioned that three out of 10 people in the United States will make resolutions each year. I thought interesting in that was... very, very, very, very few people, over age 45, make resolutions. Almost completely with less than 45 and below are likely to commit to resolutions. And I have a list of the top, what is it, 13 resolutions being made this year.
MIRCEA: Are you going to go from the bottom up?
CHRISTOPHER: Sure. 13 is to lower your debt, your personal debt. which I would think would be higher, but anyway. Twelve was be to improve relationships with friends and or family. Eleven was to read more. Ten was to pray more. That's P-R-A-Y.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: Number 9 is spending more time with family.
MIRCEA: That's 9?
CHRISTOPHER: That was 9. Eight was learning something new.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: So I guess, you know, if you didn't know that, resolution fulfilled.
MIRCEA: That's right.
CHRISTOPHER: Seven, improving mental health. That one makes me crazy, I got to say. Six is losing weight. Five, improving physical health. Four, saving more money. Three, eating healthier. Two, being happy. And one, increase exercise. So there you go. Those are the top resolutions. And that takes me to an even more trivial fact about New Year's, which are traditions from around the world. And this was gleaned from my ever most popular reading material in the bathroom, Reader's Digest.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: Absolutely. So New Year's Eve in Portugal, at midnight, you're supposed to jump off a chair, or if there's no chair, some other piece of furniture. And that's, you leave the past behind when you jump. And the New Year's Eve in India, you light oil lamps and to invite hope and positivity into the room. New Year's Day in the Philippines features wearing clothing with polka dots. I don't know if I have any polka dots.
MIRCEA: I don't think I have anything with polka dots.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, there's something for next year's Christmas list.
MIRCEA: There you go.
CHRISTOPHER: All right. New Year's Eve in many Latin American countries. It features choosing a color of underwear that matches the state you seek. For instance, if you wear red underwear, you are seeking love in the new year. If you wear yellow underwear, you are seeking luck in the new year. And if you wear white underwear, you are seeking peace in the new year. And of course, if you have brown underwear, you've had an accident.
MIRCEA: Yes.
CHRISTOPHER: Absolutely.
MIRCEA: Or you are trying to hide it.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes. In Greece, New Year's Eve is welcomed in with a dish, and my apologies for my mispronunciation already, but it's something close to the Vasilopita, which is a sweet bread or cake where they bake it with a coin inside of it, much like the Christ Cake in Mardi Gras traditions. And so, If you get the slice of cake with the coin in it, you're supposed to get luck for the entire next year. So, look for those coins in your cake.
MIRCEA: Right.
CHRISTOPHER: In Puerto Rico, you throw a bucket of water out the window, and that's supposed to cleanse things for the next year. So they say. And in Norway, you go door to door, and you sing for candy. It's like Halloween, except with carols and traditional songs. In Ireland, you put mistletoe. I like this. You put mistletoe under your pillow on New Year's Eve, and you will then dream of your future partner.
MIRCEA: Oh. . .
CHRISTOPHER: In my case, anyway, I just, would hope that's my wife.
MIRCEA: You're good right now.
CHRISTOPHER: Okay, yes, I'm all good. Don't need to put the mistletoe under the pillow. In the United States, they say that we sing Auld Lang Syne, and we drink champagne and watch the ball drop on the Times Square, crystal ball. And on New Year's Day in Canada, you go ice fishing "Eh"
MIRCEA: "Eh"
CHRISTOPHER: And in Spain, you eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. How about that? 12 grapes in 12 seconds. And in Brazil, you wear white.
MIRCEA: Interesting.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes. And those are... Those are traditions and how we count our days and what our days are.
MIRCEA: So that's interesting. I want to go back real quick to the resolutions. I thought it was kind of interesting how getting rid of debt was so far away from making more money. They seem to be canceling each other out.
CHRISTOPHER: Clearly, making more money to spend is more important than reducing your expenditures.
MIRCEA: Yeah, that's a good point. Okay, well, thanks. All right, well, now it's time for the Wheatley Story of the Week, as told by himself. Yes, I'm talking about the master of storytelling. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. Christopher Wheatley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's story goes back to the summer of 1974. My father was a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and we would spend summers in D.C. Specifically we stayed in an apartment in Arlington, Virginia. Well, our father either attended or taught school in D.C. And during that time, we prepared for our trip, being there for the entire summer, and we wrote our junior senator from Kansas, who was Bob Dole. He was the junior Senator at the time, and asked for a tour of our nation's capital, and could we visit him in his office. And he was great. He said yes to everything. I remember he had my older sister and I, and we were 15 and 13 or something like that. And there's a picture of my sister in Bob Dole's chair with her feet up on his desk. And I can't believe he didn't like spank her right there. But no, he didn't. And instead, the man gave us a tour of our nation's capital. And he was a vault of knowledge about all of the statues and portraits and tapestries and all the history and art around us. And I remember he literally held our hand and walked us in and took us to the very middle of the rotunda at the Capitol and had us look up to see the pantheon of George Washington looking down at you from above. And he said, "kids, you're in the safest place in America. You are at the temple to democracy. This is the safest place in the country because no one would ever attack you here because they would be attacking themselves because that's what democracy is all about." And if you fast forward several years later, on January 6th of 2021, that's really all I could think about and how glad I was that Senator Dole was not there witnessing what would have been a tremendous, horrible event for him.
