The Red Weather
Episode 3 | "Tree Time"
Release Date: February 4, 2026
Host: Ryder Strong (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Overview
In this episode of The Red Weather, Ryder Strong returns to his Northern California hometown to investigate the 1995 disappearance of Anna Trainor from the Tender Hearts commune. Episode 3 delves deep into the enigmatic commune—its origins, culture, rumors, and leadership under Elric Light. Ryder unpacks both local legend and hard evidence, challenging perceptions of what Tender Hearts was—commune, cult, or something entirely different—and how its misunderstood nature affected the investigation into Anna’s vanishing. The episode also weaves in personal reflections, quirky local color, and hard social truths from the 90s, ultimately raising new questions about the community, the investigation’s integrity, and lingering prejudices.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Revisiting the Night Anna Disappeared (02:15–03:13)
- Ryder gives a brief recap of Anna’s disappearance, highlighting the cult-like rumors and the alibi of the Tender Hearts’ adults.
- Early suspicions fell on Elric Light, the commune leader, as inconsistencies emerged in their alibi.
2. Elric Light: The Man, the Myth, the Tapes (03:13–06:27)
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Ryder listens to archival tapes of Elric Light, capturing his philosophical ramblings and personal confessions.
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Elric blends New Age sermonizing with candid admissions:
"I've done bad things. You know what? I've done things. Just like you. Just like all of you. I sit and I pretend and pretend because I want to be that vision of what I know I am capable of being. So I pretend. I know I'm gonna do it again. I know I'm gonna do it again."
— Elric Light [05:43] -
Despite searching for direct clues, Ryder notes these tapes reveal more about Elric’s character and worldview than about Anna.
3. Setting the Stage: Tender Hearts’ Reputation (07:45–13:25)
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Ryder recounts his return home, researching the case, and the local skepticism around Tender Hearts.
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The commune’s reputation, amplified by nudity—"skin bombing"—and confrontational interactions, led to it being seen as secretive and uncooperative with authorities.
"If there was a confrontation or if someone walked onto the property, the women of Tender hearts liked to enact what they called a skin bombing."
— Monica Tremblain [11:53] -
Casual nudity was part of West County culture, blending liberation and discomfort.
4. The Reality Behind “Cult” Status (13:25–17:49)
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Ryder meets historian Howard Tripp and explores records, uncovering that Tender Hearts was far smaller and less formalized than notorious communes.
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Elric’s lectures reveal a fondness for arcane, spiritual jargon (“sky mine,” “tree time”) and a keen desire not to be anyone’s guru.
"No. I am not your guru. I am not anyone's savior."
— Elric Light [16:30] -
The “tree time” concept illustrates Elric’s deep, sometimes appealingly strange, philosophical takes (19:02–19:53).
"We're talking about 3,000 years. And in that context, what's a day? ... All of American history would happen before you were 8 years old."
— Elric Light [19:23]
5. Debunking Myths: Commune or Cult? (20:47–24:40)
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Monica Tremblain clarifies: many cult tropes (“charismatic leader with wives,” etc.) are untrue; rumors were more about projecting fears than reality (20:56–21:23).
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Ryder discovers the commune started as a radical women’s shelter, reshaping his assumptions about Anna’s family and the Tender Hearts’ origins (24:51–27:03).
"It grew out of a woman's shelter, really.”
— Chris [24:51]"It was like a camp or a farm for women escaping domestic violence."
— Chris [26:59]
6. The Double Layer of Deception (28:08–29:56)
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Tender Hearts, consciously or not, allowed rumors of cultishness to keep outsiders (especially men and law enforcement) at bay. This was both protective and isolating.
"Allowing people to think they were a cult ensured that outsiders, men in particular, stayed away.”
— Ryder Strong [28:58] -
Debate arises: was Elric a true believer or a conman? The tapes suggest sincerity, but local authorities remain unconvinced.
7. Money, Survival, and the Cannabis Connection (29:59–31:38)
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Economic survival led many local communities, including Tender Hearts, to grow marijuana.
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This raises the possibility that secrecy around drug-growing, not spiritual doctrine, was behind misleading law enforcement.
