Beatrix checks in after completing an eight-day bike ride. At first, she felt disappointed when a friend’s injury forced her to finish the journey solo. But along the way, she unexpectedly met Bob, and the two formed a meaningful connection despite the 900 miles that separate them. As Thanksgiving approaches, Beatrix finds herself torn between excitement and anxiety about Bob’s upcoming visit. She reflects on past relationships, periods of loneliness, and the challenges of opening her life and home to someone new, including the worry of introducing Bob to her dog, who doesn’t easily warm to strangers. Beatrix shares her hopes for a positive outcome in this candid episode about confronting fear, fumbling towards change, and the challenge of connecting after years of solitude.

In this episode, Beatrix shares her return after a two-month hiatus, speaking about preparations for a bike ride across New York State from Buffalo to Albany. Her close friend, who was supposed to join her on the adventure, suffered a broken hand in an accident, resulting in Beatrix facing the ride alone. She reflects on the disappointment, logistics, and the mixed emotions of continuing the ride without her friend. Additionally, Beatrix delves into personal feelings of loneliness and the solitary nature of life, contrasting it with her experiences when she was younger. Despite the setbacks, she remains committed to the ride and extends an invitation for listeners with similar experiences to share their stories.

 The point is to just keep recording these episodes, finding a rhythm, taking notes, collecting information, stories, and telling them, because there is a story that I need to tell and this is the medium that I choose to do it. If you're still listening, thank you.

 I have got to find a way through this melancholy, and I need to start right here, right where I am right now. The answer is not out there; it's in here. It's right here in me.

I have GOT to find a way to reconnect to the world, the people I love, and just anyone. I've been too isolated for too long. The Middle Tree is a place to gather and explore an idea: leave a voicemail for three people with three reasons why I'm grateful for that person. #3reasons3people

Despite all the fear, I'm going to spread love.