That same summer, he somehow was able to get my sister, and I permanent passes to the Watergate hearings that were going on that summer. In fact, that August, Richard Nixon would resign as president of the United States. And those hearings would be the determining factor as to whether articles of impeachment would be brought against him.
I remember a woman on the Watergate committee, United States representative from Houston, Texas, named Barbara Jordan. And Barbara Jordan became, in my mind, the voice of God at those hearings, when one day she finally, at the summary statement, said, "what we must ask ourselves is what did the president know and when did he know it?" And that has reverberated with me forever.
It was an amazing experience to be that close to U.S. history as it was happening. And later we went on up to finish our vacation in Maine, and we were at a KOA campground watching the president resign on a black and white TV. And I remember, in the lobby, and I remember half of the place cheering and half of the place crying. And that's when I realized that our country was pretty divided, but little did I know, 50 years later, here we are.
MIRCEA: Yeah, that's an incredible story. That's really cool.
CHRISTOPHER: It was a huge impression. And also, the whole time we were, our apartment was right behind the Iwo Jima statue in Arlington. And every time you start thinking that what you expect and how privileged you are and what you need to fulfill that privilege, you'd walk around the corner and you'd see those tombstones of all those soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice. And it was a reaffirming moment of how lucky and fortunate I was every day.
MIRCEA: A lot of respect for Bob Dole. He was quite very sharp.
CHRISTOPHER: He was a man who didn't really care what party you were with. If you just had a good idea, he'd help you with it.
MIRCEA: Yeah, exactly. That's great. Great story.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you.
CHRISTOPHER: And we'll be right back.
[MUSIC BREAK]
MIRCEA: And we're back with our Roaring Fork Valley local entertainment updates and calendar. So let's dive in. This is what's going on at the Wheeler Opera House. Friday and Saturday, January 2nd and 3rd, John Mulaney, Mr. Whatever. John Mulaney is a three-time Emmy Award, Critics Choice Award, and WGA Award-winning writer, comedian, and actor. Mulaney is currently on the first leg of his newest stand-up tour, John Mulaney, Mr. Whatever, performing across North America.
On Thursday, January 8th, Monty Franklin. Monty Franklin is an Australian-born stand-up comedian and actor based in Los Angeles. Monty performs in Los Angeles as a regular at the Improv Comedy Clubs and Laugh Factory. He was the first Australian to have their name added to the wall of the Comedy Store in Hollywood. On Friday, January 9th, Sam Grissman Project. Sam Grissman is a bass player, music appreciator, and band leader who grew up in Mill Valley, California in a home where some of the great acoustic music of our time was being recorded on a regular basis.
On Wednesday, January 14th, Gwyneth Goes Skiing. She's A Hollywood icon. He's a retired optometrist. In 2016, they collided on the slopes of Deer Valley. In 2023, they collided again in court. This is their story, kind of. Written and performed by Linus Karp and Joseph Martin with original songs by Leland, RuPaul, Troy, Sivian, Cher, and featuring a special video appearance by Trixie Mattel.
On Thursday, January 15th, Diana, the Untold and Untrue Story. Do you know the story of Diana? Probably. But do you know this story of Diana? We very much doubt it. Join Diana in heaven as she shares the untold and untrue tale of her extraordinary life. Combining drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry, and lots of queer joy, this unique celebration of the People's Princess has won multiple awards at sold-out venues across the UK.
On Friday, January 16th, Gwyneth Goes Skiing, a second performance. On Thursday, January 17th, Diana, the Untold and Untrue Story, a second performance. And on Thursday, January 22nd, Mountainfilm on Tour: Adventure Playlist. Mountainfilm on Tour is coming to Aston, bringing a selection of culturally rich, Adventure-packed and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm Festival held every Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. The adventure playlist includes 5 short films that celebrate the spirit of exploration, resilience, and breaking boundaries featuring stories from the world's most daring athletes and trailblazers.
And on Sunday, January 25th, it's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!. Whatever you do, don't let the pigeon star in his own musical production. Based on the book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, it's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, the musical. And as always, for more information, check out the Wheeler Opera House website at WheelerOperaHouse.com.
And here's what's going on at the Belly Up for this month. On Thursday and Friday, January 1st and 2nd, it's LCD Sound System. On Saturday, January 3rd, it's Murph and Levity with Blinker. On Thursday, January 8th, it's Emancipator with Nakaji. On Friday, January 9th, it's Neil Francis and Schaeffer Brothers Band. On Saturday, January 10th, it's Hubel and Juani Bravo. And that's it for the calendar right now. For more information, please go to bellyupaspen.com.
Now, with his entertainment updates, (Said in Southern accent) I graciously yield the floor to Senator Wheatley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Senator Oprea. OK, there you go. My live music is a little smaller than venue focused, I believe you would say. I'd like to start with the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Cafe performances at the Little Nel. I hope they're still going on, but now that Jazz Aspen Snowmass has their own venue and their new office, you might want to check their website at jazzaspensnowmass.org to make sure that those Basement at the Little Nel shows are still happening. They're wonderful events.