"Hence the cannabis that was in the barn the night that Anna disappeared."
— Ryder Strong [30:32]
8. Unpacking the Investigative Files (36:15–43:12)
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Ryder finally receives heavily redacted sheriff’s interview transcripts, including records of his own teenage statements.
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Role-playing with Chris, they dissect interrogation strategies and realize police harbored bias against Elric, focusing not just on drugs but (in coded language) on his sexuality.
"Did you elder the code Red? ... Do you want answers? ... I want the truth. ... You can't handle the truth."
— Chris & Ryder, jokingly recreating police badgering [40:13–40:19] -
It is revealed that Elric’s real alibi (he spent the night with a man in the East Bay) conflicted with his public persona and hurt his standing with both the community and within Tender Hearts itself.
9. Coming Out and Consequences (41:01–42:21)
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Monica confirms Elric was with his ex-boyfriend the night Anna disappeared; the “gay angle” was at the core of suspicion and shaming.
"A polyamorous cult that wasn't poly or a cult. A pioneering feminist commune led by a gay man who didn't come out of the closet."
— Ryder Strong [41:52] -
The deeply homophobic language from police records ("the swami turns out to be a faggot" – Maldonado [45:53]) is called out for its bigotry and impact on the investigation.
10. The End of Tender Hearts & Communal Longing (42:32–44:51)
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After Elric’s outing and the shrinking of the commune, Tender Hearts dissolved and the land passed into limbo.
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Ryder and Chris debate the merits and dreams of communal living, revealing nostalgia and skepticism.
"Sounds pretty great to me. And I don't think I'm alone. ... most of us want something different."
— Ryder Strong [44:36–44:51]
11. Aftermath: Searching for Next Steps (44:53–47:51)
- Elric, after years of retreat, died in 2001.
- A new lead emerges: local dealer “Sparks” leaves a voicemail teasing inside information on Anna’s disappearance and the flawed investigation.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Elric Light, on façade and confession:
"I sit and I pretend and pretend because I want to be that vision of what I know I am capable of being. So I pretend. I know I'm gonna do it again." [05:43] - On “Tree Time” and time’s scale:
"We're talking about 3,000 years. ... All of American history would happen before you were 8 years old." [19:23] - Monica Tremblain, on rumors vs. reality:
"Oh yes, absolutely... Except none of what you actually just said was actually true. Those are all lies." [20:56] - Ryder, on the core of Tender Hearts:
"It grew out of a woman's shelter, really." [24:51] - Roleplaying deconstructing police bias:
"You can't handle the truth." [40:19] - Ryder, on the dual deception:
"They let that deception stand, but they were also deceived from within." [41:52] - Explicit police homophobia in records:
"Rm what do you know? The swami turns out to be a faggot." — Maldonado [45:53]
Timestamped Highlights
- 02:15–03:13: Recap of Anna’s disappearance.
- 03:13–06:27: Introduction to Elric Light via tapes.
- 11:53: Introduction to “skin bombing” and local communal oddities.
- 15:10–16:37: Examining Elric’s doctrine and “anti-guru” stance.
- 19:02–19:53: Explaining “tree time.”
- 24:51–27:03: Revelation of Tender Hearts’ origins as a women’s shelter.
- 40:13–41:01: Learning the implications of the secret alibi.
- 45:53: Direct quote displaying police bias.
- 47:11: New lead surfaces via Sparks’ voicemail.
Final Thoughts
This episode peels back layers of myth and prejudice to find the real story of Tender Hearts, exposing both the radical roots and the human foibles of those involved. Ryder’s deepening understanding recasts Anna’s disappearance against a backdrop of social stigma and misunderstanding—and frames new lines of inquiry about how homophobia, rumor, and survival intersected in this vanished community.
As the investigation continues, the personal, social, and historical stakes are raised—not just for Ryder, but for the lingering questions about Anna Trainor’s fate.
If you haven’t listened, this summary guides you through the intrigue, character portraits, and shifting truths at the heart of Anna’s disappearance and Tender Hearts’ enigmatic story.