Day 12 post-surgery. As I deal with the frustration of nearly 2 weeks of forced inactivity, my thoughts turned to the reason for the surgery. The root tear in the meniscus of my right knee prevented me from running. I could walk and hike and climb just fine, without pain. But I couldn’t run. I have been a regular runner my entire adult life. I identify as a runner. And a runner runs.

I also identify as a photographer. So the photo I chose today shows the medium-format panoramic pinhole camera that a friend 3D printed for me. The photograph was taken on Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia. The “tree” that is the focus of the photo is actually a sculpture called “The Spirit of Baikal” or “Baikal Keeper” by Dashi Namdakov. The sculpture is controversial due to concerns that tourists visiting the sculpture will trample the area around it.

My spouse and I traveled from Beijing, China to Moscow, Russia on the Trans-Siberian/Trans-Mongolian railroad. I carried my tripod and 3D-printed camera on the trip (of course, I’m a photographer!). Olkhon Island was a highlight. We spent 2 nights there and then caught the train in Irkutsk to the town of Tomsk.

I could rave on about Russia - after having traveled to many places in the country over many years, I have come to love it. The recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia has horrified me and broken my heart. I will likely never go to Russia again - a depressing thought. And maybe that is another way I identify myself - as a traveler.

Tomorrow I see the surgeon who performed my surgery. Hopefully, I will begin the second phase of recovery and start some physical therapy. And then get back to running. Because a runner runs. A traveler travels. And a photographer creates photographs.