Also, we have Seth Troxler at the Snow Lodge on Friday, January 2nd. On January 2nd and 3rd, you have Shelly Berg, who is the Paul Jazz Aspen Snowmass Center, which is 422 East Cooper on the Cooper Street Mall. And I'd love to go just see what they've done to the building and remember what the Red Onion looks like, because that's where that is as well.
On New Year's Eve at The Collective at Snowmass Village, you have the Groove Syndicate, which sounds like a bunch of fun.
And there is live music at the Viceroy out at Snowmass every Wednesday and Friday between 5 and 7 P.M. Between 4 and 7 P.m. on Friday, January 2nd at the Limelight at Snowmass Village, you have Damian Smith, who is a virtuoso guitarist not to be missed. And on Sunday, January 4th, at the same venue, the limelight at Snowmass Village, you have Smokin' Joe. I don't think that's Joe Frazier because he's not with us anymore. Yes, absolutely.
At 6 P.m. on Saturday, January 10th at Spring Creeks Ranch in Carbondale, you have an 80s tribute band called the Oxymorons, which is simply one of my favorite words, which is why I had to give the shout out. The Black Nugget in Carbondale, there on Main Street, has live music certainly every weekend evening and oftentimes during the week. To find out who's playing at the Black Nugget tonight, call 970-963-4498.
Going down Highway 82 a little further all the way to Glenwood, there's the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue, which if you haven't been, you need to go. And they're still doing their holiday show, which is a wonderful variety and mix of comedy, music, skits. Very professional show. And I urge you to support their efforts. You can call and get your ticket there at 970-945-9699. I particularly enjoy the scene where his dog eats the spaghetti. It's Fascinating.
And last but not least, a shout out and to go see some live music on Thursday nights between 7 and 10 o'clock at the Hotel Colorado, which it's worth it just checking out their light display, holiday light displays as well. And that concludes our Roaring Fork Valley local entertainment updates and calendar.
If your business or venue has an event coming up, you can let us know by sending the event and your contact information to roaringforkmountainair@gmail.com. And we will do our best to include it in our updates.
MIRCEA: Thank you for those updates. Which brings us to our very popular segment, "Unpopular Idea of the Week". Take it away, Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's unpopular idea of the week is to redraw western boundaries by watersheds. After Major John Wesley Powell became the first white person to go down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon and mapped out most of what we know even today about what's there, he returned to Washington, D.C. and was a witness at many Senate and House committee hearings in which he testified to both chambers of Congress that whatever they did, remember to limit population increases and settlement of the West because the West was a desert and could not support mass population increases that they could east of the Mississippi River. And more specifically, Major Powell was pleading with Congress to draw boundaries in the West along natural watersheds and not straight lines and grids, which, of course, is what we have.
Congress thanked him adamantly, gave him a nice medal and monetary compensation for his trip, and then proceeded to ignore everything he told them. So perhaps it's time to revisit Major Powell's words of wisdom and redraw our borders certainly in the west along watersheds. For instance, rather than Eagle, Pitkin, and Garfield County, how about Roaring Fork County? Which follows from the headwater at Independence Pass all the way to Two Rivers Park. It is both legal, constitutional, and permissible to do land swaps between counties. So we could give the area up by Meredith and Norrie Colony up by the Divide, give it over to Eagle County, and in exchange, they could give us Basalt in the area on the Roaring Fork River, to where when we make policies for natural resources, we would not be fracturing it up into multiple political units or constituencies, and we could make a saner, more unified organized and reasonable policy for all of our watersheds.
Even if that didn't work, I think you could certainly draw political boundaries out of environmental biomes or discrete biological regions. Perhaps it might be the easiest or most reasonable and practical political solution to the issues and problems arising from catastrophic climate change.
MIRCEA: Very interesting.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you.
MIRCEA: I was gonna say…Okay, we'll be right back.
[MUSIC BREAK]
MIRCEA: And we're back. And for our final segment, one that we like to call a closing moment of hope, once again, here is Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's moment of hope is a shout out and a thank you to the Colorado Assembly for a new law that takes effect on January 1st of 2026. This law is a public coverage for reproduction health services. It promises to be the most impactful change taking effect in 2026 It involves health care coverage under publicly funded programs. Beginning January 1, abortion care and related reproductive health services will be covered under Colorado Medicaid and specific state-administered health plans. This marks a significant expansion of access for lower-income residents who previously faced limited options for out-of-pocket costs. For those of us who have spent the last decade watching the removal and elimination in many cases of fundamental rights for women in our nation, this is inspiring and hopeful for those of us here in Colorado.
MIRCEA: Well said. That was really interesting. Thank you. Well, that concludes our fourth show. But we would like to give a big shout out to the Basalt Regional Library that has generously provided this great space for taping our show. The Basalt Regional Library is more than just your average library, where your library card opens more than just books, e-books, audiobooks, online magazines, streaming videos, arts and crafts classes, language learning, lectures, concerts, and so much more. Located just over the bridge in downtown Basalt, the Basalt Regional Library hours are as follows: Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 7 P.m. Friday through Saturday, 10 A.m. to 5 P.m. and Sunday 12 P.m. to 5 P.m. The Salt Regional Library, offering so much more than just your average library.
CHRISTOPHER: We'd also like to give a big thanks to Zuma Lounge Productions, our producer. Zuma Lounge Productions brings fun audio and video productions to an internet near you. Through podcasts such as this one or ZLP Presents!, and Zuma Cafe Show you can listen to and enjoy: short stories, podcasts, dramas, radio and internet shows, interviews, and much, much more. Visit Zuma Lounge Productions for more information on this show and upcoming shows at zumalounge.com.
MIRCEA: Of course, you can also find us, Roaring Fork Mountain Air, on Facebook, Instagram, or if you prefer, our website at roaringforkmountainair.com. And finally, Christopher and I would like to say...
CHRISTOPHER & MIRCEA: Thanks for listening!
[MUSIC CLOSE]
Roaring Fork Mountain Air - with Christopher Wheatley and Mircea Oprea
AIR DATE: Dec 30, 2025
[MUSIC: INTRO]
CHRISTOPHER: Hello, this is Christopher Wheatley
MIRCEA: and Mircea Oprea
CHRISTOPHER: hosts of Roaring Fork Mountain Air, a positive, forward-thinking podcast for the good people of the Roaring Fork River Valley in Colorado and beyond. We have a great show in store for you where we talk about Mircha's quest for the perfect buffalo chicken wing and his evening with Kate Hudson, skiing and stargazing outside in the winter, New Year's stories and customs, Mr. Wheatley goes to Washington, entertainment updates and local goings on, unpopular idea of the week, and a moment of hope for reproductive rights and healthcare in Colorado.
MIRCEA: So sit back and join us as we present to you our fourth episode of Roaring Fork Mountain Air with Christopher and Mircea. And welcome back. Christopher, Did you have a great week? Anything interesting like local event that you went to or dining out experience that you'd like to share with the audience?
CHRISTOPHER: Well, it was Christmas. And so for the 66th consecutive year, I did receive a lump of coal. And otherwise, it was a nice, quiet dinner at home with family and the dog.
MIRCEA: Well, at least on the positive side, a lump of coal can provide some heating.
CHRISTOPHER: And extra CO2 for the atmosphere.
MIRCEA: There you go. As for me, I had a great week. My daughter came in, visiting from college, and we did a few things. But one in particular I did was on Saturday, December 27th. I had the opportunity to attend an evening with Kate Hudson at the Wheeler Opera House. She's a great performer and a great voice for belting out her original songs as well as a few covers. She started off with Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday, a favorite song of mine. Mixed in a couple of songs with her brother Oliver Hudson performing classics like Stand By Me by Ben E. King. Also on her list throughout the concert was Neil Diamond's I Am I Said, Fleetwood Mac's, Gypsy, Filter's Take My Picture, Cure's Just Like Heaven, another favorite song of mine, and ending the 2 1/2 hour performance with an emotional tribute to Elton John's Tiny Dancer. It was a great performance and fun to see so many friends and family of Kate Hutson showing up. But enough about entertainment. Let's cover dining experience.
I would like to give a shout out to Westbound and Down Brewing Company of Basalt, located in Willets. Last night, my wife, daughter, and I met some friends for a light dinner. They were heading back to Aspen coming from spending an afternoon at Avalanche Ranch Cabins and Hot Springs, which I think, Christopher, we talked about in our last podcast, episode 103.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes, we did.
MIRCEA: They had a very good time, and I knew all about it because I remember you talking about it last week. Anyway, we started off with appetizers. Part of that order was Buffalo chicken wings, and I have to say, they were the best and closest to real Buffalo chicken wings that I have found in the surrounding 50-plus mile radius. Perhaps there is some stiff competition out there that I have yet to discover, but as of last night, there is no place that can compare to Westbound and Down Brewing Company's Buffalo chicken wings, at least in the surrounding 50-plus mile area. If you are of different opinion, then shoot us an e-mail and I'll do some serious buffalo chicken recon throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.
CHRISTOPHER: I confess, I have enjoyed the Westbound and Down happy hour multiple times and would definitely recommend that. And the wings are fine, but you definitely must check out the dry rub, smoked wings at Home Team BBQ at the Inn at Aspen.
MIRCEA: Okay, I will. Of course, the rest of the meal was very good. I had a smoked turkey sandwich and smashed mashed potatoes on the side and a tasty beverage to wash this down with, to quote Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction, which was Westbound and Down Brewing Company's homebrew of Mexican lager. It's quite tasty. It was a great lively atmosphere and of course we were laughing and catching up the whole time while enjoying great food and great beer. Christopher, I'm going to put that on the list as well though.
CHRISTOPHER: I would. You'll enjoy both of them I'm sure.
MIRCEA: Okay, great. And that's going to take us into Christopher's outdoor activities. And Christopher is going to give us an update on the outdoor activities 'goings on' that are going on in the Roaring Fork Valley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Yes, in fact, there are several 'goings on' that are going on in the Roaring Fork Valley. I'd like to focus on 2 today. The first is I'm proud to give a skiing report. Aspen Mountain with a 14-inch base, 37 trails open, and six lifts open. And Snowmass, which, interestingly enough, is actually Mount Baldy. Snowmass Mountain you can see peeping over the top while you're skiing at Snowmass, but they thought that Snowmass sounded much better than skiing Baldy so they don't call it Baldy, but that's what you're on when you're skiing it. Anyway, they have a 26-inch base and 39 trails and 13 lifts going. And Highlands has the largest 29-inch base with 46 trails, 5 lifts, and Buttermilk at 11-inch base with 35 trails, 5 lifts. And Sunlight with a 12-inch base, and that's at Mid-Mountain, but only one lift is open. So you got that.
Otherwise, there's our fifth mountain, as they call them, the Nordic ski, cross-country, Spring Gulch, which is outside of Carbondale. And you are advised both by my eyewitness testimony and by their website that you should wait for the next storm. It is quite bare. And the last snowstorm we just got, received 2 to 5 inches, but there was so much wind, it blew a lot of terrain bare and piled it up in corners and elsewhere. So, unless you're really adventurous and you have a dedicated set of rock skis, I would wait for that next snowstorm to come through.
Now, at the Aspen Nordic Center, which is the Muni Golf Clubhouse next to the Red Mountain Grill in Aspen, the loop oval track is still suitable for training. If you like to go around in circles, it's a great place to do that at. And it is also, they had a lot of wind with the last snowstorm and it created some bare spots. So please be aware of those. There is apparently some good groomed but not tracked trail at the high school course behind the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club headquarters. And it's mostly covered. And a real testimony and shout out to those guys that are snow farming out there and taking what snow we have and saving it up under trees and then bringing it out to cover bare spots in the trails. And it's just brilliant to watch them work and keep these places open for us to enjoy virtually the entire winter. If you have a question about the condition of the trails, I would encourage you to call the Nordic hotline at 970-429-2039.
Along with outdoor activities in the winter, such as skiing, you should also get out and maybe pursue some stargazing. As of January 1st, 2026, Colorado has more certified dark sky places than any other state in the country. And we should grab our star charts and our star books maps and get out there because it's really close. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is an hour and a half away. And it's not only is it one of the most spectacular national parks you can go to in the country, but it is a dark, certified dark sky area. And that's close by, as is Dinosaur National Monument. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Jackson Lake State Park by Fort Morgan, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which if you haven't been there, get there immediately. Curecanti National Recreation Area, Lake Fork Earth and Sky Center, just outside Lake City, Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park, the Top of the Pines, out by Mount Snuffles, and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, Browns Canyon National Monument, just over Independence Pass there, and Chimney Rock National Monument, also by Crawford, are all dark sky places that you can investigate and get the most spectacular views with even a minimal power telescope.
MIRCEA: Wow. Getting back to the ski report, real quick, does it look like things are turning around?
CHRISTOPHER: Well, I was told that they have a foot up on top of Aspen Mountain and maybe even a little more at Highlands, but I know they did close the main run at Buttermilk just because it was getting so bare.
MIRCEA: Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much for that update,
CHRISTOPHER: My pleasure.
MIRCEA: and we'll be right back.
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MIRCEA: And we're back for a segment we like to call.
CHRISTOPHER: Things You Never Thought You Wanted to Know.
MIRCEA: So here's Christopher who's going to give us.
CHRISTOPHER: More about New Year's than you ever wanted to know. And we're going to start with our new year 2026. And it is 2026 on what we call the Gregorian calendar, which was given to us sometime in the medieval times by Pope Gregory. And it gives us our phrases AD. We always say it's 2025 A.D. Well, A.D. is Anno Domini, which is "in the year of our Lord". And then B.C. is "Before Christ", but now being correct, we often use B.C.E., which is "Before Common Era". And there are many other, at least there are other systems of dating or other chronologies.
For instance, in Islam, time begins with the event called the Hajira, which occurred in 622 A.C.E., our time, which marks when Muhammad left and fled Mecca and traveled to Medina. And so, we start all time in Islam from that day so the Islamic calendar today is at 4,718. Additionally, in the same general area, Judaism doesn't do the division of before or after Christ. They just claim they started from the first day. Actually, their beginning of time claims to be the day when God made Adam. And if you were curious, that happened 5,786 years ago. And so that is 5,786 on the Judaic calendar.
Now, New Year's often generates resolutions. Many people take the New Year as a time to start over and to perhaps eliminate old habits or bad habits and maybe pick up some good new habits. A recent issue of Newsweek mentioned that three out of 10 people in the United States will make resolutions each year. I thought interesting in that was... very, very, very, very few people, over age 45, make resolutions. Almost completely with less than 45 and below are likely to commit to resolutions. And I have a list of the top, what is it, 13 resolutions being made this year.
MIRCEA: Are you going to go from the bottom up?
CHRISTOPHER: Sure. 13 is to lower your debt, your personal debt. which I would think would be higher, but anyway. Twelve was be to improve relationships with friends and or family. Eleven was to read more. Ten was to pray more. That's P-R-A-Y.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: Number 9 is spending more time with family.
MIRCEA: That's 9?
CHRISTOPHER: That was 9. Eight was learning something new.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: So I guess, you know, if you didn't know that, resolution fulfilled.
MIRCEA: That's right.
CHRISTOPHER: Seven, improving mental health. That one makes me crazy, I got to say. Six is losing weight. Five, improving physical health. Four, saving more money. Three, eating healthier. Two, being happy. And one, increase exercise. So there you go. Those are the top resolutions. And that takes me to an even more trivial fact about New Year's, which are traditions from around the world. And this was gleaned from my ever most popular reading material in the bathroom, Reader's Digest.
MIRCEA: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER: Absolutely. So New Year's Eve in Portugal, at midnight, you're supposed to jump off a chair, or if there's no chair, some other piece of furniture. And that's, you leave the past behind when you jump. And the New Year's Eve in India, you light oil lamps and to invite hope and positivity into the room. New Year's Day in the Philippines features wearing clothing with polka dots. I don't know if I have any polka dots.
MIRCEA: I don't think I have anything with polka dots.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, there's something for next year's Christmas list.
MIRCEA: There you go.
CHRISTOPHER: All right. New Year's Eve in many Latin American countries. It features choosing a color of underwear that matches the state you seek. For instance, if you wear red underwear, you are seeking love in the new year. If you wear yellow underwear, you are seeking luck in the new year. And if you wear white underwear, you are seeking peace in the new year. And of course, if you have brown underwear, you've had an accident.
MIRCEA: Yes.
CHRISTOPHER: Absolutely.
MIRCEA: Or you are trying to hide it.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes. In Greece, New Year's Eve is welcomed in with a dish, and my apologies for my mispronunciation already, but it's something close to the Vasilopita, which is a sweet bread or cake where they bake it with a coin inside of it, much like the Christ Cake in Mardi Gras traditions. And so, If you get the slice of cake with the coin in it, you're supposed to get luck for the entire next year. So, look for those coins in your cake.
MIRCEA: Right.
CHRISTOPHER: In Puerto Rico, you throw a bucket of water out the window, and that's supposed to cleanse things for the next year. So they say. And in Norway, you go door to door, and you sing for candy. It's like Halloween, except with carols and traditional songs. In Ireland, you put mistletoe. I like this. You put mistletoe under your pillow on New Year's Eve, and you will then dream of your future partner.
MIRCEA: Oh. . .
CHRISTOPHER: In my case, anyway, I just, would hope that's my wife.
MIRCEA: You're good right now.
CHRISTOPHER: Okay, yes, I'm all good. Don't need to put the mistletoe under the pillow. In the United States, they say that we sing Auld Lang Syne, and we drink champagne and watch the ball drop on the Times Square, crystal ball. And on New Year's Day in Canada, you go ice fishing "Eh"
MIRCEA: "Eh"
CHRISTOPHER: And in Spain, you eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. How about that? 12 grapes in 12 seconds. And in Brazil, you wear white.
MIRCEA: Interesting.
CHRISTOPHER: Yes. And those are... Those are traditions and how we count our days and what our days are.
MIRCEA: So that's interesting. I want to go back real quick to the resolutions. I thought it was kind of interesting how getting rid of debt was so far away from making more money. They seem to be canceling each other out.
CHRISTOPHER: Clearly, making more money to spend is more important than reducing your expenditures.
MIRCEA: Yeah, that's a good point. Okay, well, thanks. All right, well, now it's time for the Wheatley Story of the Week, as told by himself. Yes, I'm talking about the master of storytelling. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. Christopher Wheatley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's story goes back to the summer of 1974. My father was a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and we would spend summers in D.C. Specifically we stayed in an apartment in Arlington, Virginia. Well, our father either attended or taught school in D.C. And during that time, we prepared for our trip, being there for the entire summer, and we wrote our junior senator from Kansas, who was Bob Dole. He was the junior Senator at the time, and asked for a tour of our nation's capital, and could we visit him in his office. And he was great. He said yes to everything. I remember he had my older sister and I, and we were 15 and 13 or something like that. And there's a picture of my sister in Bob Dole's chair with her feet up on his desk. And I can't believe he didn't like spank her right there. But no, he didn't. And instead, the man gave us a tour of our nation's capital. And he was a vault of knowledge about all of the statues and portraits and tapestries and all the history and art around us. And I remember he literally held our hand and walked us in and took us to the very middle of the rotunda at the Capitol and had us look up to see the pantheon of George Washington looking down at you from above. And he said, "kids, you're in the safest place in America. You are at the temple to democracy. This is the safest place in the country because no one would ever attack you here because they would be attacking themselves because that's what democracy is all about." And if you fast forward several years later, on January 6th of 2021, that's really all I could think about and how glad I was that Senator Dole was not there witnessing what would have been a tremendous, horrible event for him.
That same summer, he somehow was able to get my sister, and I permanent passes to the Watergate hearings that were going on that summer. In fact, that August, Richard Nixon would resign as president of the United States. And those hearings would be the determining factor as to whether articles of impeachment would be brought against him.
I remember a woman on the Watergate committee, United States representative from Houston, Texas, named Barbara Jordan. And Barbara Jordan became, in my mind, the voice of God at those hearings, when one day she finally, at the summary statement, said, "what we must ask ourselves is what did the president know and when did he know it?" And that has reverberated with me forever.
It was an amazing experience to be that close to U.S. history as it was happening. And later we went on up to finish our vacation in Maine, and we were at a KOA campground watching the president resign on a black and white TV. And I remember, in the lobby, and I remember half of the place cheering and half of the place crying. And that's when I realized that our country was pretty divided, but little did I know, 50 years later, here we are.
MIRCEA: Yeah, that's an incredible story. That's really cool.
CHRISTOPHER: It was a huge impression. And also, the whole time we were, our apartment was right behind the Iwo Jima statue in Arlington. And every time you start thinking that what you expect and how privileged you are and what you need to fulfill that privilege, you'd walk around the corner and you'd see those tombstones of all those soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice. And it was a reaffirming moment of how lucky and fortunate I was every day.
MIRCEA: A lot of respect for Bob Dole. He was quite very sharp.
CHRISTOPHER: He was a man who didn't really care what party you were with. If you just had a good idea, he'd help you with it.
MIRCEA: Yeah, exactly. That's great. Great story.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you.
CHRISTOPHER: And we'll be right back.
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MIRCEA: And we're back with our Roaring Fork Valley local entertainment updates and calendar. So let's dive in. This is what's going on at the Wheeler Opera House. Friday and Saturday, January 2nd and 3rd, John Mulaney, Mr. Whatever. John Mulaney is a three-time Emmy Award, Critics Choice Award, and WGA Award-winning writer, comedian, and actor. Mulaney is currently on the first leg of his newest stand-up tour, John Mulaney, Mr. Whatever, performing across North America.
On Thursday, January 8th, Monty Franklin. Monty Franklin is an Australian-born stand-up comedian and actor based in Los Angeles. Monty performs in Los Angeles as a regular at the Improv Comedy Clubs and Laugh Factory. He was the first Australian to have their name added to the wall of the Comedy Store in Hollywood. On Friday, January 9th, Sam Grissman Project. Sam Grissman is a bass player, music appreciator, and band leader who grew up in Mill Valley, California in a home where some of the great acoustic music of our time was being recorded on a regular basis.
On Wednesday, January 14th, Gwyneth Goes Skiing. She's A Hollywood icon. He's a retired optometrist. In 2016, they collided on the slopes of Deer Valley. In 2023, they collided again in court. This is their story, kind of. Written and performed by Linus Karp and Joseph Martin with original songs by Leland, RuPaul, Troy, Sivian, Cher, and featuring a special video appearance by Trixie Mattel.
On Thursday, January 15th, Diana, the Untold and Untrue Story. Do you know the story of Diana? Probably. But do you know this story of Diana? We very much doubt it. Join Diana in heaven as she shares the untold and untrue tale of her extraordinary life. Combining drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry, and lots of queer joy, this unique celebration of the People's Princess has won multiple awards at sold-out venues across the UK.
On Friday, January 16th, Gwyneth Goes Skiing, a second performance. On Thursday, January 17th, Diana, the Untold and Untrue Story, a second performance. And on Thursday, January 22nd, Mountainfilm on Tour: Adventure Playlist. Mountainfilm on Tour is coming to Aston, bringing a selection of culturally rich, Adventure-packed and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm Festival held every Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. The adventure playlist includes 5 short films that celebrate the spirit of exploration, resilience, and breaking boundaries featuring stories from the world's most daring athletes and trailblazers.
And on Sunday, January 25th, it's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!. Whatever you do, don't let the pigeon star in his own musical production. Based on the book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, it's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, the musical. And as always, for more information, check out the Wheeler Opera House website at WheelerOperaHouse.com.
And here's what's going on at the Belly Up for this month. On Thursday and Friday, January 1st and 2nd, it's LCD Sound System. On Saturday, January 3rd, it's Murph and Levity with Blinker. On Thursday, January 8th, it's Emancipator with Nakaji. On Friday, January 9th, it's Neil Francis and Schaeffer Brothers Band. On Saturday, January 10th, it's Hubel and Juani Bravo. And that's it for the calendar right now. For more information, please go to bellyupaspen.com.
Now, with his entertainment updates, (Said in Southern accent) I graciously yield the floor to Senator Wheatley.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Senator Oprea. OK, there you go. My live music is a little smaller than venue focused, I believe you would say. I'd like to start with the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Cafe performances at the Little Nel. I hope they're still going on, but now that Jazz Aspen Snowmass has their own venue and their new office, you might want to check their website at jazzaspensnowmass.org to make sure that those Basement at the Little Nel shows are still happening. They're wonderful events.
Also, we have Seth Troxler at the Snow Lodge on Friday, January 2nd. On January 2nd and 3rd, you have Shelly Berg, who is the Paul Jazz Aspen Snowmass Center, which is 422 East Cooper on the Cooper Street Mall. And I'd love to go just see what they've done to the building and remember what the Red Onion looks like, because that's where that is as well.
On New Year's Eve at The Collective at Snowmass Village, you have the Groove Syndicate, which sounds like a bunch of fun.
And there is live music at the Viceroy out at Snowmass every Wednesday and Friday between 5 and 7 P.M. Between 4 and 7 P.m. on Friday, January 2nd at the Limelight at Snowmass Village, you have Damian Smith, who is a virtuoso guitarist not to be missed. And on Sunday, January 4th, at the same venue, the limelight at Snowmass Village, you have Smokin' Joe. I don't think that's Joe Frazier because he's not with us anymore. Yes, absolutely.
At 6 P.m. on Saturday, January 10th at Spring Creeks Ranch in Carbondale, you have an 80s tribute band called the Oxymorons, which is simply one of my favorite words, which is why I had to give the shout out. The Black Nugget in Carbondale, there on Main Street, has live music certainly every weekend evening and oftentimes during the week. To find out who's playing at the Black Nugget tonight, call 970-963-4498.
Going down Highway 82 a little further all the way to Glenwood, there's the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue, which if you haven't been, you need to go. And they're still doing their holiday show, which is a wonderful variety and mix of comedy, music, skits. Very professional show. And I urge you to support their efforts. You can call and get your ticket there at 970-945-9699. I particularly enjoy the scene where his dog eats the spaghetti. It's Fascinating.
And last but not least, a shout out and to go see some live music on Thursday nights between 7 and 10 o'clock at the Hotel Colorado, which it's worth it just checking out their light display, holiday light displays as well. And that concludes our Roaring Fork Valley local entertainment updates and calendar.
If your business or venue has an event coming up, you can let us know by sending the event and your contact information to roaringforkmountainair@gmail.com. And we will do our best to include it in our updates.
MIRCEA: Thank you for those updates. Which brings us to our very popular segment, "Unpopular Idea of the Week". Take it away, Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's unpopular idea of the week is to redraw western boundaries by watersheds. After Major John Wesley Powell became the first white person to go down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon and mapped out most of what we know even today about what's there, he returned to Washington, D.C. and was a witness at many Senate and House committee hearings in which he testified to both chambers of Congress that whatever they did, remember to limit population increases and settlement of the West because the West was a desert and could not support mass population increases that they could east of the Mississippi River. And more specifically, Major Powell was pleading with Congress to draw boundaries in the West along natural watersheds and not straight lines and grids, which, of course, is what we have.
Congress thanked him adamantly, gave him a nice medal and monetary compensation for his trip, and then proceeded to ignore everything he told them. So perhaps it's time to revisit Major Powell's words of wisdom and redraw our borders certainly in the west along watersheds. For instance, rather than Eagle, Pitkin, and Garfield County, how about Roaring Fork County? Which follows from the headwater at Independence Pass all the way to Two Rivers Park. It is both legal, constitutional, and permissible to do land swaps between counties. So we could give the area up by Meredith and Norrie Colony up by the Divide, give it over to Eagle County, and in exchange, they could give us Basalt in the area on the Roaring Fork River, to where when we make policies for natural resources, we would not be fracturing it up into multiple political units or constituencies, and we could make a saner, more unified organized and reasonable policy for all of our watersheds.
Even if that didn't work, I think you could certainly draw political boundaries out of environmental biomes or discrete biological regions. Perhaps it might be the easiest or most reasonable and practical political solution to the issues and problems arising from catastrophic climate change.
MIRCEA: Very interesting.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you.
MIRCEA: I was gonna say…Okay, we'll be right back.
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MIRCEA: And we're back. And for our final segment, one that we like to call a closing moment of hope, once again, here is Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mircea. Today's moment of hope is a shout out and a thank you to the Colorado Assembly for a new law that takes effect on January 1st of 2026. This law is a public coverage for reproduction health services. It promises to be the most impactful change taking effect in 2026 It involves health care coverage under publicly funded programs. Beginning January 1, abortion care and related reproductive health services will be covered under Colorado Medicaid and specific state-administered health plans. This marks a significant expansion of access for lower-income residents who previously faced limited options for out-of-pocket costs. For those of us who have spent the last decade watching the removal and elimination in many cases of fundamental rights for women in our nation, this is inspiring and hopeful for those of us here in Colorado.
MIRCEA: Well said. That was really interesting. Thank you. Well, that concludes our fourth show. But we would like to give a big shout out to the Basalt Regional Library that has generously provided this great space for taping our show. The Basalt Regional Library is more than just your average library, where your library card opens more than just books, e-books, audiobooks, online magazines, streaming videos, arts and crafts classes, language learning, lectures, concerts, and so much more. Located just over the bridge in downtown Basalt, the Basalt Regional Library hours are as follows: Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 7 P.m. Friday through Saturday, 10 A.m. to 5 P.m. and Sunday 12 P.m. to 5 P.m. The Salt Regional Library, offering so much more than just your average library.
CHRISTOPHER: We'd also like to give a big thanks to Zuma Lounge Productions, our producer. Zuma Lounge Productions brings fun audio and video productions to an internet near you. Through podcasts such as this one or ZLP Presents!, and Zuma Cafe Show you can listen to and enjoy: short stories, podcasts, dramas, radio and internet shows, interviews, and much, much more. Visit Zuma Lounge Productions for more information on this show and upcoming shows at zumalounge.com.
MIRCEA: Of course, you can also find us, Roaring Fork Mountain Air, on Facebook, Instagram, or if you prefer, our website at roaringforkmountainair.com. And finally, Christopher and I would like to say...
CHRISTOPHER & MIRCEA: Thanks for listening!
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